Biomineralization associated with microbial reduction of Fe3+ and oxidation of Fe2+ in solid minerals

Iron- reducing and oxidizing microorganisms gain energy through reduction or oxidation of iron, and by doing so they play an important role in geochemical cycling of iron in a wide range of environments. This study was undertaken to investigate iron redox cycling in the deep subsurface by taking an advantage of the Chinese Continental Scientific Deep Drilling project. A fluid sample from 2450 m was collected and Fe(III)-reducing microorganisms were enriched using specific media (pH 6.2). Nontronite, an Fe(III)-rich clay mineral, was used in initial enrichments with lactate and acetate as electron donors under strictly anaerobic condition at the in-situ temperature of the fluid sample (65oC). Instead of a monotonic increase in Fe(II) concentration with time as would have been expected if Fe(III) bioreduction was the sole process, Fe(II) concentration initially increased, reached a peak, but then decreased to a minimum level. Continued incubation revealed an iron cycling with a cycling period of five to ten days. These initial results suggested that there might be Fe(III) reducers and Fe(II) oxidizers in the enrichment culture. Subsequently, multiple transfers were made with an attempt to isolate individual Fe(III) reducers and Fe(II) oxidizers. However, iron cycling persisted after multiple transfers. Additional experiments weremore » conducted to ensure that iron reduction and oxidation was indeed biological. Biological Fe(II) oxidation was further confirmed in a series of roll tubes (with a pH gradient) where FeS and siderite were used as the sole electron donor. The oxidation of FeS occurred only at pH 10, and goethite, lepidocrocite, and ferrihydrite formed as oxidation products. Although molecular evidence (16S rRNA gene analysis) collectively suggested that only a single organism (a strain of Thermoanaerobacter ethanolicus) might be responsible for both Fe(III) reduction and Fe(II) oxidation, we could not rule out the possibility that Fe(III) reduction and Fe(II) oxidation may be accomplished by a consortia of organisms. Nonetheless, our data were definitive in showing that iron redox cycling exists in the deep subsurface.« less