Pyrite mineralization related to microbial activity in low-permeability sediments
Conference
·
OSTI ID:126556
- Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (United States); and others
The geochemical and physical factors affecting the microbial ecology of fine-grained sediments were determined for an unconfined aquifer in south-central Washington. The distribution of anaerobic bacteria was related to variations in concentration of sediment organic matter and to gradients of electron acceptors oxygen, nitrate, and sulfate within pore waters, and bioavailable Fe (III) in solids. Sulfate-, iron-reducing, and fermentative bacteria were detected in clay-rich sediments that contained secondary pyrite in microsites associated with sediment organic matter. Low rates of microbial metabolism of organic matter linked to sulfate and Fe (III) respiration were inferred to result in the precipitation of secondary pyrite. The limiting factors in pyrite mineralization of these sediments included spatial heterogeneity of bacteria, organic matter, and bioavailable Fe (III) and diffusion control of soluble electron acceptors in low-permeability (< 10{sup -7} cm/s) sediments.
- OSTI ID:
- 126556
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950402--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Expanded Diversity of Microbial Groups Capable of Anaerobic Pyrite Reduction and Assimilation of Dissolution Products
Spatial variation in microbial processes controlling carbon mineralization within soils and sediments
Journal Article
·
Sat Jun 21 20:00:00 EDT 2025
· Environmental Microbiology
·
OSTI ID:2571055
Spatial variation in microbial processes controlling carbon mineralization within soils and sediments
Technical Report
·
Thu Oct 19 00:00:00 EDT 2017
·
OSTI ID:1400275