scholarly journals Organic Stabilization of Extracellular Elemental Sulfur in a Sulfurovum-Rich Biofilm: A New Role for Extracellular Polymeric Substances?

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandi Cron ◽  
Jennifer L. Macalady ◽  
Julie Cosmidis

This work shines light on the role of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) in the formation and preservation of elemental sulfur biominerals produced by sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. We characterized elemental sulfur particles produced within a Sulfurovum-rich biofilm in the Frasassi Cave System (Italy). The particles adopt spherical and bipyramidal morphologies, and display both stable (α-S8) and metastable (β-S8) crystal structures. Elemental sulfur is embedded within a dense matrix of EPS, and the particles are surrounded by organic envelopes rich in amide and carboxylic groups. Organic encapsulation and the presence of metastable crystal structures are consistent with elemental sulfur organomineralization, i.e., the formation and stabilization of elemental sulfur in the presence of organics, a mechanism that has previously been observed in laboratory studies. This research provides new evidence for the important role of microbial EPS in mineral formation in the environment. We hypothesize that the extracellular organics are used by sulfur-oxidizing bacteria for the stabilization of elemental sulfur minerals outside of the cell wall as a store of chemical energy. The stabilization of energy sources (in the form of a solid electron acceptor) in biofilms is a potential new role for microbial EPS that requires further investigation.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandi Cron ◽  
Jennifer L. Macalady ◽  
Julie Cosmidis

This work shines light on the role of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in the formation and preservation of elemental sulfur biominerals produced by sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. We characterized elemental sulfur minerals produced within a Sulfurovum-rich biofilm in the Frasassi Cave System (Italy). The particles adopt spherical and bipyramidal morphologies, and display both stable (α-S8) and metastable (β-S8) crystal structures. Elemental sulfur is embedded within a dense matrix of EPS and the particles possess organic envelopes rich in amide and carboxylic groups. Organic encapsulation and the presence of metastable crystal structures are consistent with elemental sulfur organomineralization, i.e. the formation and stabilization of elemental sulfur in the presence of organics, a mechanism that has previously been observed in laboratory studies. This research provides new evidence for the important role of microbial EPS in mineral formation in the environment. We hypothesize that extracellular organics are used by sulfur-oxidizing bacteria for the stabilization of elemental sulfur minerals outside of the cell wall as a store of chemical energy. The stabilization of energy sources (under the form of solid electron acceptors) in biofilms is a potential new role for microbial EPS that requires further investigation.


Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1901
Author(s):  
So-Young Lee ◽  
Eun-Gyeong Kim ◽  
Jae-Ryoung Park ◽  
Young-Hyun Ryu ◽  
Won Moon ◽  
...  

Peat moss is an organic substance corroded by sphagnum moss and has a pH of 3.0–4.0. Elemental sulfur is sulfated and oxidized by the action of bacteria to become sulfuric acid. These biological factors can alter the soil environment. Blueberries require soil with a pH of 4.5–5.2 and high organic matter content. In this experiment, we investigated whether different treatment rates of peat moss, elemental sulfur, and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria affect changes in soil pH, physicochemical properties, and electrical conductivity. We detected strong changes in soil pH as a reaction to the supply of peat moss, elemental sulfur, and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. The pH of the soil when peat moss and elemental sulfur each were supplied was reduced. In addition, the pH decreased faster when elemental sulfur and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria were supplied together than elemental sulfur alone, satisfying an acidic soil environment suitable for blueberry cultivation. In this experiment, it is shown that peat moss, elemental sulfur, and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria are suitable for lowering soil pH. It was demonstrated that when elemental sulfur and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria were treated together, the pH decreased faster than when treated with peat moss. It could be economically beneficial to farmers to use elemental sulfur and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, which are cheaper than peat moss, to reduce the pH of the soil.


Pedosphere ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhi-Hui YANG ◽  
K. STÖVEN ◽  
S. HANEKLAUS ◽  
B.R. SINGH ◽  
E. SCHNUG

2001 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Kitada ◽  
A. Ito ◽  
K. Yamada ◽  
J. Aizawa ◽  
T. Umita

The utilization of indigenous sulfur-oxidizing bacteria and sulfur waste was investigated in order to remove heavy metals from anaerobically digested sewage sludge economically. Indigenous sulfur-oxidizing bacteria existing in anaerobically digested sewage sludge were activated by adding elemental sulfur to the sludge and then the bacteria were isolated. It was found that indigenous sulfur-oxidizing bacteria could utilize sulfur waste generated by desulfurization of digestion gas as a substrate. Then, biological leaching of heavy metals from anaerobically digested sewage sludge was carried out using indigenous sulfur-oxidizing bacteria and sulfur waste. By adding sulfur waste to sewage sludge, sulfuric acid was produced by the bacteria and the sludge pH decreased. Heavy metals in sewage sludge were effectively removed owing to the decrease of pH. The optimum amount of sulfur waste added to decrease the pH sufficiently was 5g/L when the sludge concentration was 2%. It was presented that the biological leaching of heavy metals from sewage sludge can be carried out in a closed system, where all required materials are obtained in a sewage treatment plant.


1989 ◽  
Vol 105 (13) ◽  
pp. 1001-1004
Author(s):  
Hiroshi NAKAZAWA ◽  
Hiroyuki MURATA ◽  
Hayato SATO

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document