A review of spectroscopic methods for characterizing microbial transformations of minerals

Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria: Biofilm Formation and Corrosive Activity in Endodontic Files

AIM

This study describes the biofilm formation and the corrosive capacity of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) on the metallic structure of used endodontic files.

METHODS

Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) (Desulfovibrio desulfuricans oral and Desulfovibrio fairfieldensis or D. desulfuricans environmental) were inoculated into the culture media (Postgate C culture medium or modified Postgate E culture medium). The biocorrosive potential of these bacteria will be an important component of a biopharmaceutical under development called BACCOR. Afterwards, four used endodontic files (UEFs) were separately inoculated into a specific culture media for 445 days at 30°C in an incubator. The four UEFs were placed in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and analyzed by the energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS).

RESULTS

The confocal laser scanning microscopic images indicate the presence of biofilm in the four samples. The SEM and SEM-EDS revealed the presence of rough, irregular structures adhering along the metallic surface of the used endodontic files, suggesting a mature calcified biofilm with a high concentration of Ca, P, C, and S.

CONCLUSION

The formation of SRB biofilms on used endodontic files shows characteristics that may contribute to the biocorrosion of these files, and the results may also provide complementary data for a biopharmaceutical, which is still under development to assist in the removal of fractured endodontic files inside root channels.

Potential of cathodoluminescence microscopy and spectroscopy for the detection of prokaryotic cells on minerals

Detecting mineral-hosted ecosystems to assess the extent and functioning of the biosphere from the surface to deep Earth requires appropriate techniques that provide, beyond the morphological criteria, indubitable clues of the presence of prokaryotic cells. Here, we evaluate the capability of cathodoluminescence microscopy and spectroscopy, implemented on a scanning electron microscope, to identify prokaryotes on mineral surfaces. For this purpose, we used, as a first step, a simple model of either unstained or stained cultivable cells (Escherichia coli, Deinococcus radiodurans) deposited on minerals that are common in the oceanic crust (basaltic glass, amphibole, pyroxene, and magnetite). Our results demonstrate that the detection of cells is possible at the micrometric level on the investigated minerals through the intrinsic fluorescence of their constituting macromolecules (aromatic amino and nucleic acids, coenzymes). This allows us to distinguish biomorph inorganic phases from cells. This easily implemented technique permits an exploration of colonized rock samples. In addition, the range of spectrometric techniques available on a scanning electron microscope can provide additional information on the nature and chemistry of the associated mineral phases, which would lead to a simultaneous characterization of cells, their microhabitats, and a better understanding of their potential relationships.

Use of XPS to identify the oxidation state of Mn in solid surfaces of filtration media oxide samples from drinking water treatment plants

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to identify Mn(II), Mn(III), and Mn(IV) in the surfaces of pure oxide standards and filtration media samples from drinking water treatment plants through the determination of the magnitude of the Mn 3s multiplet splitting and the position and shape of the Mn 3p photo-line. The Mn 3p region has been widely studied by applied physicists and surface scientists, but its application to identify the oxidation state of Mn in heterogeneous oxide samples has been limited. This study shows that the use of both the Mn 3s multiplet splitting and the position and shape of the Mn 3p photo-line provides a feasible means of determining the oxidation state of manganese in complex heterogeneous, environmentally important samples. Surface analysis of filtration media samples from several drinking water treatment plants was conducted. While Mn(IV) was predominant in most samples, a mixture of Mn(III) and Mn(IV) was also identified in some of the filtration media samples studied. The predominance of Mn(IV) in the media samples was felt to be related to the maintenance of free chlorine (HOCl) at substantial concentrations (2-5 mg*L(-1) as Cl2) across these filters. XPS could be a useful tool to further understand the specific mechanisms affecting soluble Mn removal using MnOx-coated filtration media.

Influence of soil minerals on the rates and products of abiotic transformation of carbon tetrachloride in anaerobic soils and sediments

Rates and products of abiotic mineral-mediated carbon tetrachloride (CT) transformation were measured in microcosms prepared from natural soils and sediments that were incubated under iron-reducing and sulfate-reducing conditions, then sterilized to inhibit microbial activity. For one set of microcosms, the rate of CT disappearance was correlated with the concentration of weakly bound (MgCl2 extractable) Fe(II) in an experiment in which CT was repeatedly spiked into the microcosms. When pooling the results from all microcosms, however, there was no statistically significant positive correlation between CT transformation rate and the concentration of weakly bound Fe(II) or any other mineral species. There was, however, a statistically significant negative correlation between CT transformation rate and the concentration of Cr(II) extractable sulfur (CrES). Evidence from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in a related model system containing a mixture of FeS and pyrite ("aged FeS") showed that the decline in CT disappearance rate corresponded to a decrease in the abundance of FeS and an increase in the abundance of pyrite at the mineral surface. For aged FeS, the yield of chloroform (CF) also decreased as the abundance of pyrite at the surface increased, and there was an inverse relationship between the yields of CF and CS2.

Investigation of Fungal Deterioration of Synthetic Paint Binders Using Vibrational Spectroscopic Techniques

The deterioration of synthetic polymers caused by biological process is usually evaluated by visual inspection and measuring physical effects. In contrast to this approach, we have applied vibrational spectroscopies to study the biodegradation of the synthetic resins. 29 synthetic resins used as paint binding media, including acrylic, alkyd and poly(vinyl acetate) polymers, were examined for potential susceptibility to fungal degradation using the standard method ASTM G21-96(2002). In addition, the degraded resins were analysed by Raman spectroscopy, FT-IR and FT-IR photoacoustic spectroscopy. Almost all the acrylic resins studied proved to be resistant to microbial attack, while all alkyd resins and some poly(vinyl acetates) turned out to be biodegradable. Within a few days of inoculation Aspergillus niger was the most copious fungus on the biodegraded resins. A comparison of the IR and Raman spectra of control and biodegraded resins did not show any differences, but photoacoustic spectroscopy revealed additional bands for the fungal-degraded resins, consistent with the presence of fungal-derived substances. The additional bands in the photoacoustic spectra were due to the presence of Aspergillus niger and melanin, a fungal pigment. Since IR photoacoustic spectroscopy can be also a suitable technique for the chemical characterisation of binding media, the same spectroscopic analysis can be employed to both characterise the material and obtain evidence for fungal colonization. Microbial growth on Sobral 1241ML (alkyd resin) after 28 d (growth rating 4) compared with the non-inoculated resin.

Sorption of cobalt and nickel on anaerobic granular sludges: isotherms and sequential extraction

The objective of this study was to investigate the sorption capacity and the fractionation of sorbed nickel and cobalt onto anaerobic granular sludges. Two different anaerobic granular sludges (non-fed, pH=7) were loaded with nickel and cobalt in adsorption experiments (monometal and competitive conditions). The combination of sequential extraction with the sorption isotherm analysis allowed the assessment of the sorption capacity of individual fractions present in the anaerobic granular sludges. The operational fractionation of the sorbed heavy metals was determined using a modified Tessier sequential extraction procedure. The sorption characteristics of each extracted fraction (exchangeable, carbonates, organic matter/sulfides and residual fractions) fitted well to the Langmuir model. The organic matter/sulfides fraction showed the highest affinity for cobalt and nickel in both sludges investigated compared to the other operationally defined fractions. The presence of iron negatively affected cobalt and nickel accumulation in this organic matter/sulfides fraction. The trace metals-iron sulfide interactions are likely to be the key process in controlling the distribution of cobalt and nickel during sorption onto non-fed methanogenic granules due to the high affinity of iron sulfides towards the metals studied.