Contact

Prof. Dr. Karim Fahmy

Head
Biophysics
k.fahmyhzdr.de
Phone: +49 351 260 2952
+49 351 260 3601

Cooperations

Department of Biophysics

Research

The Biophysics Department conducts interdisciplinary research at the interface of biomolecular function, physical chemistry and radiochemistry. The activities contribute to the Helmholtz Research Programmes Nuclear Safety and Cancer Research in the Helmholtz-Association. We are member of the Cluster of Excellence "Physics of Life" (PoL) in Dresden.

We are particularly interested in:

structural and dynamic aspects of biomembranes
conformational transitions in membrane proteins
interactions between (radio)metals and biomolecules
effects of metals and radionuclides on the metabolism of microorganisms (Televised MDR report)

Education

The Biophysics department participates in the Dresden International Graduate School for Biomedicine and Bioengineering (DIGS-BB) supported by the Excellence Initiative of the German federal and state governments.

Practicals on Molecular Spectroscopy and Calorimetry are offered. The following lectures are held at the technische Universität Dresden and are elgible for the Master Specialization "Soft Condensed Matter and Biological Physics":

Biological Thermodynamics (English, summer semester)
Biophysical Methods (German, winter semester)

Seminar lectures for the International BIOTEC-Master Programme,

Vibrational Spectroscopy (English)
Absorption and Fluorescence Spectroscopy (English)

Experimental Methods

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy
Circular dichroism
Static and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy
Calorimetry
Mass-Spectroscopy

Spectroscopic data are evaluated in combination with Density Functional Theory to understand photochemoical and photophysical properties of organic complexes of actinides.

Latest publication

Recovery of germanium from optical fiber industry wastewater using desferroxamine B

Ghosh, A.; Hintersatz, C.; Kretzschmar, J.; Foerstendorf, H.; Tsushima, S.; Jain, R.

Abstract

Germanium (Ge) is a critical element whose long-term supply to industry is not assured. Thus, recovery of Ge from secondary sources is important. Siderophores-assisted technology could be a solution for recovery of Ge from secondary sources.
However, there are no studies on the interaction of Ge with siderophores and subsequent recovery. In the present study, the interaction of Ge with desferrioxamine B (DFOB) was studied to develop Ge recovery technology from its low-concentrated wastewater. Ge-DFOB complexation was studied under varying pH, different anion centrations and the presence of other metals. It was observed that Ge-DFOB complexation was preferred at lower pH and increased in the presence of chloride ions. DFOB complexed more than 80% Ge even when Zn, Ca, Cu, and Mg were in 20-fold molar excess. Increasing pH to 5 as well as addition of eight-fold excess
ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) at pH 3.5 led to more than 95% decomplexation of the Ge-DFOB complex. Through spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations, the hexadentate complex between hydroxamate groups of DFOB and Ge was established. When this technology was applied to wastewater from the fiber optics industry, more than 80% of Ge-DFOB was recovered with Ge purity of 84.5% using reversed-phase chromatography.

Keywords: Complexation; siderophore; circular economy; NMR spectroscopy; DFT

Journal of Hazardous Materials 494(2025), 138444
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.138444

Permalink: https://www.hzdr.de/publications/Publ-40014

More publications

Team

Name	Bld./Office	+49 351 260	Email
Head
Prof. Dr. Karim Fahmy	801/P301	2952 3601	k.fahmyhzdr.de
Employees
Name	Bld./Office	+49 351 260	Email
Jenny Philipp	801/P303	3247 3568	j.philipphzdr.de
Prof. Dr. Satoru Tsushima	801/P302	2978	s.tsushimahzdr.de
Other employees
Name	Bld./Office	+49 351 260	Email
Dr. Charlotte Kielar	801/P303	3247 3892	c.kielarhzdr.de

Physical Chemistry of Biomolecular Condensates

Name	Bld./Office	+49 351 260	Email
Head
Dr. Ellen Adams	801/P301	2911	e.adamshzdr.de
Employees
Name	Bld./Office	+49 351 260	Email
Artur Czajkowski	801/P303	3375	a.czajkowskihzdr.de
Likhitha Chakra Priya Pulibandla	801/P303	3375	l.pulibandlahzdr.de
Manthan Raj	801/P303	3375	m.rajhzdr.de
Juliane Tippmann			j.tippmannhzdr.de
Abhirami Udayabanu			a.udayabanuhzdr.de