Ex situ formation of metal selenide quantum dots using bacterially derived selenide precursors

Luminescent quantum dots were synthesized using bacterially derived selenide (Se(II-)) as the precursor. Biogenic Se(II-) was produced by the reduction of Se(IV) by Veillonella atypica and compared directly against borohydride-reduced Se(IV) for the production of glutathione-stabilized CdSe and β-mercaptoethanol-stabilized ZnSe nanoparticles by aqueous synthesis. Biological Se(II-) formed smaller, narrower size distributed QDs under the same conditions. The growth kinetics of biologically sourced CdSe phases were slower. The proteins isolated from filter sterilized biogenic Se(II-) included a methylmalonyl-CoA decarboxylase previously characterized in the closely related Veillonella parvula. XAS analysis of the glutathione-capped CdSe at the S K-edge suggested that sulfur from the glutathione was structurally incorporated within the CdSe. A novel synchrotron based XAS technique was also developed to follow the nucleation of biological and inorganic selenide phases, and showed that biogenic Se(II-) is more stable and more resistant to beam-induced oxidative damage than its inorganic counterpart. The bacterial production of quantum dot precursors offers an alternative, 'green' synthesis technique that negates the requirement of expensive, toxic chemicals and suggests a possible link to the exploitation of selenium contaminated waste streams.