Synthesis and properties of ternary (K, NH4, H3O)-jarosites precipitated from Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans cultures in simulated bioleaching solutions

Jones, F. Sandy; Bigham, Jerry M.; Gramp, Jonathan P.; Tuovinen, Olli H.

doi:10.1016/j.msec.2014.08.043

Cited by 32 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…So, slight differences in the observed absorption band positions between both samples may indicate that the biological sample contains more H 3 O + and less K + in the A site of the jarosite mineral than the synthetic counterpart. This is common for jarosite precipitates generated from enrichment cultures of iron-oxidizing bacteria (e.g., [40]) and is supported by our XRD analysis (Figure 2) and Raman spectra (Figure 4).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 83%

“…As expected, the XRD pattern of the synthetic jarosite sample exhibits a higher signal-to-noise ratio than that of the biological sample, indicating that the biological jarosite contains a larger amorphous component and is more poorly organized (i.e., less crystalline) than the synthetic counterpart. However, our jarosite samples generate XRD patterns that are in good agreement and broadly consistent with the XRD patterns of natural and synthetic jarosite samples, respectively [15,23,47,50,51,52], and the biological sample pattern is particularly comparable to jarosites derived from other iron-oxidizing bacterial enrichment cultures [38,40,53].…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 76%

“…The biogenic jarosite sample was generated by using an established enrichment culture of autotrophic, acidophilic, iron-oxidizing bacteria known to precipitate jarosite minerals as a result of their metabolism [17,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45]. The primary enriched culture was derived from crust precipitates and hydrated mineral samples collected from the Berrocal sampling site of the Rio Tinto river system in Spain (37° 35′ 33.27″ N, 6° 33′ 1.84″ W; [15,16,39]).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Spectral Comparison of Jarosites Using Techniques Relevant to the Robotic Exploration of Biosignatures on Mars

Loiselle

McCraig

Dyar

et al. 2018

Life

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The acidic sulfate-rich waters of the Meridiani Planum region were potentially a habitable environment for iron-oxidizing bacteria on ancient Mars. If life existed in this ancient martian environment, jarosite minerals precipitating in these waters may record evidence of this biological activity. Since the Meridiani jarosite is thermodynamically stable at the martian surface, any biosignatures preserved in the jarosites may be readily available for analysis in the current surface sediments during the ongoing robotic exploration of Mars. However, thermal decomposition experiments indicate that organic compound detection of sediments containing jarosite may be challenging when using pyrolysis experiments; the instrument commonly used to assess organic matter in martian samples. So, here, we assess if the biogenicity of the Meridiani-type jarosites can be determined using complimentary spectroscopic techniques also utilized during the robotic exploration of Mars, including the upcoming ExoMars2020 rover mission. An abiotic jarosite, synthesized following established protocols, and a biological jarosite counterpart, derived from a microbial enrichment culture of Rio Tinto river sediments, were used to compare four spectroscopy techniques employed in the robotic exploration of Mars (Raman spectroscopy, mid-infrared (IR) spectroscopy, visible near-infrared reflectance (VNIR) spectroscopy and Mössbauer spectroscopy) to determine if the complimentary information obtained using these instruments can help elucidate the biological influence of Meridiani-type jarosites. Raman spectral differences might be due to the presence of unreacted reagents in the synthetic spectra and not biological contributions. Reflectance (IR/VNIR) spectra might exhibit minor organic absorption contributions, but are observed in both sample spectra, and do not represent a biosignature. Mössbauer spectra show minor differences in fit parameters that are related to crystal morphology and are unrelated to the biological (i.e., organic) component of the system. Results of this study suggest that the identification of biosignatures in Meridiani-type jarosites using the in situ robotic exploration on Mars may be possible but will be challenging. Our work provides additional insight into extraterrestrial biosignature detection and data interpretation for Mars exploration and indicates that sample return missions are likely required to unequivocally resolve the possible biogenicity of the Meridiani sediments or other jarosite-containing sediments.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 83%

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 76%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Spectral Comparison of Jarosites Using Techniques Relevant to the Robotic Exploration of Biosignatures on Mars

Loiselle

McCraig

Dyar

et al. 2018

Life

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“…The results were similar to those of other studies. 36–38 The formation reaction of jarosite is as follows:K + + 2SO 4 2− + 3Fe 3+ + 6H 2 O → KFe 3 (SO 4 ) 2 (OH) 6 + 6H + …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electrochemical corrosion behavior and mechanism of iron-oxidizing bacteria Thiobacillus ferrooxidans from acid mine drainage on Q235 carbon steel

et al. 2022

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“…Many acidophilic Fe-cycling bacteria are part of the microbial diversity in these environments (Bonnefoy and Holmes, 2012;Johnson et al, 2012; and retrieve energy from Fe(II) oxidation (Nordstrom and Southam, 1997). This leads to Fe minerals closely associated with microbial organic matter in acidic ferruginous environments (Benzerara et al, 2008;Clarke et al, 1997;Hedrich et al, 2011;Inskeep et al, 2004;Mori et al, 2015;Ohnuki et al, 2004) and in laboratory cultures (Egal et al, 2009;Liao et al, 2009;Morin et al, 2003;Sandy Jones et al, 2014;Xu et al, 2014;Zhu et al, 2013). Fe mineralogy may furthermore be modified through the activity of Fe(III)-reducing and sulfate-reducing microorganisms reported in such acidic environments (e.g.…”

Section: Accepted M Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 99%

Iron mineralogy across the oxycline of a lignite mine lake

Miot

Morin

et al. 2016

Chemical Geology

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International audienceIron-rich pelagic aggregates of microbial origin named “iron snow” are formed in the water column of some acidic lignite mine lakes. We investigated the evolution of Fe mineralogy across the oxycline of the Lusatian lake 77, Germany at two sampling sites differing by their pH and mixing profiles. The central basin (CB) of this lake shows a dimictic water regime with a non-permanent anoxic deep layer and a homogeneous acidic pH all over the water column (pH 3). In contrast, the northern basin (NB) is meromictic with a permanently anoxic bottom layer and a pH increase from pH 3 in the mixolimnion (superficial part of the lake) to pH 5.5 in the monimolimnion (anoxic bottom layer). Fe minerals above and below the oxycline were identified using X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) at the Fe K-edge and further characterized down to the atomic scale by High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) and Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) coupled to Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDXS). We explored local Fe redox state and C speciation using Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscopy (STXM) at the Fe L2,3-edges and C K-edge. Schwertmannite [Fe8O8(OH)8-2x(SO4)x] identified as the sole Fe mineral in CB, was polycrystalline, consisting in the aggregation of nanodomains of 2–3 nm each one exhibiting the crystal structure of schwertmannite. In contrast, schwertmannite was partly (40%) converted to aluminous ferrihydrite when reaching the oxycline in NB. This mineralogical transformation was most probably due to a combination of abiotic and microbial anaerobic processes promoting pH increase and release of Fe(II) (e.g. via heterotrophic Fe(III) reduction) that induce the catalytic hydrolysis of schwertmannite to ferrihydrite. Mineral products were stabilized in the monimolimnion by the adsorption of aluminum, silicate and organic matter. Noteworthy, local Fe redox state heterogeneities were observed, with a few areas enriched in Fe(II) as evidenced by STXM analyses at the Fe L2,3-edges. These local redox heterogeneities could arise from microbial activity (e.g. Fe(III) and/or sulfate reduction). All these results provide an in-depth mineralogical overview of iron phases forming in lake 77 as a basis for future investigations of microbial vs. abiotic parameters controlling their stability and transformation

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Synthesis and properties of ternary (K, NH4, H3O)-jarosites precipitated from Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans cultures in simulated bioleaching solutions

Cited by 32 publications

References 40 publications

A Spectral Comparison of Jarosites Using Techniques Relevant to the Robotic Exploration of Biosignatures on Mars

A Spectral Comparison of Jarosites Using Techniques Relevant to the Robotic Exploration of Biosignatures on Mars

Electrochemical corrosion behavior and mechanism of iron-oxidizing bacteria Thiobacillus ferrooxidans from acid mine drainage on Q235 carbon steel

Iron mineralogy across the oxycline of a lignite mine lake

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