Gold

SONCINI, F. C.; CHECA, S. K.

Binging, Transport and Storage of Metal Ions in Biological Cells

The Royal Society of Chemistry

Año: 2014; p. 570 - 593

The chemical symbol for gold is Au, derived from the latin aurum or ??glow of sunrise??. It must have been one of the first metals known to man. Because of its rarity, beauty and durability, it has been fashioned into a variety of objects and jewellery and stored as a valuable treasure. This follows from the fact that it does not tarnish or corrode as it does not easily react with nonmetallic elements such as dioxygen. It is also malleable, ductile and a good conductor of heat and electricity. These properties mean that it has been used extensively in engineering, aerospace and catalysis as well as in medicine. This includes its use in dentistry (filling dental cavities and replacing teeth) and lately in high-tech industries to make electronic components for products such as computers and mobile phones. The continuous increase in the market price of gold demanded the development of economically viable and eco-friendly technologies to improve its detection and recovery. One alternative is the application of naturally occurring or genetically modified organisms that, in turn, must be linked to a deep knowledge of the biogeochemical cycle of Au. Such knowledge has advanced considerably over the last few years. In addition, the medical application of Au nanoparticles for diagnosis or as drug carriers for the treatment of a number of diseases has greatly enhanced research in these topics. Gold is among the elements considered to be non-essential for life. However, an ability to metabolize it seems to have been advantageous for survival of certain microorganisms in environments such as metalliferous soils. The toxic effects of Au and its antibacterial capacity have been documented since the nineteenth century, although the mechanism of toxicity is far from understood.