Speciation of neodynium in the rhizobacteria pseudomonas putida : focus on the influence of exposure media and Nd complexes with pyoverdine

With a predicted world population of over 9 billion people in 2050 and rapid economic growth, the pressure on natural resources is exponentially increasing. It is the case for critical metals, including Rare Earth Elements (REEs), that are the heart of a number of strategic technologies for the environmental transition. In this context, bio-inspired technologies could bring neat alternative to traditional pyro-metallurgy. Extraction strategies using bacterial proteins specific to REEs have recently emerge. This project aims to study the Nd complexes formed by molecules identified in the bacteria model Pseudomonas putida, such as periplasmic protein and siderophore.The second objective is to characterize Nd speciation in P. putida whole cells and compare it with the speciation of soluble proteins, with P. putida cultures performed in different media.This project should help to understand the implication of different ligands in REE behavior in P. putida.