Micro- and nano-scale mineralogical characterization of Fe(II)-oxidizing bacterial stalks
Corresponding Author
Ruggero Vigliaturo
Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Correspondence
Ruggero Vigliaturo, Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Pennsylvania, 240 S. 33rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6316, USA.
Email: ruggero.vigliaturo@gmail.com
Search for more papers by this authorAlessandra Marengo
Department of Earth Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorErica Bittarello
Department of Earth Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorIleana Pérez-Rodríguez
Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Search for more papers by this authorGoran Dražić
Department for Materials Chemistry, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Search for more papers by this authorReto Gieré
Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Ruggero Vigliaturo
Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Correspondence
Ruggero Vigliaturo, Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Pennsylvania, 240 S. 33rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6316, USA.
Email: ruggero.vigliaturo@gmail.com
Search for more papers by this authorAlessandra Marengo
Department of Earth Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorErica Bittarello
Department of Earth Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorIleana Pérez-Rodríguez
Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Search for more papers by this authorGoran Dražić
Department for Materials Chemistry, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Search for more papers by this authorReto Gieré
Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Neutrophilic, microaerobic Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria (FeOB) from marine and freshwater environments are known to generate twisted ribbon-like organo-mineral stalks. These structures, which are extracellularly precipitated, are susceptible to chemical influences in the environment once synthesized. In this paper, we characterize the minerals associated with freshwater FeOB stalks in order to evaluate key organo-mineral mechanisms involved in biomineral formation. Micro-Raman spectroscopy and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy revealed that FeOB isolated from drinking water wells in Sweden produced stalks with ferrihydrite, lepidocrocite and goethite as main mineral components. Based on our observations made by micro-Raman Spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscope combined with electron energy-loss spectroscopy, we propose a model that describes the crystal-growth mechanism, the Fe-oxidation state, and the mineralogical state of the stalks, as well as the biogenic contribution to these features. Our study suggests that the main crystal-growth mechanism in stalks includes nanoparticle aggregation and dissolution/re-precipitation reactions, which are dominant near the organic exopolymeric material produced by the microorganism and in the peripheral region of the stalk, respectively.
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