Development of a bionanotechnological phosphate removal system with thermostable ferritin

Phosphate removal to ecologically desired levels of <0.01 mg/L is currently dependent on large overdosing of metal salts and production of large amounts of chemical sludge. The present study focuses on the development and performance of a new bionanotechnological phosphate removal system, based on sorption of oxoanions by nanoscale ferric iron particles stabilized within thermostable ferritin from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus (PfFrt). Laboratory studies show that this thermostable protein nanocage has fast kinetics for phosphate uptake at very low concentrations by catalytic oxidation of iron. In this study we demonstrate essentially complete phosphate removal with a capacity of approximately 11 mg/g PfFrt. Ferritin can easily be immobilized and is amenable to fast and efficient regeneration, making recovery of phosphate possible. The phosphate removal process with PfFrt is, due to its high affinity, able to reach ecologically desired phosphate levels and in addition it is cost competitive with existing techniques.