• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.111-118
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• 2001

The use of bacteria as a novel biotechnology to facilitate the production of nanoparticles is in its infancy. Cobalt-substituted magnetite nanoparticles were synthesized by a thermophilic iron(III)-reducing bacterium, TOR-39, under anaerobic conditions using amorphous Fe(III) oxyhydroxides plus cobalt ( $Co^{2+}$ and $Co^{3+}$ ) as an electron acceptor and organic carbon as an electron donor. Microbial processes produced copious amounts of nm-sized cobalt substituted magnetites. Chemical analysis and X-ray powder diffraction analysis showed that cobalt was substituted into biologically facilitated magnetites. Microbially facilitated synthesis of the cobalt-substituted magnetites may expand the possible use of the specialized ferromagnetic particles.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.231-240
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• 2002

Microbial metal reduction influences the biogeochemical cycles of carbon and metals as well as plays an important role in the bioremediation of metals, radionuclides, and organic contaminants. The use of bacteria to facilitate the production of magnetite nanoparticles and the formation of carbonate minerals may provide new biotechnological processes for material synthesis and carbon sequestration. Metal-reducing bacteria were isolated from a variety of extreme environments, such as deep terrestrial subsurface, deep marine sediments, water near Hydrothemal vents, and alkaline ponds. Metal-reducing bacteria isolated from diverse extreme environments were able to reduce Fe(III), Mn(IV), Cr(VI), Co(III), and U(VI) using short chain fatty acids and/or hydrogen as the electron donors. These bacteria exhibited diverse mineral precipitation capabilities including the formation of magnetite ($Fe_3$$O_4$), siderite ($FeCO_3$), calcite ($CaCO_3$), rhodochrosite ($MnCO_3$), vivianite [$Fe_3$($PO_4$)$_2$ .$8H_2$O], and uraninite ($UO_2$). Geochemical and environmental factors such as atmospheres, chemical milieu, and species of bacteria affected the extent of Fe(III)-reduction as well as the mineralogy and morphology of the crystalline iron mineral phases. Thermophilic bacteria use amorphous Fe(III)-oxyhydroxide plus metals (Co, Cr, Ni) as an electron acceptor and organic carbon as an electron donor to synthesize metal-substituted magnetite. Metal reducing bacteria were capable of $CO_2$conversion Into sparingly soluble carbonate minerals, such as siderite and calcite using amorphous Fe(III)-oxyhydroxide or metal-rich fly ash. These results indicate that microbial Fe(III)-reduction may not only play important roles in iron and carbon biogeochemistry in natural environments, but also be potentially useful f3r the synthesis of submicron-sized ferromagnetic materials.