The Potential Role of S-and Fe-Cycling Bacteria on the Formation of Fe-Bearing Mineral (Pyrite and Vivianite) in Alluvial Sediments from the Upper Chicamocha River Basin, Colombia

Abstract

S- and Fe-cycling bacteria can decisively affect the crystallization of Fe-bearing minerals in sediments from fluvial environments. We have studied the relationships between the Fe-bearing mineral assemblage and the bacterial community composition in the sediments rich in organic matter from the upper Chicamocha river basin (Colombia). Rapid flowing sections of the river contain sediments that have a high redox potential, are poor in organic matter and are enriched in kaolinite and quartz. On the other hand, the mineral assemblage of the sediments deposited in the La Playa dam with a high content in organic matter is enriched in Fe-bearing minerals: a) vivianite and pyrite in the permanently flooded sediments of the dam and b) pyrite and goethite in the periodically emerged sediments. The bacterial community composition of these sediments reveals anthropic organic matter pollution processes and biodegradation associated with eutrophication. Moreover, periodically emerged sediments in the La Playa dam contain bacterial groups adapted to the alternation of dry and wet periods under oxic or anoxic conditions. Cell-shaped aggregates with a pyritic composition suggest that sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) communities were involved in the precipitation of Fe-sulfides. The precipitation of vivianite in the flooded sediments was favored by a greater availability of Fe(II), which promoted the iron-reducing bacteria (IRB) enrichment of the sediments. The presence of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) in the flooded sediments and the activity of iron-oxidizing bacteria (IOB) in the periodically emerged sediments favored both pyrite crystallization under a high sulfide availability and the oxidation of microbially precipitated monosulfides. Moreover, IOB enhanced goethite formation in the periodically emerged sediments.

Anomalous Gold Concentrations in Hypersaline Wetland Sediments (Laguna Honda, South Spain) Caused by Nanoparticles Used in Agricultural Practices: Environmental Transformation

“…Solubilization via the microbe-mediated oxidation of Au 0 and later complexation with different types of ions emitted by microorganisms (e.g., thiosulfate, cyanide) has been proposed in several studies [ 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 ]. Sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are important microorganism communities populating hypersaline wetlands, determining the sulfur cycle, and playing important roles in the fixation or release of metals, e.g., [ 30 , 59 ]. Dhiman et al [ 60 ] revealed that important communities of SOB exhibit features that promote plant growth, such as the production of hydrogen cyanide, the presence of which minimally affects its microbial activity [ 61 ], although some other SOB groups, such as Thiobacillus , are used to remove cyanide from polluted systems.…”