1. Formation of sphalerite (ZnS) deposits in natural biofilms of sulfate-reducing bacteria.
- Author
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Labrenz M, Druschel GK, Thomsen-Ebert T, Gilbert B, Welch SA, Kemner KM, Logan GA, Summons RE, De Stasio G, Bond PL, Lai B, Kelly SD, and Banfield JF
- Subjects
- Arsenic metabolism, Chemical Precipitation, Computer Simulation, Crystallization, Deltaproteobacteria growth & development, Fatty Acids, Nonesterified metabolism, Ferrous Compounds metabolism, Hydrogen-Ion Concentration, Metals metabolism, Models, Biological, Oxidation-Reduction, Oxygen physiology, Selenium metabolism, Sulfur-Reducing Bacteria growth & development, Temperature, Water Microbiology, Biofilms growth & development, Deltaproteobacteria metabolism, Geologic Sediments microbiology, Sulfides metabolism, Sulfur-Reducing Bacteria metabolism, Zinc Compounds metabolism
- Abstract
Abundant, micrometer-scale, spherical aggregates of 2- to 5-nanometer-diameter sphalerite (ZnS) particles formed within natural biofilms dominated by relatively aerotolerant sulfate-reducing bacteria of the family Desulfobacteriaceae. The biofilm zinc concentration is about 10(6) times that of associated groundwater (0.09 to 1.1 parts per million zinc). Sphalerite also concentrates arsenic (0.01 weight %) and selenium (0.004 weight %). The almost monomineralic product results from buffering of sulfide concentrations at low values by sphalerite precipitation. These results show how microbes control metal concentrations in groundwater- and wetland-based remediation systems and suggest biological routes for formation of some low-temperature ZnS deposits.
- Published
- 2000
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