Open AccessUse of Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy To Identify Microbial Metabolic Products on Carbonate Mineral Surfaces
Author(s) -
Heather A. Bullen,
Stuart A. Oehrle,
Ariel F. Bennett,
Nicholas M. Taylor,
Hazel A. Barton
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
applied and environmental microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.552
H-Index - 324
eISSN - 1070-6291
pISSN - 0099-2240
DOI - 10.1128/aem.02936-07
Subject(s) - attenuated total reflection , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , carbonate , chemistry , calcite , spectroscopy , diffuse reflectance infrared fourier transform , mineral , infrared spectroscopy , infrared , analytical chemistry (journal) , mineralogy , environmental chemistry , biochemistry , organic chemistry , chemical engineering , optics , catalysis , physics , quantum mechanics , photocatalysis , engineering
This paper demonstrates the use of attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy to detect microbial metabolic products on carbonate mineral surfaces. By creating an ATR-FTIR spectral database for specific organic acids using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy we were able to distinguish metabolic acids on calcite surfaces followingEscherichia coli growth. The production of these acids byE. coli was verified using high-performance liquid chromatography with refractive index detection. The development of this technique has allowed us to identify microbial metabolic products on carbonate surfaces in nutrient-limited cave environments.