Microbial removal of Fe(III) impurities from clay using dissimilatory iron reducers.

Fe(III) impurities, which detract refractoriness and whiteness from porcelain and pottery, could be biologically removed from low-quality clay by indigenous dissimilatory Fe(III)-reducing microorganisms. Insoluble Fe(III) in clay particles was leached out as soluble Fe(II), and the Fe(III) reduction reaction was coupled to the oxidation of sugars such as glucose, maltose and sucrose. A maximum removal of 44-45% was obtained when the relative amount of sugar was 5% (w/w; sugar/clay). By the microbial treatment, the whiteness of the clay was increased from 63.20 to 79.64, whereas the redness was clearly decreased from 13.47 to 3.55.