Advanced Experiment Analysis of controls on Microbial FE(III) Oxide Reduction

Abstract

Understanding factors which control the long-term survival and activity of Fe(III)-reducing bacteria (FeRB) in subsurface sedimentary environments is important for predicting the ability of these organisms to serve as agents for bioremediation of organic and inorganic contaminants. This project seeks to refine our quantitative understanding of microbiological and geochemical controls on bacterial Fe(III) oxide reduction and growth of FeRB, using laboratory reactor systems which mimic to varying degrees the physical and chemical conditions of subsurface sedimentary environments. Methods for studying microbial Fe(III) oxide reduction and FeRB growth in experimental systems which incorporate advective aqueous phase flux are being developed for this purpose. These methodologies, together with an accumulating database on the kinetics of Fe(III) reduction and bacterial growth with various synthetic and natural Fe(III) oxide minerals, will be applicable to experimental and modeling studies of subsurface contaminant transformations directly coupled to or influenced by bacterial Fe(III) oxide reduction activity.