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Microbe-Metal Interactions in Sediments

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Microbial Sediments

Abstract

Microbial contributions to the solid phase partitioning of metals in sediments span a continuum of sorption and precipitation reactions. Passive involvement of microorganisms in these processes relates to the behavior of individual microbial cells as sorbents of dissolved metals and heterogeneous nucleation templates for authigenic mineral deposition. Active microbial intervention is also possible with metal precipitation being induced in response to metabolic production of reactive inorganic ligands such as sulfide, or through enzyme mediated changes in metal redox state. The deposition of authigenic iron-aluminum-silicates and metallic gold on microbial surfaces comprise unique examples of passive microbe-metal interactions, while the reductive precipitation of uranium is representative of metabolic metal precipitation by microorganisms.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, University of Toronto, 22 Russell Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3B1, Canada

    F. G. Ferris

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  1. F. G. Ferris
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Sciences, Cardiff University, CF10 3YE, Cardiff, Wales, UK

    Robert E. Riding

  2. Department of Geological Sciences, University of California, 93106, Santa Barbara, CA, USA

    Stanley M. Awramik

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© 2000 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Ferris, F.G. (2000). Microbe-Metal Interactions in Sediments. In: Riding, R.E., Awramik, S.M. (eds) Microbial Sediments. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-04036-2_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-04036-2_14

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-08275-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-04036-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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