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Sulphate‐reducing bacteria induce low‐temperature Ca‐dolomite and high Mg‐calcite formation
Author(s) -
Van Lith Yvonne,
Warthmann Rolf,
Vasconcelos Crisogono,
Mckenzie Judith A.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
geobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.859
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1472-4669
pISSN - 1472-4677
DOI - 10.1046/j.1472-4669.2003.00003.x
Subject(s) - dolomite , calcite , carbonate , anoxic waters , bacteria , environmental chemistry , precipitation , chemistry , mineralogy , geology , paleontology , physics , organic chemistry , meteorology
In this study, we demonstrate that sulphate‐reducing bacteria induce anoxic low‐temperature Ca‐dolomite formation both in situ in Lagoa Vermelha and Brejo do Espinho, two neighbouring, dolomite‐precipitating hypersaline lagoons in Brazil, and in laboratory culture experiments. The metabolic activity of sulphate‐reducing bacteria facilitates dolomite formation under anoxic conditions, as demonstrated with experiments using dialysis bags. Overall changes in the chemical conditions of the medium exclusively, without the presence of bacteria, did not result in carbonate precipitation. Only pure cultures of metabolizing sulphate‐reducing bacteria induced Ca‐dolomite and high Mg‐calcite precipitates, indicating that the carbonate nucleation takes place in the locally changed microenvironment around the sulphate‐reducing bacterial cells. Not all pure strains, however, produced Ca‐dolomite under similar conditions, suggesting that the bacterial metabolism, activity and the rate of mineral precipitation have an influence on the type of carbonate formed.