clay and ferric-hydroxide

Desert varnishes are dark rock coatings observed in arid environments and might resemble Mn-rich coatings found on Martian rocks. Their formation mechanism is not fully understood and the possible microbial involvement is under debate. In this study, we applied DNA metagenomic Shotgun sequencing of varnish and surrounding soil to evaluate the composition of the microbial community and its potential metabolic function. We found that the α diversity was lower in varnish compared to soil samples (p value < 0.05), suggesting distinct populations with significantly higher abundance of Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria and Cyanobacteria within the varnish. Additionally, we observed increased levels of transition metal metabolic processes in varnish compared to soil samples. Nevertheless, potentially relevant enzymes for varnish formation were detected at low to insignificant levels in both niches, indicating no current direct microbial involvement in Mn oxidation. This finding is supported by quantitative genomic analysis, elemental analysis, fluorescence imaging and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy. We thus conclude that the distinct microbial communities detected in desert varnish originate from settled Aeolian microbes, which colonized this nutrient-enriched niche, and discuss possible indirect contributions of microorganisms to the formation of desert varnish.

Topics: Actinobacteria; Clay; Cyanobacteria; Ferric Compounds; Manganese Compounds; Metagenomics; Microbiota; Oxides; Proteobacteria; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Soil Microbiology

An extensive set of column experiments was performed with freshly harvested Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts to evaluate the effects of solution chemistry, surface coatings, interactions with other suspended particles, and pore fluid velocity on the fate and transport of this widely occurring waterborne pathogen in sandy porous media. We synthesized our data set with a comprehensive literature survey of similar experiments, to compute attachment (collision) efficiencies (α) used in colloid filtration theory (CFT) using three models for the single collector efficiency (η) across a wide range of experimental conditions. Most prior experiments have observed the transport of surface-treated, sterile C. parvum oocyst in porous media. Our column data confirm for freshly harvested oocysts that the presence of iron coatings on the sand medium and the presence of suspended illite clay drastically enhance oocyst deposition. Increasing ionic strength and decreasing pH also systematically enhance the attachment efficiency. Attachment efficiency decreases only at a very high ionic strength, most likely as a result of steric repulsion and possibly other changes in oocyst surface properties. Attachment efficiencies vary with fluid flow rate but without showing specific trends. We found that the computed attachment efficiency across all reported experiments could be reliably estimated using a regression model based on parameters related to ionic strength and pH. The regression model performed better with the Nelson-Ginn η model and Tufenkji-Elimelech η model than with the Rajagopalan-Tien η model. When CFT is used in environmental assessments, the proposed regression model provides a practical estimator for attachment efficiencies of C. parvum oocyst deposition in porous media for a variety of environmental conditions unfavorable to attachment.

Topics: Adsorption; Aluminum Silicates; Clay; Cryptosporidiosis; Cryptosporidium parvum; Ferric Compounds; Humans; Minerals; Oocysts; Osmolar Concentration; Porosity; Surface Properties

A nanostructured electromagnetic polyaniline-polyhydroxy iron-clay composite (PPIC) was prepared by oxidative radical emulsion polymerization of aniline in the presence of polyhydroxy iron cation (PIC) intercalated clays. Morphological observation through SEM, TEM, and AFM suggested the formation of self-assembled nanospheres of PIC with self-assembled PANI engulfed over PIC, and the presence of iron in PPIC was confirmed by the EDS analysis. XRD studies revealed that PPIC are comprised of exfoliated clay layers with PIC in the distorted spinel structure. Magnetic property measurements showed that saturation magnetization increased from 7.3 x 10(-3) to 2.5 emu/g upon varying the amount of PHIC content from 0 to 10%. Electrical conductivity measurements with the same composition were observed to be in the range of 3.0 x 10(-2) to 1.1 S/cm. Thermal stability studies using TGA in combination with DTG suggested that PPICs were thermally stable up to 350 degrees C. The interaction among clay layers, PIC, and PANI chains in PPIC were manifested from the studies made by FTIR and DSC analysis. The prospects for the direct application of this material are developing low-cost chemical sensors and also processable electromagnetic interference shielding materials for high technological applications.

Topics: Aluminum Silicates; Aniline Compounds; Clay; Electromagnetic Fields; Ferric Compounds; Nanostructures; Organometallic Compounds; Particle Size; Surface Properties

This study examined the sorption of atrazine by hydroxy-Fe interlayered montmorillonite (FeMt) and its hydroquinone (FeMtHQ), citrate (FeMtCt) and catechol (FeMtCC) complexes as well as by hydroxy-Al interlayered montmorillonite (AlMt) and its hydroquinone (AlMtHQ) and citrate (AlMtCt) complexes. Found among the clays were sorption distribution coefficients (K(d)) ranging from 24 to 123 mL g(-1) and maximum sorption (M) ranging from 2.2 to 16.8 microg g(-1). Both K(d) and M decreased in the order of FeMtCC > FeMtHQ > AlMtHQ > (AlMt = FeMt) > (AlMtCt = FeMtCt). The pH was negatively correlated with both K(d) (r = -0.90, p < 0.001) and M (r = -0.81, p < 0.001). When interlayered clays were associated with humified material (FeMtCC, FeMtHQ, AlMtHQ), both K(d) (r > 0.96, p < 0.01) and M (r > 0.94, p < 0.01) were highly positively correlated with total organic C and alkali-soluble C. However, clays with non-humified organic compounds (FeMtCt and AlMtCt) sorbed less atrazine than clays without any organic C (FeMt and AlMt). This suggests that functional groups of Fe-OH and Al-OH in FeMt and AlMt reduced the available sorption sites for atrazine by making complexes with citrate ions while forming FeMtCt and AlMtCt. The atrazine was sorbed through the hydrophobic interactions with organic compound surfaces as well as through H-bonding and ionic bonding with clay-mineral surfaces.

Topics: Adsorption; Aluminum Hydroxide; Aluminum Silicates; Atrazine; Bentonite; Catechols; Citric Acid; Clay; Ferric Compounds; Herbicides; Humic Substances; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Kinetics; Oxidation-Reduction; Soil Pollutants