Chemical and biological interactions during nitrate and goethite reduction by Shewanella putrefaciens 200

Although previous research has demonstrated that NO(3)(-) inhibits microbial Fe(III) reduction in laboratory cultures and natural sediments, the mechanisms of this inhibition have not been fully studied in an environmentally relevant medium that utilizes solid-phase, iron oxide minerals as a Fe(III) source. To study the dynamics of Fe and NO(3)(-) biogeochemistry when ferric (hydr)oxides are used as the Fe(III) source, Shewanella putrefaciens 200 was incubated under anoxic conditions in a low-ionic-strength, artificial groundwater medium with various amounts of NO(3)(-) and synthetic, high-surface-area goethite. Results showed that the presence of NO(3)(-) inhibited microbial goethite reduction more severely than it inhibited microbial reduction of the aqueous or microcrystalline sources of Fe(III) used in other studies. More interestingly, the presence of goethite also resulted in a twofold decrease in the rate of NO(3)(-) reduction, a 10-fold decrease in the rate of NO(2)(-) reduction, and a 20-fold increase in the amounts of N(2)O produced. Nitrogen stable isotope experiments that utilized delta(15)N values of N(2)O to distinguish between chemical and biological reduction of NO(2)(-) revealed that the N(2)O produced during NO(2)(-) or NO(3)(-) reduction in the presence of goethite was primarily of abiotic origin. These results indicate that concomitant microbial Fe(III) and NO(3)(-) reduction produces NO(2)(-) and Fe(II), which then abiotically react to reduce NO(2)(-) to N(2)O with the subsequent oxidation of Fe(II) to Fe(III).     

Reduction of Fe(III) chelated with citrate in an NOx scrubber solution by Enterococcus sp. FR-3

Biological reduction of Fe(III) to Fe(II) is a key step in nitrogen oxide (NO(x)) removal by the integrated chemical absorption-biological reduction process. NO(x) removal efficiency strongly depends on the concentration of Fe(II) in the scrubbing liquid. In this study, a newly isolated strain, Enterococcus sp. FR-3, was used to reduce Fe(III) chelated with citrate to Fe(II). Strain FR-3 reduced citrate-chelated Fe(III) with an efficiency of up to 86.9% and an average reduction rate of 0.21 mM h(-1). SO(4)(2-) was not inhibitory whereas NO(2)(-) and SO(3)(2-) inhibited cell growth and thus affected Fe(III) reduction. Models based on the Logistic equation were used to describe the relationship between growth and Fe(III) reduction. These findings provide some useful data for Fe(III) reduction, scrubber solution regeneration and NO(x) removal process design.     

Effect of Oxidation Rate and Fe(II) State on Microbial Nitrate-Dependent Fe(III) Mineral Formation

A nitrate-dependent Fe(II)-oxidizing bacterium was isolated and used to evaluate whether Fe(II) chemical form or oxidation rate had an effect on the mineralogy of biogenic Fe(III) (hydr)oxides resulting from nitrate-dependent Fe(II) oxidation. The isolate (designated FW33AN) had 99% 16S rRNA sequence similarity to Klebsiella oxytoca. FW33AN produced Fe(III) (hydr)oxides by oxidation of soluble Fe(II) [Fe(II)_sol] or FeS under nitrate-reducing conditions. Based on X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, Fe(III) (hydr)oxide produced by oxidation of FeS was shown to be amorphous, while oxidation of Fe(II)_sol yielded goethite. The rate of Fe(II) oxidation was then manipulated by incubating various cell concentrations of FW33AN with Fe(II)_sol and nitrate. Characterization of products revealed that as Fe(II) oxidation rates slowed, a stronger goethite signal was observed by XRD and a larger proportion of Fe(III) was in the crystalline fraction. Since the mineralogy of Fe(III) (hydr)oxides may control the extent of subsequent Fe(III) reduction, the variables we identify here may have an effect on the biogeochemical cycling of Fe in anoxic ecosystems.     

Effect of oxidation rate and Fe(II) state on microbial nitrate-dependent Fe(III) mineral formation

A nitrate-dependent Fe(II)-oxidizing bacterium was isolated and used to evaluate whether Fe(II) chemical form or oxidation rate had an effect on the mineralogy of biogenic Fe(III) (hydr)oxides resulting from nitrate-dependent Fe(II) oxidation. The isolate (designated FW33AN) had 99% 16S rRNA sequence similarity to Klebsiella oxytoca. FW33AN produced Fe(III) (hydr)oxides by oxidation of soluble Fe(II) [Fe(II)sol] or FeS under nitrate-reducing conditions. Based on X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, Fe(III) (hydr)oxide produced by oxidation of FeS was shown to be amorphous, while oxidation of Fe(II)sol yielded goethite. The rate of Fe(II) oxidation was then manipulated by incubating various cell concentrations of FW33AN with Fe(II)sol and nitrate. Characterization of products revealed that as Fe(II) oxidation rates slowed, a stronger goethite signal was observed by XRD and a larger proportion of Fe(III) was in the crystalline fraction. Since the mineralogy of Fe(III) (hydr)oxides may control the extent of subsequent Fe(III) reduction, the variables we identify here may have an effect on the biogeochemical cycling of Fe in anoxic ecosystems.     

Apoplastic pH and Fe(3+) reduction in intact sunflower leaves

It has been hypothesized that under NO(3)(-) nutrition a high apoplastic pH in leaves depresses Fe(3+) reductase activity and thus the subsequent Fe(2+) transport across the plasmalemma, inducing Fe chlorosis. The apoplastic pH in young green leaves of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) was measured by fluorescence ratio after xylem sap infiltration. It was shown that NO(3)(-) nutrition significantly increased apoplastic pH at distinct interveinal sites (pH >/= 6.3) and was confined to about 10% of the whole interveinal leaf apoplast. These apoplastic pH increases presumably derive from NO(3)(-)/proton cotransport and are supposed to be related to growing cells of a young leaf; they were not found in the case of sole NH(4)(+) or NH(4)NO(3) nutrition. Complementary to pH measurements, the formation of Fe(2+)-ferrozine from Fe(3+)-citrate was monitored in the xylem apoplast of intact leaves in the presence of buffers at different xylem apoplastic pH by means of image analysis. This analysis revealed that Fe(3+) reduction increased with decreasing apoplastic pH, with the highest rates at around pH 5. 0. In analogy to the monitoring of Fe(3+) reduction in the leaf xylem, we suggest that under alkaline nutritional conditions at interveinal microsites of increased apoplastic pH, Fe(3+) reduction is depressed, inducing leaf chlorosis. The apoplastic pH in the xylem vessels remained low in the still-green veins of leaves with intercostal chlorosis.     

Inhibition of NO3? and NO2? Reduction by Microbial Fe(III) Reduction: Evidence of a Reaction between NO2? and Cell Surface-Bound Fe2+

A recent study (D. C. Cooper, F. W. Picardal, A. Schimmelmann, and A. J. Coby, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69:3517-3525, 2003) has shown that NO₃⁻ and NO₂⁻ (NO_x⁻) reduction by Shewanella putrefaciens 200 is inhibited in the presence of goethite. The hypothetical mechanism offered to explain this finding involved the formation of a Fe(III) (hydr)oxide coating on the cell via the surface-catalyzed, abiotic reaction between Fe²⁺ and NO₂⁻. This coating could then inhibit reduction of NO_x⁻ by physically blocking transport into the cell. Although the data in the previous study were consistent with such an explanation, the hypothesis was largely speculative. In the current work, this hypothesis was tested and its environmental significance explored through a number of experiments. The inhibition of ~3 mM NO₃⁻ reduction was observed during reduction of a variety of Fe(III) (hydr)oxides, including goethite, hematite, and an iron-bearing, natural sediment. Inhibition of oxygen and fumarate reduction was observed following treatment of cells with Fe²⁺ and NO₂⁻, demonstrating that utilization of other soluble electron acceptors could also be inhibited. Previous adsorption of Fe²⁺ onto Paracoccus denitrificans inhibited NO_x⁻ reduction, showing that Fe(II) can reduce rates of soluble electron acceptor utilization by non-iron-reducing bacteria. NO₂⁻ was chemically reduced to N₂O by goethite or cell-sorbed Fe²⁺, but not at appreciable rates by aqueous Fe²⁺. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy showed an electron-dense, Fe-enriched coating on cells treated with Fe²⁺ and NO₂⁻. The formation and effects of such coatings underscore the complexity of the biogeochemical reactions that occur in the subsurface.     

Kinetics and mechanism of dissimilative Fe(III) reduction by Pseudomonas sp. 200

The kinetics and mechanism of Fe(III) reduction to Fe(II) were studied in pure batch cultures of Pseudomonas sp. 200. The rate of iron reduction has been mechanistically related to aqueous phase iron speciation. In the absence of microbial activity the iron reduction rate was negligible. Initial rates of microbial iron reduction were accelerated more than 20-fold by the addition of equimolar quantities of nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) to media initially containing 1.86 x 10(-3)M total Fe(III). Numerical techniques were utilized to quantify relationships between the observed rate of Fe(II) production and the calculated (equilibrium) aqueous phase speciation. These results indicate that soluble ferric iron species are not equivalent in terms of their susceptibility to bacterial (dissimilative) iron reduction. The concentration of Fe(NTA)(OH)(2) (2-) correlated strongly with observed iron reduction rates. Ferrous iron species appeared to inhibit the reduction process.     

Biological reduction of nitric oxide in aqueous Fe(II)EDTA solutions

The reduction of nitric oxide (NO) in aqueous solutions of Fe(II)EDTA is one of the core processes in BioDeNOx, an integrated physicochemical and biological technique for NO(x)() removal from industrial flue gases. NO reduction in aqueous solutions of Fe(II)EDTA (20-25 mM, pH 7.2 +/- 0.2) was investigated in batch experiments at 55 degrees C. Reduction of NO to N(2) was found to be biologically catalyzed with nitrous oxide (N(2)O) as an intermediate. Various sludges from full-scale denitrifying and anaerobic reactors were capable to catalyze NO reduction under thermophilic conditions. The NO reduction rate was not affected by the presence of ethanol or acetate. EDTA-chelated Fe(II) was found to be a suitable electron donor for the biological reduction of nitric oxide to N(2), with the concomitant formation of Fe(III)EDTA. In the presence of ethanol, EDTA-chelated Fe(III) was reduced to Fe(II)EDTA. This study strongly indicates that redox cycling of FeEDTA plays an important role in the biological denitrification process within the BioDeNOx concept.     

Fe(III)-enhanced anaerobic transformation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid by an iron-reducing bacterium Comamonas koreensis CY01

This work studied the ability of Comamonas koreensis CY01 to reduce Fe(III) (hydr)oxides by coupling the oxidation of electron donors and the enhanced biodegradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) by the presence of Fe(III) (hydr)oxides. The experimental results suggested that strain CY01 can utilize ferrihydrite, goethite, lepidocrocite or hematite as the terminal electron acceptor and citrate, glycerol, glucose or sucrose as the electron donor. Strain CY01 could transform 2,4-D to 4-chlorophenol through reductive side-chain removal and dechlorination. Under the anaerobic conditions, Fe(III) reduction and 2,4-D biodegradation by strain CY01 occurred simultaneously. The presence of Fe(III) (hydr)oxides would significantly enhance 2,4-D biodegradation, probably due to the fact that the reactive mineral-bound Fe(II) species generated from Fe(III) reduction can abiotically reduce 2,4-D. This is the first report of a strain of C. koreensis capable of reducing Fe(III) (hydr)oxides and 2,4-D, which extends the diversity of iron-reducing bacteria associated with dechlorination.     

Photochemistry of the [Fe4(mu3-S)3(NO)7]- complex in the presence of S-nucleophiles: a spectroscopic study.

Biological systems usually contain cysteine, glutathione or other sulfur-containing biomolecules. These S-nucleophiles were found to affect drastically the [Fe(4)(mu(3)-S)(3)(NO)(7)](-) photolysis pathway generating products completely different from that of the neat cluster, which produces Fe(II) and NO and S(2-). The effect is interpreted in terms of formation of a pseudo-cubane adduct, [Fe(4)(mu(3)-S)(3)(mu(3)-SR)(NO)(7)](2-), whose existence in equilibrium with the parent complex has no detectable influence on the spectral properties, whereas shifts the redox potential and induces photoconversion leading to the Fe(III) species and N(2)O. Characteristic bond lengths, bond angles and atomic Mulliken charges were calculated using semi-empirical quantum chemical methods for the RBS anion and a series of pseudo-cubane complexes with S-donor or N-donor ligands. The results justify the hypothesis of the adduct formation and show that only in case of S-ligands the higher contribution of the Fe(III)-NO(-) components in adduct than in RBS is observed, which on excitation can undergo heterolytic cleavage yielding Fe(III) and NO(-), converted rapidly into N(2)O. These results are crucial in understanding the physiological activity of RBS. Fe(III) formation can be detected only when the S-ligand enables formation of a stable Fe(III) compound; the effect was recorded in the presence of sulfide, thioglycolate, 2-mercaptopropionate, mercaptosuccinate, penicillamine, 2,3-dimercaptosuccinate, 2,3-dimercaptopropanol, and thiocyanate. For all these S-ligands the Fe(III) photoproducts were identified and characterised. In the case of other thiolates, their excess results in fast reduction of Fe(III) to Fe(II), whereas N(2)O can be still detected. Quantum yields of Fe(III) formation in the presence of the S-ligands are considerably higher than that of the Fe(II) photoproduction from neat [Fe(4)(mu(3)-S)(3)(NO)(7)](-).     

Influence of Biogenic Fe(II) on Bacterial Crystalline Fe(III) Oxide Reduction

Bacterial crystalline Fe(III) oxide reduction has the potential to significantly influence the biogeochemistry of anaerobic sedimentary environments where crystalline Fe(III) oxides are abundant relative to poorly crystalline (amorphous) phases. A review of published data on solid-phase Fe(III) abundance and speciation indicates that crystalline Fe(III) oxides are frequently 2- to S 10-fold more abundant than amorphous Fe(III) oxides in shallow subsurface sediments not yet subjected to microbial Fe(III) oxide reduction activity. Incubation experiments with coastal plain aquifer sediments demonstrated that crystalline Fe(III) oxide reduction can contribute substantially to Fe(II) production in the presence of added electron donors and nutrients. Controls on crystalline Fe(III) oxide reduction are therefore an important consideration in relation to the biogeochemical impacts of bacterial Fe(III) oxide reduction in subsurface environments. In this paper, the influence of biogenic Fe(II) on bacterial reduction of crystalline Fe(III) oxides is reviewed and analyzed in light of new experiments conducted with the acetate-oxidizing, Fe(III)-reducing bacterium (FeRB) Geobacter metallireducens . Previous experiments with Shewanella algae strain BrY indicated that adsorption and/or surface precipitation of Fe(II) on Fe(III) oxide and FeRB cell surfaces is primarily responsible for cessation of goethite ( f -FeOOH) reduction activity after only a relatively small fraction (generally < 10%) of the oxide is reduced. Similar conclusions are drawn from analogous studies with G. metallireducens . Although accumulation of aqueous Fe(II) has the potential to impose thermodynamic constraints on the extent of crystalline Fe(III) oxide reduction, our data on bacterial goethite reduction suggest that this phenomenon cannot universally explain the low microbial reducibility of this mineral. Experiments examining the influence of exogenous Fe(II) (20 mM FeCl 2 ) on soluble Fe(III)-citrate reduction by G. metallireducens and S. algae showed that high concentrations of Fe(II) did not inhibit Fe(III)-citrate reduction by freshly grown cells, which indicates that surface-bound Fe(II) does not inhibit Fe(III) reduction through a classical end-product enzyme inhibition mechanism. However, prolonged exposure of G. metallireducens and S. algae cells to high concentrations of soluble Fe(II) did cause inhibition of soluble Fe(III) reduction. These findings, together with recent documentation of the formation of Fe(II) surface precipitates on FeRB in Fe(III)-citrate medium, provide further evidence for the impact of Fe(II) sorption by FeRB on enzymatic Fe(III) reduction. Two different, but not mutually exclusive, mechanisms whereby accumulation of Fe(II) coatings on Fe(III) oxide and FeRB surfaces may lead to inhibition of enzymatic Fe(III) oxide reduction activity (in the absence of soluble electron shuttles and/or Fe(III) chelators) are identified and discussed in relation to recent experimental work and theoretical considerations.     

Dissimilatory reduction of Fe(III) and other electron acceptors by a Thermus isolate

A thermophilic bacterium that can use O2, NO3-, Fe(III), and S0 as terminal electron acceptors for growth was isolated from groundwater sampled at a 3.2-km depth in a South African gold mine. This organism, designated SA-01, clustered most closely with members of the genus Thermus, as determined by 16S rRNA gene (rDNA) sequence analysis. The 16S rDNA sequence of SA-01 was >98% similar to that of Thermus strain NMX2 A.1, which was previously isolated by other investigators from a thermal spring in New Mexico. Strain NMX2 A.1 was also able to reduce Fe(III) and other electron acceptors. Neither SA-01 nor NMX2 A.1 grew fermentatively, i.e., addition of an external electron acceptor was required for anaerobic growth. Thermus strain SA-01 reduced soluble Fe(III) complexed with citrate or nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA); however, it could reduce only relatively small quantities (0.5 mM) of hydrous ferric oxide except when the humic acid analog 2,6-anthraquinone disulfonate was added as an electron shuttle, in which case 10 mM Fe(III) was reduced. Fe(III)-NTA was reduced quantitatively to Fe(II); reduction of Fe(III)-NTA was coupled to the oxidation of lactate and supported growth through three consecutive transfers. Suspensions of Thermus strain SA-01 cells also reduced Mn(IV), Co(III)-EDTA, Cr(VI), and U(VI). Mn(IV)-oxide was reduced in the presence of either lactate or H2. Both strains were also able to mineralize NTA to CO2 and to couple its oxidation to Fe(III) reduction and growth. The optimum temperature for growth and Fe(III) reduction by Thermus strains SA-01 and NMX2 A.1 is approximately 65 degrees C; their optimum pH is 6.5 to 7.0. This is the first report of a Thermus sp. being able to couple the oxidation of organic compounds to the reduction of Fe, Mn, or S.     

Competition of Fe(III) reduction and methanogenesis in an acidic fen

Peatlands are sources of relevant greenhouse gases such as CH4, but the temporal presence of Fe(III) may inhibit methanogenesis. Because excess of carbon during the vegetation period might allow concomitant electron-accepting processes, Fe(III) reduction and methanogenesis were studied during an annual season in an acidic fen. The upper peat layer displayed the highest Fe(II)- and CH4-forming activities. The rates of Fe(II) formation did not change during the year and methanogenesis started mostly when Fe(II) formation reached a plateau. Most of the Fe(III) pool seemed to be bioavailable, and addition of nitrilotriacetic acid stimulated only light Fe(II) formation, whereas EDTA and anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate had no effect. In the presence of an inhibitor for methanogenesis (sodium 2-bromoethanesulfonate), Fe(II) formation was inhibited to 45%. Addition of Fe(III) during ongoing methanogenesis led only to a partial inhibition of CH4 formation. The proportion of acetoclastic methanogenesis varied between 42% and 90%, but no trend with time was observed. The number of acetate-, ethanol- or lactate-utilizing Fe(III) reducers approximated 10(5)-10(6) cells g (fresh wt peat)(-1). Fermentative glucose-utilizing Fe(III)-reducers were most abundant. Our results suggest that (1) methanogens used Fe(III) as an electron acceptor and (2) fermenting bacteria, which do not compete with methanogens for common electron donors, dominated the reduction of Fe(III) in this fen.     

NO removal in continuous BioDeNOx reactors: Fe(II)EDTA2- regeneration, biomass growth, and EDTA degradation

BioDeNOx is a novel technique for NOx removal from industrial flue gases. In principle, BioDeNOx is based on NO absorption into an aqueous Fe(II)EDTA2- solution combined with biological regeneration of that scrubber liquor in a bioreactor. The technical and economical feasibility of the BioDeNOx concept is strongly determined by high rate biological regeneration of the aqueous Fe(II)EDTA2- scrubber liquor and by EDTA degradation. This investigation deals with the Fe(II)EDTA2- regeneration capacity and EDTA degradation in a lab-scale BioDeNOx reactor (10-20 mM Fe(II)EDTA2-, pH 7.2 +/- 0.2, 55 degrees C), treating an artificial flue gas (1.5 m3/h) containing 60-155 ppm NO and 3.5-3.9% O2. The results obtained show a contradiction between the optimal redox state of the aqueous FeEDTA solution for NO absorption and the biological regeneration. A low redox potential (below -150 mV vs. Ag/AgCl) is needed to obtain a maximal NO removal efficiency from the gas phase via Fe(II)EDTA2- absorption. Fe(III)EDTA- reduction was found to be too slow to keep all FeEDTA in the reduced state. Stimulation of Fe(III)EDTA- reduction via periodical sulfide additions (2 mM spikes twice a week for the conditions applied in this study) was found to be necessary to regenerate the Fe(II)EDTA2- scrubber liquor and to achieve stable operation at redox potentials below -150 mV (pH 7.2 +/- 0.2). However, redox potentials of below -200 mV should be avoided since sulfide accumulation is unwanted because it is toxic for NO reduction. Very low values for biomass growth rate and yield, respectively, 0.043/d and 0.009 mg protein per mg ethanol, were observed. This might be due to substrate limitations, that is the electron acceptors NO and presumably polysulfide, or to physiological stress conditions induced by the EDTA rich medium or by radicals formed in the scrubber upon the oxidation of Fe(II)EDTA2- by oxygen present in the flue gas. Radicals possibly also induce EDTA degradation, which occurs at a substantial rate: 2.1 (+/-0.1) mM/d under the conditions investigated.     

Fe(III) reduction activity and cytochrome content of Shewanella putrefaciens grown on ten compounds as sole terminal electron acceptor

Shewanella putrefaciens was grown on a series of ten alternate compounds as sole terminal electron acceptor. Each cell type was analyzed for Fe(III) reduction activity, absorbance maxima in reduced-minus-oxidized difference spectra and heme-containing protein content. High-rate Fe(III) reduction activity, pronounced difference maxima at 521 and 551 nm and a predominant 29.3 kDa heme-containing protein expressed by cells grown on Fe(III), Mn(IV), U(VI), SO3(2-) and S2O3(2-), but not by cells grown on O2, NO3, NO2-, TMAO or fumarate. These results suggest that microbial Fe(III) reduction activity is enhanced by anaerobic growth on metals and sulfur compounds, yet is limited under all other terminal electron-accepting conditions.     

Effects of nitrate and nitrite on dissimilatory iron reduction by Shewanella putrefaciens 200.

The inhibitory effects of nitrate (NO3-) and nitrite (NO2-) on dissimilatory iron (FE3+) reduction were examined in a series of electron acceptor competition experiments using Shewanella putrefaciens 200 as a model iron-reducing microorganism. S. putrefaciens 200 was found to express low-rate nitrate reductase, nitrite reductase, and ferrireductase activity after growth under highly aerobic conditions and greatly elevated rates of each reductase activity after growth under microaerobic conditions. The effects of NO3- and NO2- on the Fe3+ reduction activity of both aerobically and microaerobically grown cells appeared to follow a consistent pattern; in the presence of Fe3+ and either NO3- or NO2-, dissimilatory Fe3+ and nitrogen oxide reduction occurred simultaneously. Nitrogen oxide reduction was not affected by the presence of Fe3+, suggesting that S. putrefaciens 200 expressed a set of at least three physiologically distinct terminal reductases that served as electron donors to NO3-, NO2-, and Fe3+. However, Fe3+ reduction was partially inhibited by the presence of either NO3- or NO2-. An in situ ferrozine assay was used to distinguish the biological and chemical components of the observed inhibitory effects. Rate data indicated that neither NO3- nor NO2- acted as a chemical oxidant of bacterially produced Fe2+. In addition, the decrease in Fe3+ reduction activity observed in the presence of both NO3- and NO2- was identical to the decrease observed in the presence of NO2- alone. These results suggest that bacterially produced NO2- is responsible for inhibiting electron transport to Fe3+.     

Dissimilatory Fe(III) reduction by Clostridium beijerinckii isolated from freshwater sediment using Fe(III) maltol enrichment

A microorganism which reduces Fe(III) during the fermentation of glucose was isolated from freshwater sediment. The Fe(III) was supplied to enrichment cultures as a soluble complex with the bidentate ligand maltol (3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyrone). Advantages that were afforded by the use of Fe(III)(maltol)3 over previously published methods included negation of the requirement for assays of Fe(II) formation. Because Fe(III)(maltol)3 has a characteristic deep red colour, Fe(III) reduction could be quantified spectrophotometrically by monitoring the disappearance of the complex in liquid cultures. Furthermore, Fe(III) reduction on agar plates containing the complex was apparent by zones of decolourisation around the bacterial colonies. 16S rRNA gene sequencing indicated the isolate to be a strain of Clostridium beijerinckii. Growth experiments were performed on the isolate in batch cultures with varying concentrations of Fe(III) citrate and 50 mM glucose. Increasing the level of Fe(III) citrate present was found to alter the fermentation balance, with less acidic products being formed. The presence of Fe(III) led to increases in the growth rate and growth yield, which were both approximately doubled when the supply of the cation reached 25 mM. A NAD(P)H-dependent Fe(III) reductase activity was localised to the bacterial membrane and found not to be sensitive to respiratory inhibitors. Taken together, these data suggest that dissimilatory Fe(III) reduction by the isolate provides a means of utilising the cation as an electron sink, thus facilitating pyridine nucleotide to be recycled during fermentative metabolism.     

Characterization of Fe(III) reduction by chlororespiring Anaeromyxobacter dehalogenans

Anaeromyxobacter dehalogenans strain 2CP-C has been shown to grow by coupling the oxidation of acetate to the reduction of ortho-substituted halophenols, oxygen, nitrate, nitrite, or fumarate. In this study, strain 2CP-C was also found to grow by coupling Fe(III) reduction to the oxidation of acetate, making it one of the few isolates capable of growth by both metal reduction and chlororespiration. Doubling times for growth of 9.2 and 10.2 h were determined for Fe(III) and 2-chlorophenol reduction, respectively. These were determined by using the rate of [(14)C]acetate uptake into biomass. Fe(III) compounds used by strain 2CP-C include ferric citrate, ferric pyrophosphate, and amorphous ferric oxyhydroxide. The addition of the humic acid analog anthraquinone 2,6-disulfonate (AQDS) increased the reduction rate of amorphous ferric iron oxide, suggesting AQDS was used as an electron shuttle by strain 2CP-C. The addition of chloramphenicol to fumarate-grown cells did not inhibit Fe(III) reduction, indicating that the latter activity is constitutive. In contrast, the addition of chloramphenicol inhibited dechlorination activity, indicating that chlororespiration is inducible. The presence of insoluble Fe(III) oxyhydroxide did not significantly affect dechlorination, whereas the presence of soluble ferric pyrophosphate inhibited dechlorination. With its ability to respire chlorinated organic compounds and metals such as Fe(III), strain 2CP-C is a promising model organism for the study of the interaction of these potentially competing processes in contaminated environments.     

Bacterial sensors based on Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans Part I. Fe2+ and S2O32- determination

An amperometric bacterial sensor with current response to Fe(2+) and S(2)O(3)(2-) ions has been designed by immobilizing an acidophilic biomass of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans on a multi disk flat-front oxygen probe. The bacterial layer was located between the oxygen probe and a membrane of cellulose. A filtration technique was used to yield the bacterial membranes having reproducible activity. The decrease of O(2) flow across the bacterial layer is proportional to the concentration of the dosed species. The dynamic range appeared to be linear for the Fe(2+) ions up to 2.5 mmol L(-1) with a detection limit of 9 x 10(-7) mol L(-1) and a sensitivity of 0.25 A L mol(-1). The response of the biosensor is 84 s for a determination of 2 x 10(-4) mol L(-1) Fe(2+). Optimizing the Fe(2+) determination by A. ferrooxidans sensor was carried out owing to Design of Experiments (DOE) methodology and empirical modelling. The optimal response was thus obtained for a pH of 3.4, at 35 degrees C under 290 rpm solution stirring. S(2)O(3)(2-) concentration was determined at pH 4.7, so avoiding its decomposition. The concentration range was linear up to 0.6 mmol L(-1). Sensitivity was 0.20 A L mol(-1) with a response time of 207 s for a 2 x 10(-4) mol L(-1) S(2)O(3)(2-) concentration.