Se(IV) reduction and extracellular biosynthesis of Nano-Se(0) by Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 and Shewanella putrefaciens

Microbial reduction of Se(IV) to Se(0) is extremely important for the detoxification of selenium oxyanion, but the reductive mechanism is still controversial. In this study, the reduction of Se(IV) by Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 and Shewanella putrefaciens was systematically investigated. The results showed that excessive Se(IV) severely inhibited the growth of microorganisms and Se(IV) reduction. The extracellular accumulation of Nano-Se(0) particles was shown to be approximately 250–650 nm in diameter. Riboflavin facilitated Se(IV) reduction, while rotenone, as an electron inhibitor, could completely inhibit Se(IV) reduction, validating the extracellular electron transport process for biosynthesized Nano-Se(0). Importantly, the amorphous Nano-Se(0) synthesized by S. oneidensis MR-1 were mixtures of helical chains and Se8 rings, while those synthesized by S. putrefaciens were mainly composed of helical chains. FTIR results demonstrated that Nano-Se(0) particles were wrapped by some proteins, organic substances and lipids, exhibiting superior dispersibility and biocompatibility. Biogenic Nano-Se(0) particles can also be considered for technological applications in various fields.