Adsorption of copper on Pseudomonas aureofaciens: Protective role of surface exopolysaccharides

Adsorption of Cu(II) on P. aureofaciens cells is diminished by the presence of abundant exopolysaccharides via screening of strongly-binding functional groups of the cell wall. Adsorption of copper on exopolysaccharide (EPS)-rich and (EPS)-poor soil rhizospheric Pseudomonas aureofaciens cells was studied as a function of pH and copper concentration at different exposure time in order to assess the effect of cell exopolysaccharides on parameters of adsorption equilibria. The surface properties of bacteria were investigated as a function of pH and ionic strength using potentiometric acid–base titration and electrophoresis that permitted the assessment of the excess surface proton concentration and zeta-potential of the cells, respectively. For adsorption experiments, wide range of Cu concentration was investigated (0.1–375 μM) in order to probe both weak and strong binding sites at the surface. Experimental results were successively fitted using a Linear Programming Model approach. The groups with p K a of 4.2–4.8 and from 5.2 to 7.2, tentatively assigned as carboxylates and phosphoryl respectively, are the most abundant at the surface and thus essentially contribute to the metal binding. The presence of exopolysaccharides on the surface decreases the amount of copper adsorbed on the bacterial cell wall apparently via screening the underlining functional groups of the cell wall. At the same time, dissolved EPS substances do not contribute to Cu binding in aqueous solution. Results of this study allow quantification of the role played by the surface EPS matrix as a protective barrier for metal adsorption on bacterial cell walls.