Bacteria are very small (~ 1.5 μm3), but have the largest surface area to volume ratio of any life form. As a result, by providing interfaces for sorption of metal cations, bacteria are efficient scavengers of dilute metals ...

Several recent studies have applied surface complexation models to quantify metal adsorption by bacterial surfaces. Although these models can account for the effects of many abiotic variables (such as pH and ionic strength), ...