Mineral Biotechnology

BTO540
Dr. Nibedita Mahata
Mobile: 9434789020
Email:nibedita.mahata@bt.nitdgp.ac.in
 MATTER CONSERVED

ATOMAPHERE
BIOTIC ABIOTIC HYDROSPHERE
LITHOSPHERE

WATER CYCLE
BIOSPHERE CARBON CYCLE
CHNOPS
NITROGEN CYCLE-
BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES NITROGEN FIXATION
PHOSPHOPUS CYCLE
SULPHER CYCLE
Nitrates are essential for plant growth and animals
Animal
protein

Plant
protein

Root
uptake

Nitrate
NO3-
Nitrates are recycled via microbes
Animal
protein
Plant
Soil organic nitrogen protein

N. aestuarii
saprotrophic Root
??? Ammonification
N. communis
microbes eg. fungi,
uptake
N. europaea
certain bacteria, and
N. eutropha
Ammonium NH4+
funguslike organisms
N. halophila
known as water
N. marina
molds (phylum Nitrification
N.Oomycota).
nitrosa
N. oligotropha Nitrite NO2-
N. stercoris
N. alkalicus Nitrification
N. ureae
N. hamburgensis Nitrate
N. vulgaris NO3-
N. winogradskyi
Ammonification
Nitrogen enters the soil through the decomposition of protein in dead
organic matter
Amino acids + 11/2O2  CO2 + H2O + NH3 + 736kJ
This process liberates a lot of energy which can be used by the
saprotrophic microbes.
Fungi are best known as degraders of organic matter
Nitrification
This involves two oxidation processes
The ammonia produced by ammonification is an energy
rich substrate for Nitrosomonas bacteria
They oxidise it to nitrite:
NH3 + 11/2O2  NO2- + H2O + 276kJ

This in turn provides a substrate for Nitrobacter bacteria

that oxidise the nitrite to nitrate:
NO2- + 1/2O2  NO3- + 73 kJ

This energy is the only source of energy for these

prokaryotes
They are chemoautotrophs.
Nitrogen from the atmosphere
Atmospheric Atmospheric Nitrogen
Out fixation 4 000 000 000 Gt
gassing

Plant protein

Biological Soil organic

fixation nitrogen Root uptake

Nitrate NO3-
Atmospheric nitrogen fixation
Electrical storms
Lightning provides sufficient energy to split the nitrogen atoms of
nitrogen gas,
Forming oxides of nitrogen NOx and NO2
 Biological fixation
Root nodules
Alafalfa (Medicago sativa)

Soybeans
peanuts
Only prokaryotes show nitrogen
fixation
These organisms possess the nif gene complex which make the
nitrogenase enzyme, used in nitrogen fixation
The reaction involves splitting nitrogen gas molecules and
adding hydrogen to make ammonia

N2  2N - 669 kJ
2N + 8H+  NH3 + H2 + 54 kJ

This is extremely energy expensive requiring 16 ATP molecules

for each nitrogen molecule fixed
The microbes that can fix nitrogen need a good supply of
energy.
The nitrogen fixers

Cyanobacteria are nitrogen fixers that also fix carbon

(these are photosynthetic)
Rhizobium bacteria are mutualistic with certain plant
species e.g. Legumes
They grow in root nodules
Azotobacter are bacteria associated with the rooting
zone (the rhizosphere) of plants in grasslands.
Industrial N-Fixation
• The Haber-Bosch Process
N2 + 3H2  2NH3 - 92kJ
• The Haber process uses an iron catalyst
• High temperatures (500°C)
• High pressures (250 atmospheres)
• The energy require comes from burning fossil fuels
(coal, gas or oil)
• Hydrogen is produced from natural gas (methane) or
other hydrocarbon.
 The human impact
Atmospheric Atmospheric Nitrogen
fixation

Out
gassing Industrial
fixation
Plant
protein
Biological
fixation
Soil organic
nitrogen

Ammonium
NH4+

Nitrate NO3-
Return to the atmosphere:
Denitrification
Nitrates and nitrites can be used a source of oxygen
for Pseudomonas bacteria
Favourable conditions: Cold waterlogged (anaerobic)
soils
2NO3-  3O2 + N2providing up to 2385kJ
2NO2-  2O2 + N2 
The liberated oxygen is used as an electron acceptor
in the processes that oxidise organic molecules, such
as glucose
These microbes are, therefore, heterotrophs
 The human impact
Atmospheric Atmospheric Nitrogen
fixation

Out
gassin Industrial
g fixation
Plant
protein
Biological
fixation
Soil organic
nitrogen
Denitrification
Ammonium
NH4+

Nitrate NO3-
Sulfur Cycling

Sulfur Oxidation States

Sulfide and organic sulfhydryl
groups = -2
Elemental sulfur = 0
Thiosulfate (S2O3-2) = +2
Sulfite (SO3-2) = +4
Sulfate (SO4-2) = +6
Sº Desu
lfuro
m on
as
Fe and Mn Cycles

Cycling revolves around the transition from oxidized insoluble forms (Fe +3 / Mn+4 )to
reduced, soluble oxidation states (Fe+2/Mn+2)
Fe Oxidation

Ferrous iron (Fe+2) used as an electron donor linked with oxygen reduction

High levels of Fe+2 are needed

But: aerobic conditions, neutral pH iron is essentially all solid Fe +3 oxides

Two adaptations for use of Fe+2 : Low pH and/or low O2

Fe Oxidation at low pH
The pH effect on Fe+2 concentrations is reflected in the energy yield:

Fe+2 + O2 + H+ ---> Fe+3 + H2O G'o (pH 7) = - 0.25 kJ

Go (pH 0) = - 2.54
kJ

Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, an acidophilic iron-oxidizer, pH optimum for growth of 2 to 3

Contribute to formation of acid mine drainage.

Fe Oxidation at Neutral-Alkaline pH, Low
Oxygen Levels
Neutral-alkaline pH, Fe+2 concentrations increase with decreasing oxygen
concentration.

The "iron bacteria" (e.g., Gallionella, Leptothrix, Siderocapsa) have adapted to

grow by oxidizing Fe+2 at low O2 concentrations (0.1 - 0.2 mg L-1).

Low energy yields, microbes must oxidize large amounts of Fe+2 to sustain
growth.
Light Micrographs of Iron bacteria
Gallionella
ferruginea [braid-
like] in red floc
from neutral water

Leptothrix cholodnii [sausage-

like] in red floc from neutral
water

Leptothrix discophora fresh rounded

holdfasts [doughnut-like], which are parts of
the bacteria that attach to rocks or
microscope slides, like those here on
microscope slide left in neutral water riffle
TEM Micrographs of Iron bacteria &iron
deposits
Low magnification
image of
Gallionella
Leptothrix stalks
and sheaths

Gallionella stalk coated

with nanometer-scale
Fe(OH)3 and FeOOH
aggregates
Light Micrographs: Iron bacteria and iron
deposits
Gallionella
Note the twisted strands of
iron oxide characteristic of
this organism

Wet mount, 400 X

Gallionella

Stained with
crystal violet, 1000 X
Fe/Mn reduction: Biogeochemical
Significance
Fe(III) and Mn(IV) reduction affects
cycling of iron and manganese
fate of a variety of other trace metals and nutrients
degradation of organic matter

Fe(III)-reducers can outcompete sulfate-reducing and methanogenic

microorganisms for electron donors
can limit production of sulfides and methane in submerged soils,
aquatic sediments, and the subsurface

IRB may be useful agents for the bioremediation of environments contaminated

with organic and/or metal pollutants
Fe/Mn-reducing microbes (FMRM)
A wide phylogenetic diversity of microorganisms, (archaea and bacteria), are
capable of dissimilatory Fe(III) reduction.

Most microorganisms that reduce Fe(III) also can transfer electrons to Mn(IV),
reducing it to Mn(II).

Two major groups, those that support growth by conserving energy from
electron transfer to Fe(III) and Mn(IV) and those that do not.
Pathways for electron donor production and use in Fe /Mn reduction
Mechanisms for Electron Transfer to
Fe(III) and Mn(IV)
Mechanism(s) of electron transfer to insoluble Fe(III) and Mn(IV) are poorly understood.

Possibilities include :
Direct contact with and reduction of Fe(III) and Mn(IV) oxides

Solubilization of Fe(III) and Mn(IV) oxides by chelators, reduction of solubilized

spec ies

Indirect reduction mediated by extracellular electron shuttles (quinone groups in

humics)
• KGF or Kolar Gold Fields is a mining region and taluka, in the Kolar District of Karnataka state, India.
Robertsonpet is the headquarters of Kolar Gold Fields.
• The town was known for gold mining for over a century, which was eventually closed in 2001 due to
low level of gold production.
SUN • ENERGY SUN • MATTER

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• LITHOSPHERE

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