ABSTRACT
In modern industrial society, the use of inorganic metal elements
such as rare metals is essential. At the same time, industrial depres-
sion by unprecedented environmental pollution and depletion of re-
sources is a growing concern. In particular, rare metals have been
attracting public attention along with the development of civilized
societies. They are critically important materials for human health,
economy, and diplomacy between countries. A stable supply of rare
metals is very critical for the development of global science and tech-
nology. Issues such as rare metal panic and alternative elemental
strategies are at the top of the agenda of most governments. There-
fore, innovative technologies for efficient separation and recovery
of rare metals from discarded high-tech products and wastewater
have to be developed. Metal adsorption using biological function
is expected to have advantages in individually specific adsorption
and concentration recovery that is beyond the reach of conventional
methods. Cell surface design is a novel strategy of molecular breed-
ing of bioadsorbents. By cell surface engineering, metal-binding pro-
teins and peptides were displayed on the yeast cell surface.1−4 This system enables us not only to remove toxic heavy metals but also
to adsorb and recover useful rare metals from the environment.5 In
this chapter, a novel approach by cell surface design for adsorption
and recovery of rare metal ions is attempted, and the advantages
and potential of cell surface design in the construction of resource-
recycling bioadsorbents are described.
