Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Nina Zeyen, Karim Benzerara, Olivier Beyssac, Damien Daval, Elodie Muller, Christophe Thomazo, Rosaluz Tavera, Purificacion Lopez-Garcia, David Moreira, Elodie Duprat
Summary: The study measured the chemical and mineralogical composition of microbialites from ten Mexican lakes, revealing a diverse mineralogical composition and positive correlations between microbialite size and parameters such as salinity. There were significant variations in trace element compositions of the microbialites between the lakes, with detrital contamination affecting their rare earth elements (REE) + Y patterns.
GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shuheng Zhang, Ouassef Nahi, Li Chen, Zabeada Aslam, Nikil Kapur, Yi-Yeoun Kim, Fiona C. Meldrum
Summary: Remarkable control can be achieved over the chemical composition and structure of crystalline calcium carbonate by driving a pseudomorphic transformation of amorphous calcium carbonate thin films using heat. This has relevance to both synthetic and biological systems.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Chonghong Zhang, Fuchun Li, Jiejie Lyu, Youru Yao
Summary: Research on the regulation of Ca-Mg carbonate crystallization and phase transition by microbial cells and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) has significant implications for carbon sequestration, soil and water remediation, and the synthesis of biomaterials. This study investigated the mineralogical transformation from amorphous to crystal state and the interaction between cells, EPS, and minerals. The results showed that the calcification and rod-shaped cells of strain HJ-1 played a role in the formation of dumbbell-shaped particles, while directional aggregation and differential growth were crucial for the development and stability of the particles. Cell participation influenced mineral prototypes, but did not determine polymorphism. EPS contributed to aragonite formation and stability, and acidic amino acids or proteins in EPS were found to increase MgCO3 content in Mg-calcite. EPS promoted particle aggregation and induced spherical formation. Exopolysaccharides and proteins in EPS were identified as the main components affecting carbonate mineralization. EPS influenced morphology and polymorphism by providing nucleation sites, interacting with Mg2+, adsorbing or incorporating into mineral lattices, and inducing particle aggregation.
MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS
(2023)
Article
Geology
Philip T. Staudigel, Eleanor H. John, Ben Buse, Caroline H. Lear
Summary: The Mg/Ca and δ18O paleothermometers give discrepant values in recrystallized tests, potentially due to diffusively limited closed-system recrystallization. The Mg/Ca ratio is more diagenetically robust and can be used as a more reliable paleotemperature proxy.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Shanggui Gong, Min Luo, Elizabeth M. Griffith, Joern Peckmann, Qianyong Liang, Dong Feng
Summary: The formation of authigenic carbonate in marine environments plays a significant role in regulating ocean chemistry and atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Investigating the isotopic composition of calcium in authigenic carbonate can provide insights into the calcium cycle, seawater chemistry, and the diagenesis of carbonate rocks, which in turn reveals important information about the evolution of Earth's surface environments.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Scott D. Midgley, Dominik Fleitmann, Ricardo Grau-Crespo
Summary: The presence of bromine as a trace-element in calcium carbonate speleothems is a useful proxy for past volcanic activity. However, the chemical nature of bromine-containing impurities in speleothems is not well-understood, which hinders the interpretation of experimental measurements. A computer simulation study based on quantum mechanical calculations was conducted to investigate the incorporation of bromine in calcium carbonate polymorphs. The study discusses the distribution of bromate oxyanions and charge-compensating cations and predicts their stability and solubility limits.
GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Thomas Steuber, Hannes Löser, Joerg Mutterlose, Mariano Parente
Summary: We have compiled the stratigraphic ranges of various taxa of carbonate producers in the Cretaceous period and summarized their ecological and physiological controls on calcification and carbonate production. The observed diversity patterns are compared with proxy data of Cretaceous climate and seawater chemistry to elucidate the effect of environmental change on carbonate production and sedimentation. Two characteristic patterns are recognized: the diversity of certain taxa trace the evolution of Cretaceous sea level, while the diversity of other taxa show significant reductions at the level of oceanic anoxic events (OAEs). Our findings highlight the vulnerability of benthic carbonate producers to environmental changes and the importance of high sea level and high temperatures in controlling diversity in certain taxa. Aragonitic or aragonite-dominated carbonate producers are most affected during extinction events related to OAEs, and there is a trend of decreasing aragonite dominance throughout the Cretaceous.
EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Jingzhong Kuang, Xiaoyuan Wang, Mingming Yu, Weiquan Yuan, Zheyu Huang, Shaoyan Zhang, Junjie Xiao
Summary: The flotation behavior of calcite and aragonite was investigated, and it was found that aragonite had higher flotation recovery and rate compared to calcite. The adsorption quantity and rate of sodium oleate on the surface of aragonite were also higher than those on calcite. The density of unsaturated bonds on the exposed planes of aragonite was lower than that of calcite.
Article
Geography, Physical
Ashleigh M. Fay, Abigail M. Smith
Summary: The study revealed that crab shells are primarily composed of Mg-calcite, with some species also containing aragonite. Different families of crabs produce varying levels of Mg-calcite, with generally small range of values within species.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Marco Bruno, Mauro Prencipe, Dino Aquilano, Andrea Cotellucci, Stefano Ghignone, Peter Nemeth
Summary: Understanding the selection mechanisms of CaCO3 polymorphs is crucial for understanding carbonate formation. This study investigates why some organisms develop calcite layers at the contact with aragonite while others do not. Through empirical analysis, a hexagonal CaCO3 polymorph is discovered, which explains the observed epitaxy between calcite and aragonite. The findings also have implications for understanding the growth process of carbonate polymorphs under ambient conditions.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Xiao Wang, Xiangxin Kong, Qian Liu, Kun Li, Zaixing Jiang, Hengjun Gai, Meng Xiao
Summary: Carbonate precipitation induced by cyanobacteria is influenced by clay minerals. This study investigated the effects of clay minerals on carbonate precipitation by Synechococcus cells. The results showed that clay minerals can accelerate Synechococcus aggregation, and the aggregation rate of kaolinite was higher than that of montmorillonite. The presence of clay minerals increased organic matter and carboxyl content in the aggregates, leading to the precipitation of aragonite and low-magnesium calcite.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Review
Ecology
Jess F. Adkins, John D. Naviaux, Adam V. Subhas, Sijia Dong, William M. Berelson
Summary: The dissolution of CaCO3 minerals in the ocean is a fundamental aspect of marine alkalinity and carbon cycling, but there is still disagreement regarding the relationship between dissolution rate and mineral saturation state. While freshwater dissolution of calcite has been well studied, a unified understanding of carbonate dissolution in the ocean is lacking, with disagreements between laboratory and field studies. This review proposes a new framework that considers surface energetics and seawater speciation to explain recent data and historical features.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF MARINE SCIENCE, VOL 13, 2021
(2021)
Article
Geology
Mei He, Yanjun Cai, Haiwei Zhang, Gang Xue, Xing Cheng, Yanbin Lu, Guozhen Wang, Xiuling Qin, Le Ma, Yingying Wei, Shouyi Huang, Hong Chang, Hong Yan
Summary: This study investigated the impacts of neomorphism on trace element compositions in cave carbonates and the redistribution mechanisms during neomorphic processes. It was found that the transformation from aragonite to calcite occurs by a dissolution-precipitation mechanism, influenced by factors like internal fluid compositions and crystal defects. The primary aragonite is enriched in Sr but depleted in Mg compared to secondary calcite, with non-equilibrium absorption of Mg contributing to high Mg/Ca ratios in the calcite. Incorporation competition among trace elements also plays a role in affecting Sr and Mg distribution in neomorphic calcite.
SEDIMENTARY GEOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Olev Vinn
Summary: Polychaete annelids are an important group of calcifiers in modern oceans, able to produce various forms of calcium compounds. They exhibit diversity in tube ultrastructures and tube compositions, with some taxa belonging to calcitic clades and others to aragonitic clades. These organisms are affected by modern ocean acidification but can still biomineralize in extreme environments.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Mahmoud Alkhatib, Mutaz Qutob, Samia Alkhatib, Anton Eisenhauer
Summary: This study investigates the incorporation of magnesium (Mg) and strontium (Sr) in calcite precipitates under different precipitation rates, temperatures, and dissolved inorganic carbon concentrations. The results show that the percentage of Mg and Sr in calcite increases with increasing temperature and dissolved inorganic carbon concentration. Additionally, the precipitation rate and Mg/Ca ratio in the fluid also influence the distribution of Mg and Sr in calcite.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Shaofeng Zhou, Wenwen An, Cuifen Gan, Meiying Xu
Summary: Bacteria generate and release extracellular reactive oxygen species (eROS), which significantly contribute to the natural ROS pool and play a crucial role in metabolic interactions of bacteria with their environment. Understanding the behavior of eROS-generating bacteria and its environmental implications is of great importance in the cycling of biogeochemical elements, transformation of organic matter, and regulation of antibiotic resistance genes.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2024)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ji-Dong Gu, Tim Ford, Bryce Mitton, Ralph Mitchell
Summary: Plastics and microplastics are widely present and accumulating in the environment, leading to increasing public attention. In addition to packaging plastics, materials from industries such as electronics, space and aviation are also accumulating, but receiving less attention. The production of degradable and biodegradable plastics is seen as a way to reduce environmental impacts, but enhancing the non-degradability of functional polymers is also a feasible option. Microbial colonization and deterioration pose significant challenges to these materials.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2024)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Justyna Bohacz, Michal Mozejko
Summary: This study evaluated the keratinolytic activity of 37 strains of Trichophyton ajelloi and found that pigmented strains isolated from loamy soil were more efficient in degrading native feather keratin, while non-pigmented strains isolated from chernozem showed better abilities. The keratinolytic activity increased over time, as evidenced by the increase in extracellular keratinase activity and release of soluble proteins and peptides. Protease activity peaked in the first 7 days and again on day 28 of culture. The release of ammonium and sulfate ions, associated with an increase in pH, reached its maximum on day 21. Three pigment-producing strains were among the most active in releasing large amounts of ammonium and sulfate ions. The biodegradation of feather waste by Trichophyton ajelloi strains can be used to produce fertilizers suitable for plants with high sulfur requirements.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2024)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Joseph M. Suflita, Brenda J. Little
Summary: This article reviews the major achievements of the International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation Society (IBBS) on its 50th anniversary and provides recommendations for addressing new challenges and developments based on personal experiences.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2024)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zhenyan Lin, Tuo Jin, Xin Xu, Xiao Yin, Dan Zhang, Mengjiao Geng, Chunyu Pang, Gongwen Luo, Lizhi Xiong, Jianwei Peng, Jiangchi Fei
Summary: The incomplete recycle of residual mulch film (RMF) in recent years has led to an increase in plastic fragments in soil, posing a serious threat to the soil ecological environment. In this study, seven potential plastic-degrading microorganisms were screened and identified from film-mulched vegetable fields. The degradation ability experiments showed that both single strains and mixed strains demonstrated varying levels of degradation of RMF.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2024)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Tiina Belt, Michael Altgen, Muhammad Awais, Martin Nopens, Lauri Rautkari
Summary: This study investigated the degradation of heat-treated wood by brown rot fungi and found that the decay increased the hygroscopicity of wood in the decaying state. Furthermore, it was observed that heat-treated samples were more susceptible to fungal decay compared to untreated samples, which may be related to the increase in moisture content.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2024)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Marta Cicardi, Davide Bernasconi, Luca Martire, Linda Pastero, Giulia Caneva, Sergio E. Favero-Longo
Summary: This study investigated the phenomenon of Centimetric circular areas Uncolonized by Microbial Biofilms (CUMBs) on natural and heritage stone surfaces. The analysis revealed a compatibility in distribution and size between CUMBs and lichen thalli, suggesting a lichen origin for some CUMBs. Microscopic analysis also showed similar modifications in marble layers beneath CUMBs and lichens, indicating a possible alteration of stone properties by lichens.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2024)