Lecture

Microbial iron reduction

Graph Chat

Chat with Graph Search

Ask any question about EPFL courses, lectures, exercises, research, news, etc. or try the example questions below.

DISCLAIMER: The Graph Chatbot is not programmed to provide explicit or categorical answers to your questions. Rather, it transforms your questions into API requests that are distributed across the various IT services officially administered by EPFL. Its purpose is solely to collect and recommend relevant references to content that you can explore to help you answer your questions.

Description

This lecture explores the microbial iron reduction process, focusing on the cycling of iron, challenges faced, iron-reducing microorganisms like Geobacter and Shewanella species, and the mechanisms involved in iron reduction. The instructor discusses the ecological significance of microbial iron reduction in controlling iron reductive processes and organic matter oxidation in marine sediments.

Official source

Related concepts (32)

Iron

Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe () and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, just ahead of oxygen (32.1% and 30.1%, respectively), forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust, being mainly deposited by meteorites in its metallic state, with its ores also being found there.

Electron transport chain

An electron transport chain (ETC) is a series of protein complexes and other molecules that transfer electrons from electron donors to electron acceptors via redox reactions (both reduction and oxidation occurring simultaneously) and couples this electron transfer with the transfer of protons (H+ ions) across a membrane. The electrons that are transferred from NADH and FADH2 to the ETC involves four multi-subunit large enzymes complexes and two mobile electron carriers.

Banded iron formation

Banded iron formations (BIFs; also called banded ironstone formations) are distinctive units of sedimentary rock consisting of alternating layers of iron oxides and iron-poor chert. They can be up to several hundred meters in thickness and extend laterally for several hundred kilometers. Almost all of these formations are of Precambrian age and are thought to record the oxygenation of the Earth's oceans. Some of the Earth's oldest rock formations, which formed about (Ma), are associated with banded iron formations.

Mineral

In geology and mineralogy, a mineral or mineral species is, broadly speaking, a solid substance with a fairly well-defined chemical composition and a specific crystal structure that occurs naturally in pure form. The geological definition of mineral normally excludes compounds that occur only in living organisms. However, some minerals are often biogenic (such as calcite) or organic compounds in the sense of chemistry (such as mellite). Moreover, living organisms often synthesize inorganic minerals (such as hydroxylapatite) that also occur in rocks.

Redox

Redox (ˈrɛdɒks , ˈriːdɒks , reduction–oxidation or oxidation–reduction) is a type of chemical reaction in which the oxidation states of substrate change. Oxidation is the loss of electrons or an increase in the oxidation state, while reduction is the gain of electrons or a decrease in the oxidation state. There are two classes of redox reactions: Electron-transfer – Only one (usually) electron flows from the atom being oxidized to the atom that is reduced. This type of redox reaction is often discussed in terms of redox couples and electrode potentials.

Related lectures (44)

Nitrate Reduction by Pyrite

Explores nitrate reduction by pyrite and ferrous iron, emphasizing their role as electron donors in groundwater.

Iron Cycling: Mechanisms of Iron Oxidation and Reduction

Covers the mechanisms of iron oxidation and reduction in microbial environments, highlighting adaptations of acidophilic and neutrophilic iron oxidizers.

Microbial metabolism: Energy Generation and Biomass Production

Explores microbial metabolism, focusing on energy generation, biomass production, redox reactions, and electron carriers.

Organic Matter in Groundwater Systems

Explores the environmental impact of organic matter in groundwater, bioremediation techniques, microbial degradation, redox sequences, and oxidation reactions.

Biodegradation Kinetics: Extended Monod Growth Model