Pore exclusion chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry for monitoring elements in bacteria: a study on microbial removal of uranium from aqueous solution.

The interstitial spaces between spherical particles in a packed column can act as a sieve that passes microorganisms below a certain size. If the bed is a perfusion-type material (containing a binary distribution of large and small pores), colloidal-size microorganisms are subject only to pore exclusion, while all molecules are subject to size exclusion among the various pores. Thus, microorganisms elute first, followed by macromolecules, and then small molecules. Coupling this separation method to an ICP magnetic sector mass spectrometer provides a sensitive, direct means to study the microbial uptake of heavy metals (i.e., uranium) from their surrounding environments. Multiple metal ions can be monitored in the microorganism and in the surrounding solution. In this way, definitive information can be provided for the remediation of radioactive waste sites. The effect of uranium on microbial growth is also discussed.