Potential mobilization of platinum-group elements by siderophores in surface environments

The emission of platinum-group elements (PGEs) from catalytic converters has led to increased environmental abundances of Pt, Pd, and Rh; however, little is known about the environmental effects and fate of these metals. Organic ligands found in soils have the potential to increase the mobility of PGEs and potentially increase the bioavailability of the metals. Here, we assessed the abilities of microbially produced iron-chelating ligands (siderophores) to complex with the PGEs. Batch experiments using the synthetic siderophore desferrioxamine-B (DFO-B) and powdered metal or oxide forms of Pt, Pd, or Rh showed that DFO-B enhances the solubility of Pt and Pd due to the formation of Pt- and Pd-DFO-B aqueous complexes, with estimated minimum stability constants on the order of 10(17-16) and 10(20-24), respectively. Dissolution rates for Pd are comparable to other mineral dissolution rates with DFO-B. DFO-B had little to no effect on the dissolution of Rh metal or Rh2O3. Our results indicate that siderophores have the potential to increase the mobility of Pt and Pd in environments with limited activities of free trivalent cations. These results have implications for the fate of catalytic converter-emitted Pt and Pd, and support the need for further Pt and Pd toxicity and bioaccumulation studies.