Transformations in Iron Mineralogy Induced by Microbial Processes in Natural Sediments
EMSL Project ID
16892
Abstract
The precipitation and transformation of iron oxide minerals in sediments plays an important role in sequestering inorganic contaminants from ground water. Subsequent changes in the mineralogy of newly precipitated Fe-bearing solids can impact the reversibility of inorganic contaminant partitioning. Projecting the impact of these processes is dependent on our knowledge of the influence of microbially driven iron- and sulfate-reduction processes that are a common feature of sediment diagenesis. The impact of microbially driven transformations in iron mineralogy is being explored in microcosm experiments employing natural sediments and their associated native microbial consortia. Changes in iron mineralogy are being assessed through isolation of various sediment size fractions collected at different times as a function varying incubation conditions. The details of the microbially induced mineralogical transformations will be determined using various analytical tools that probe mineral structure, including powder X-ray diffraction, Mossbauer spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The results from these studies will be used to inform current conceptual models that have been postulated to describe the dynamics of inorganic contaminant partitioning in settings where iron oxide minerals exert a predominant influence.
Project Details
Project type
Exploratory Research
Start Date
2005-11-17
End Date
2007-03-22
Status
Closed
Released Data Link
Team
Principal Investigator