The efficient long-term inhibition of forsterite dissolution by common soil bacteria and fungi at Earth surface conditions

Abstract

San Carlos forsterite was dissolved in initially pure H2O in a batch reactor in contact with the atmosphere for 5years. The reactive fluid aqueous pH remained relatively stable at pH 6.7 throughout the experiment. Aqueous Mg concentration maximized after approximately 2years time at 3×10−5mol/kg, whereas aqueous Si concentrations increased continuously with time, reaching 2×10−5mol/kg after 5years. Element release rates closely matched those determined on this same forsterite sample during short-term abiotic open system experiments for the first 10days, then slowed substantially such that the Mg and Si release rates are approximately an order of magnitude slower than that calculated from the short-term abiotic experiments. Post-experiment analysis reveals that secondary hematite, a substantial biotic community, and minor amorphous silica formed on the dissolving forsterite during the experiment. The biotic community included bacteria, dominated by Rhizobiales (Alphaproteobacteria), and fungi, dominated by Trichocomaceae, that grew in a carbon and nutrient-limited media on the dissolving forsterite. The Mg isotope composition of the reactive fluid was near constant after 2years but 0.25‰ heavier in δ26Mg than the dissolving forsterite. Together these results suggest long-term forsterite dissolution in natural Earth surface systems maybe substantially slower than that estimated from short-term abiotic experiments due to the growth of biotic communities on their surfaces.