<i>Aspergillums Niger</i> assisted crystal growth of calcium tartrate: an alternative method to grow crystals

Abstract

Abstract A novel method of growing calcium tartrate single crystals was developed in which the crystals were hanging freely in solution assisted by fine filaments of fungi ( Aspergillums niger ). Spores of A. niger were inoculated and allowed to grow in the supernatant solution of calcium chloride and tartaric acid (1:1) on the silica hydro‐gel impregnated with orthophosphoric acid. Transparent, prismatic, calcium tartrate crystals were grown hanging in the filamentous network of the fungi after 10 days in the supernatant solution. This network of the mycelium facilitated and mimicked the gel. The grown crystals were identified as calcium tartrate trihydrate and characterized by powder XRD, FTIR and TGA. This technique provides an alternate and a novel technique to grow crystals. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &amp; Co. KGaA, Weinheim)