Ligand-enhanced abiotic iron oxidation and the effects of chemical versus biological iron cycling in anoxic environments.

ABSTRACT: This study introduces a newly isolated, genetically tractable bacterium ( Pseudogulbenkiania sp. strain MAI-1) and explores the extent to which its nitrate-dependent iron-oxidation activity is directly biologically catalyzed. Specifically, we focused on the role of iron chelating ligands in promoting chemical oxidation of Fe(II) by nitrite under anoxic conditions. Strong organic ligands such as nitrilotriacetate and citrate can substantially enhance chemical oxidation of Fe(II) by nitrite at circumneutral pH. We show that strain MAI-1 exhibits unambiguous biological Fe(II) oxidation despite a significant contribution (∼30-35%) from ligand-enhanced chemical oxidation. Our work with the model denitrifying strain Paracoccus denitrificans further shows that ligand-enhanced chemical oxidation o

SUBMITTER: Kopf SH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3604861 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature