Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Swelling and Texture of Iron-Bearing Smectites Reduced by Bacteria

  • Published:
Clays and Clay Minerals

Abstract

Microbial reduction of clay mineral structural Fe(III) decreases the swelling of nontronite gels, most importantly at intermediate oxidation states (40 to 80 cmol Fe(II) kg−1 clay). The purpose of this study was to establish whether microbial reduction of structural Fe(III) decreased the swelling of other Fe-bearing smectites and to discern the influence that organic compounds of microbial origin (bacterial cells, cell fragments and/or exudates) may have on clay swelling and texture. Structural Fe(III) was reduced by incubating smectite suspensions with either a combination of Pseudomonas bacteria or a mixture of anaerobic bacteria. The influence of organics on clay swelling was estimated on smectites suspended in either organic or inorganic media in the absence of bacteria. The gravimetric water content of the reduced clay gels equilibrated at various applied pressures was recorded as a function of Fe oxidation state. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was employed to determine the influence of bacteria and type of media on the texture of reduced smectite gels. Reduction of structural Fe(III) by bacteria decreased the swelling pressure of all Fe-bearing smectites. Increased clay swelling, due to the presence of organics (organic medium, exudates or cell fragments), was correlated to the total Fe content, the extent of structural Fe reduction, as well as the initial swelling characteristics of the Fe-bearing smectites. High structural Fe(II) contents (>50 cmol Fe(II) kg−1) resulted in increased attractive forces between clay platelets that decreased clay swelling, even in organic medium suspensions. Microbial reduction resulted in increased face-face association of individual clay layers, forming larger and more distinct crystallite subunits than in nonreduced clay gels. But, perhaps more importantly, microbial reduction of structural Fe(III) resulted in an increased association between crystallite subunits and, thus, an overall larger particle size and pore size distribution, due to the interaction of bacteria ceils, cell fragments and organic exudates.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ben Rhaïem H, Pons CH, Tessier D. 1987. Factors affecting the microstructure of smectites: Role of cation and history of applied stresses. In: Schultz LG, van Olphen H, Mumpton FA, editors. Proc Int Clay Conf; 1985; Denver, CO. Bloomington, IN: Clay Miner Soc. p 292–297.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chenu C. 1989. Influence of a polysaccharide, scleroglucan, on clay microstructures. Soil Biol Biochem 21:299–305.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chenu C, Jaunet A-M. 1990. Modifications de l’organisation texturale d’une montmorillonite calcique liées à l’adsorption d’un polysaccharide. CR Acad Sci Paris; t. 310, Série 11:975–980.

    Google Scholar 

  • Egashira K, Ohtsubo M. 1983. Swelling and mineralogy of smectites in paddy soils derived from marine alluvium, Japan. Geoderma 29:119–127.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ernstsen V, Gates WP, Stucki JW. 1998. Microbial reduction of structural iron in clays-A renewable source of reduction capacity. J Environ Qual 27:761–766.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foster, MD. 1953. Geochemical studies of clay minerals: II. Relation between ionic substitution and swelling in montmorillonites. Am Mineral 38:994–1006.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gates WP, Stucki JW, Kirpatrick RJ. 1996. Structural properties of reduced Upton montmorillonite. Phys Chem Mineral 23:535–541.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gates WP, Wilkinson HT, Stucki JW. 1993. Swelling properties of microbially reduced ferruginous smectite. Clays Clay Miner 41:360–364.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hetzel F, Tessier D, Jaunet A-M, Doner H. 1994. The microstructure of three Na+ smectites: The importance of particle geometry on dehydration and rehydration. Clays Clay Miner 42:242–248.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khaled EM, Stucki JW. 1991. Effects of iron oxidation state on cation fixation in smectites. Soil Sci Soc Am J 55:550–554.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Komadel P, Stucki JW. 1988. Quantitative assay of minerals for Fe2+ and Fe3+ using 1,10-phenanathroline: III. A rapid photochemical method. Clays Clay Miner 36:379–381.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Komadel P, Stucki JW, Wilkinson HT. 1987. Reduction of structural iron in smectites by microorganisms. In: Galán E, Pérez-Rodriquez JL, Cornejo J, editors. Proc. 6th Meet European Clay Groups; 1987; Seville, Spain. Sociedad Española de Arcillas, p 322–324.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kostka JM, Nealson KH, Wu J, Stucki JW. 1996. Reduction of structural Fe(III) in smectite by a pure culture of Shewanella putrefaciens strain MR-1. Clays Clay Miner 44:522–529.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laird DA, Barriuso E, Dowdy RH, Koskinen WC. 1992. Adsorption of atrazine on smectite. Soil Sci Soc Am J 56:62–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lear PR, Stucki JW. 1989. Effects of iron oxidation state on the specific surface area of nontronite. Clays Clay Miner 37:547–552.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Madejovâ J, Komadel P, Cicel B. 1994. Infrared study of octahedral site populations in smectites. Clay Miner 29:319–326.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Malla PB, Robert M, Douglas LA, Tessier D, Komameni S. 1993. Charge heterogeneity and nanostructure of 2:1 layer silicates by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Clays Clay Miner 41:412–422.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Permien T, Lagaly G. 1994. The rheological and colloidal properties of bentonite dispersions in the presence of organic compounds: II. Flow behavior of Wyoming bentonite in water-alcohol. Clay Miner 29:761–766.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shen S, Stucki JW, Boast CW. 1992. Effects of structural iron reduction on the hydraulic conductivity of Na-smectite. Clays Clay Miner 40:381–386.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stucki JW. 1988. Structural iron in smectites. In: Stucki JW, Goodman BA, Schwertmann U, editors. Iron in soils and clay minerals. Dordrecht, Netherlands: D Reidel p 305–428.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stucki JW, Bailey GW, Gan H. 1996. Oxidation-reduction mechanisms in iron-bearing phyllosilicates. Appl Clay Sci 10:417–430.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stucki JW, Golden DC, Roth CB. 1984a. The preparation and handling of dithionite reduced smectite suspensions. Clays Clay Miner 32:191–197.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stucki JW, Golden DC, Roth CB. 1984b. The effect of reduction and reoxidation on the surface charge and dissolution of dioctahedral smectites. Clays Clay Miner 32:350–356.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stucki JW, Golden DC, Roth CB. 1984c. Effects of oxidation state of octahedral iron on clay swelling. Clays Clay Miner 32:191–197.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stucki JW, Komadel P, Wilkinson HT. 1987. Microbial reduction of structural iron(III) in smectites. Soil Sci Soc Am J. 51:1663–1665.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stucki JW, Tessier D. 1991. Effects of iron oxidation state on the texture and structural order of Na-nontronite. Clays Clay Miner 39:137–143.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tessier D. 1984. Etude expérimentale de l’organisation des matériaux argileux. [Dr. Sci. thesis]. INRA publ. 361 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tessier D, Pédro G. 1987. Mineralogical characterization of 2:1 clays in soils: Importance of the clay texture. In: Schultz LG, van Olphen H, Mumpton FA, editors. Proc Int Clay Conf; 1985; Denver, CO. IN: Clay Miner Soc. p 78–84.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thornton HC. 1922. On the development of a standardized agar medium for counting soil bacteria, with especial regard to the repression of spreading colonies. Annal Appl Biol 9:241–274.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu J, Roth CB, Low PF. 1988. Biological reduction of structural iron in Na-nontronite. Soil Sci Soc Am J 52:295–296.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. Will P. Gates

    Present address: CSIRO Land and Water, Private Bag No. 2, Glen Osmond, SA, 5064, Australia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Georgia, Savannah River Ecology Lab., Drawer E, Aiken, South Carolina, 29802, USA

    Will P. Gates

  2. Science du Sol, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Route de Saint-Cyr, F78026, Versailles, France

    Anne-Marie Jaunet & Daniel Tessier

  3. Dept. of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA

    Will P. Gates, Michael A. Cole, Henry T. Wilkinson & Joseph W. Stucki

Authors
  1. Will P. Gates
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Anne-Marie Jaunet
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Daniel Tessier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Michael A. Cole
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Henry T. Wilkinson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Joseph W. Stucki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gates, W.P., Jaunet, AM., Tessier, D. et al. Swelling and Texture of Iron-Bearing Smectites Reduced by Bacteria. Clays Clay Miner. 46, 487–497 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1346/CCMN.1998.0460502

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1346/CCMN.1998.0460502

Key Words

Search

Navigation