Redox cycling of Fe(II) and Fe(III) in magnetite by Fe-metabolizing bacteria

Authors:
Top Cited Papers
Publisher website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Building a biogeochemical battery: Iron acts as both a source and sink of electrons for microorganisms in the environment. Some anaerobic bacteria use oxidized Fe(III) as an electron acceptor, whereas phototrophic bacteria can use reduced Fe(II) as an electron donor. Byrne et al. show that the iron-bearing mineral magnetite, which contains both Fe(II) and Fe(III), can serve as both an electron acceptor and donor. Cocultures of iron-reducing and iron-oxidizing bacteria exposed to simulated day/night cycles or changes in organic matter altered the ratio of Fe(II) to Fe(III) in magnetite particles. Science , this issue p. 1473
Funding Information
  • Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

This publication has 32 references indexed in Scilit: