New bacterial pump could be used to remove cesium from the environment by light
Monday, February 22, 2016 - 10:01
in Physics & Chemistry
By specifically introducing mutations into key parts of a pump located within the bacterial cell membranes, scientists have been able to induce it to pump cesium, including cesium's radioactive isotopes. This could form part of a strategy for the decontamination of cesium, which was one of the main radioactive materials released in the disaster at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.