Assembly, growth and conductive properties of tellurium nanorods produced by Rhodococcus aetherivorans BCP1

AbstractTellurite (TeO32−) is a hazardous and toxic oxyanion for living organisms. However, several microorganisms can bioconvert TeO32− into the less toxic form of elemental tellurium (Te0). Here, Rhodococcus aetherivorans BCP1 resting (non-growing) cells showed the proficiency to produce tellurium-based nanoparticles (NPs) and nanorods (NRs) through the bioconversion of TeO32−, depending on the oxyanion initial concentration and time of cellular incubation. Te-nanostructures initially appeared in the cytoplasm of BCP1 cells as spherical NPs, which, as the exposure time increased, were converted into NRs. This observation suggested the existence of an intracellular mechanism of TeNRs assem…