Bacteria as nucleation sites for authigenic minerals in a metal-contaminated lake sediment

Ferris, F. G.; Fyfe, W. S.; Beveridge, Terry J.

doi:10.1016/0009-2541(87)90165-3

Cited by 288 publications

(185 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…The precipitation of silicate cements prior to, or during microbial degradation of carbonaceous materials represents a potentially important and little recognized agent of sediment lithification (e.g. Ferris et al, 1987;1988;McMahon et al, 1992;Konhauser & Urrutia, 1999). Silicate precipitation may therefore help to explain some of the more paradoxical examples of Ediacaran fossil preservation and, as suggested by Pflug (1972), may be a more important factor in Ediacaran macrofossil preservation, than is currently appreciated.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Remarkable preservation of microbial mats in Neoproterozoic siliciclastic settings: Implications for Ediacaran taphonomic models

Callow

Brasier

2009

Earth-Science Reviews

121

101

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It is beyond doubt that the appearance of infaunal bioturbation and metazoan biomineralization across the Ediacaran-Cambrian transition irreversibly affected the nature of marine sediment architecture and biogeochemistry. Here we review those changes in relation to their likely effect upon the processes of fossil preservation, especially within siliciclastic sediments. Processes of soft-tissue preservation in siliciclastic settings from the Ediacaran Period, including microbes and microbial mats as well as Ediacaran macrofossils, are here reviewed within this context. Highlighted examples include the exceptional preservation of microbes found in association with wrinkle structures and Ediacaran macrofossils in England and Newfoundland (replicated by silicate minerals) and in the White Sea region of Russia (replicated by iron sulphide). These occurrences show that soft-tissue preservation in siliciclastic settings went well beyond that typical for Ediacaran macrofossils alone and also extended to similar modes of preservation in associated microbes. Using these new observations it can be argued that several existing explanations for Ediacaran fossil preservation can be united within a biogeochemical model that involves evolution of the sediment Mixed Layer across this transition.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Remarkable preservation of microbial mats in Neoproterozoic siliciclastic settings: Implications for Ediacaran taphonomic models

Callow

Brasier

2009

Earth-Science Reviews

121

101

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“…It has been found (e.g. Ferris et al, 1987;Konhauser et al, 1994;Urrutia and Beveridge, 1994;Schultze-Lam et al, 1995;Fortin et al, 1997;Tazaki, 1997;Barker and Banfield, 1998;Douglas and Beveridge, 1998) that an array of authigenic minerals, including clay minerals, can nucleate and grow within the extracellular matrices. It is also significant for the present discussion, that microprobe analyses of calcified modern coccoid cyanobacterial mats forming huge, towerlike calcareous structures in the highly alkaline Lake Van, Turkey (Kempe et al, 1991) show elemental composition (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mass occurrence of benthic coccoid cyanobacteria and their role in the production of Neoarchean carbonates of South Africa

Kaźmierczak

Altermann

Kremer

et al. 2009

Precambrian Research

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a b s t r a c tThe sparse Archean fossil record is based almost entirely on carbonaceous remnants of microorganisms cellularly preserved due to their early post-mortem silicification. Hitherto as an exception, sedimentary carbonate rocks from the Neoarchean Nauga Formation of South Africa contain calcified microbial mats composed of microbiota closely resembling modern benthic colonial cyanobacteria (Chroococcales and Pleurocapsales). Their remains, visible under the scanning electron microscope (SEM) after etching of polished rock samples, comprise capsular envelopes, mucilage sheaths, and groups of cells mineralized by calcium carbonate with an admixture of Al-K-Mg-Fe silicates. The capsular organization of the mucilaginous sheaths surrounding individual cells and cell clusters forming colonies and the mode of mineralization are the characteristic common features of the Neoarchean microbiota described and their modern analogues. The new findings indicate massive production of calcium carbonates by benthic coccoid cyanobacteria in the Neoarchean, and offer a solution to the problem of the origin of Archean carbonate platforms, stromatolites and microbial reefs.

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“…Microbial activities can alter the saturation indices for carbonate minerals, and cell surfaces can serve as nucleation sites (Ferris et al, 1987;Mcgenity and Sellwood, 1999). Both of these factors can serve to increase the rate of precipitation, and thereby increase the partitioning of Sr into calcite.…”

Section: Background: Sr Partitioning In Calcitementioning

confidence: 99%

Strontium incorporation into calcite generated by bacterial ureolysis

Fujita

Redden

Ingram

et al. 2004

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta

210

141

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Abstract-Strontium incorporation into calcite generated by bacterial ureolysis was investigated as part of an assessment of a proposed remediation approach for 90 Sr contamination in groundwater. Urea hydrolysis produces ammonium and carbonate and elevates pH, resulting in the promotion of calcium carbonate precipitation. Urea hydrolysis by the bacterium Bacillus pasteurii in a medium designed to mimic the chemistry of the Snake River Plain Aquifer in Idaho resulted in a pH rise from 7.5 to 9.1. Measured average distribution coefficients (D EX ) for Sr in the calcite produced by ureolysis (0.5) were up to an order of magnitude higher than values reported in the literature for natural and synthetic calcites (0.02-0.4). They were also higher than values for calcite produced abiotically by ammonium carbonate addition (0.3). The precipitation of calcite in these experiments was verified by X-ray diffraction. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF SIMS) depth profiling (up to 350 nm) suggested that the Sr was not merely sorbed on the surface, but was present at depth within the particles. X-ray absorption near edge spectra showed that Sr was present in the calcite samples as a solid solution. The extent of Sr incorporation appeared to be driven primarily by the overall rate of calcite precipitation, where faster precipitation was associated with greater Sr uptake into the solid. The presence of bacterial surfaces as potential nucleation sites in the ammonium carbonate precipitation treatment did not enhance overall precipitation or the Sr distribution coefficient. Because bacterial ureolysis can generate high rates of calcite precipitation, the application of this approach is promising for remediation of 90 Sr contamination in environments where calcite is stable over the long term.

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Bacteria as nucleation sites for authigenic minerals in a metal-contaminated lake sediment

Cited by 288 publications

References 24 publications

Remarkable preservation of microbial mats in Neoproterozoic siliciclastic settings: Implications for Ediacaran taphonomic models

Remarkable preservation of microbial mats in Neoproterozoic siliciclastic settings: Implications for Ediacaran taphonomic models

Mass occurrence of benthic coccoid cyanobacteria and their role in the production of Neoarchean carbonates of South Africa

Strontium incorporation into calcite generated by bacterial ureolysis

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