No description available.

<p>Bentonite clays and Fe-reducing bacteria have been independently identified as important geochemical agents possessing the ability to influence metal(loid) mobility in aqueous environments. In the context of metal(loid) immobilization, however, the interactions occurring between Fe-reducing bacteria and bentonite clays remain largely undescribed. This thesis examines the immobilization of Cu²⁺, Cd²⁺, and As⁵⁺ from aqueous solution by natural bentonite clays, and compares sorption to sterile bentonite clays with sorption in the presence of Fe-reducing bacteria. The research questions under investigation in this thesis are: 1) What are the influences of potentially metal-tolerant Fe-reducing bacteria on metal(loid) uptake by bentonite clay sorbents of varying smectite content and on the stability of bentonite clay-sorbed metal(loid)s?; and 2) Are there differences in the influence of Fe-reducing bacteria on Cd²⁺ and Cu²⁺ sorption to bentonite clays when As⁵⁺, a reducible, metabolically-available metalloid, is present in solution?</p> <p>While the influence of bacterial augmentation on Cu²⁺ sorption was negligible in these experiments, Cd²⁺ sorption was enhanced in the presence of Fe-reducing bacteria, and most profoundly, As displayed time-dependent desorption during the experimental timeframe in the presence of Fe-reducing bacteria. These results highlight the existence of potential limitations to the use of bentonite clay sorbents for metal(loid)-contaminated wastewater reclamation, identifying the microbially-vulnerable nature of metal(loid) sorption reactions. Abundant facets concerning clay-bacterial-metal(loid) interactions exist which require further characterization and experimentation to generate deeper understanding of the potential utility of, as well as limitations to, the use of clay mineral-based sorbents for the sequestration of toxic metal(loid)s from aqueous solution.</p> / Master of Science (MSc)

<p>Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) are ubiquitous, multi-phylogenetic bacteria that actively synthesize chains of magnetic, membrane bound; single domain magnetite (Fe₃O₄) or greigite (Fe₃S₄) crystals, termed magnetosomes in order to better navigate to their preferred chemical environment using the Earth’s magnetic field. Discovered in 1963, the field is now focused on understanding magnetosome chain formation and associated processes through genetic studies as well as analytical techniques such as Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscopy – X-ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism (STXM-XMCD).</p> <p>This thesis performed studies on <em>Candidatus Magnetovibrio blakemorei</em> strain MV-1 using STXM at the C 1s, O 1s, Ca 2p and Fe 2p edges. STXM-XMCD was used to determine the magnetism of individual magnetosomes and quantitatively determine magnetic properties such as the magnetic moment of individual chains. A sub-population of MV-1 cells was identified as having anomalous magnetic orientations of magnetosome sub-chains when separated spatial gaps. The frequency of this event and the underlying implications to magnetosome formation are discussed.</p> / Master of Science (MSc)

<p>Modern microbialites provide the opportunity to explore the influences of biology on microbialite formation and understand how biosignatures can be preserved in these structures. In this study, we used the isotopic compositions (δ¹³C) of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) and their structurally-defined profiles, in conjunction with calcium carbonate isotopic compositions and imaging to evaluate microbial autotrophic and heterotrophic processes associated with freshwater microbialites from Kelly Lake, British Columbia. This was done to determine what types of metabolism may have been influencing microbialite growth and whether a biosignature of this process was preserved. In addition, PLFA profiles from a microbialite-derived pure culture were analyzed under various growth conditions to assess environmental influences on microbial PLFA composition.</p> <p>Although the majority of the δ¹³C values of Kelly Lake microbialite surface carbonates fell within the range predicted for equilibrium precipitation, samples collected from 26 m were found to have enriched δ¹³C_carb values and are likely a biosignature of autotrophy at this depth. PLFA profiles and δ¹³C_PLFAvalues also supported the predominance of autotrophy, however, they indicated that heterotrophic organisms were also present. This data suggests that autotrophic metabolisms have influenced the local geochemistry in the past, at least at 26 m, and are likely substantial contributors to microbialite growth.</p> <p>Changes in temperature, pH, NaCl concentrations, and cell densities were found to induce variations in the PLFA profiles of the <em>Exiguobacterium</em> strain RW2. The degree of PLFA unsaturation changed in each of the different culture conditions, and was predominantly adjusted through alterations in the branched monoenoic PLFAs, particularly i-17:1Δ⁵. These results highlight the difficulties associated with applying PLFA profiles as evidence for shifts in a microbial community composition, since altered growth conditions can induce intra-specific PLFA changes.</p> / Master of Science (MSc)

<p>Investigating the presence of microbial communities in the Earth's deep terrestrial subsurface and the metabolic processes taking place in these environments provides insight into the some of the ultimate limits for life on Earth, as well as the potential for microbial life to exist within the subsurface of other planetary bodies. This Master's thesis project utilized phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis, in combination with carbon isotope analyses (δ¹³C and Δ¹⁴C), to explore the presence and activity of microbial communities living within deep terrestrial subsurface fracture water systems and low permeability, deep sedimentary rocks. Deep fracture water systems, ranging from 0.9 to 3.2 km below land surface, were sampled for microbial communities via deep mine boreholes in the Witwatersrand Basin of South Africa. PLFA concentrations revealed low biomass microbial communities, ranging from 2x10¹ to 5x10⁴ cells per mL and the PLFA profiles contained indicators for environmental stressors, including high temperatures and nutrient deprivation. δ¹³C and Δ¹⁴C analyses of PLFAs and potential carbon sources (dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and methane) identified microbial utilization of methane in some systems and utilization of DIC in others. Evidence for microbial oxidation of methane and chemoautotrophy in these systems is consistent with a self-sustaining deep terrestrial subsurface biosphere that is capable of surviving independent of the photosphere. Viable microbial communities were also identified within deep (334 to 694 m depth) sedimentary rock cores sampled from the Michigan Basin, Canada. PLFA analyses revealed microbial cell densities ranging from 1-3 x 10⁵ cells/mL and identified PLFA indicators for environmental stressors. These results demonstrate the ubiquity of microbial life in the deep terrestrial subsurface and provide insight into microbial carbon sources and cycling in deep microbial systems which may persist in isolation over geologic timescales.</p> / Master of Science (MSc)

[Tuncated abstract] Soil is a relatively low cost and robust geochemical sampling medium and is an essential part of most mineral exploration programs. In areas of covered terrain, however, soils are less reliable as a sampling medium because they do not always develop the geochemical signature of the buried mineralisation; possibly a result of limited upward transport of ore related elements into the surficial overburden. As economic demands on the resources industry grow, mineral exploration continues to expand further into areas of covered terrain where the rewards of finding a new deposit relative to the risks of finding it may be comparatively low. Thus, improving the costeffectiveness of a geochemical exploration program requires a sound understanding of the mechanisms by which soil geochemical anomalies form in transported overburden. This thesis examines the deep biotic uplift of ore related elements by deep rooting vegetation as a mechanism for the development of soil geochemical anomalies within transported overburdens, in semi-arid and arid regions. '...' Vegetation and soils were analysed at two Au prospects in Western Australia: Berkley, Coolgardie and Torquata, 210 km south-east of Kambalda, in semi-arid Western Australia to complement both the mass balance and the differential modelling. At Berkley, both the vegetation and soils located directly over the mineralisation showed high concentrations of Au. There may be indirect evidence for the operation of the deep plant uptake flux taking effect from the field evidence at Berkley. Firstly, anomalous concentrations of Au were found in the surface soils, with no detectable Au in the transported overburden. Secondly, the trace element concentrations in vegetation showed correlation to the buried lithology, which to our knowledge has not been reported elsewhere. The results from the samples at Torquata, in contrast, were less conclusive because the Au is almost exclusively associated with a surficial calcrete horizon (at <5 m soil depth). Strong correlations of Ca and Au in leaf samples however, suggest that the vegetation may be involved in the formation of calcrete and the subsequent association of Au with the calcrete. Among the vegetation components, the litter and leaf samples gave the greatest anomaly contrast at both prospects. Finally, three main drivers for the deep biotic uplift of elements were identified based on the results from the mechanistic numerical modelling exercise: i) the deep uptake flux; ii) the maximum plant concentration and; iii) the erosional flux. The relative sizes of these three factors control the rates of formation and decay, and trace element concentrations, of the soil anomaly. The main implication for the use of soils as exploration media in covered terranes is that soil geochemical anomalies may only be transient geological features, forming and dispersing as a result of the relative sizes of the accumulative and loss fluxes. The thesis culminates in the development of the first quantitative, mechanistic model of trace element accumulation in soils by deep biotic uplift.

<p>This doctoral research comparatively assesses the biogeochemical properties of suspended aquatic flocs through a integrated field-laboratory approach; providing new insight into the linkages among floc associated bacteria, floc-reactive solid phases and trace metal uptake.</p> <p>Results show flocs to possess a distinct geochemistry, microbiology and composition from bed sedimentary materials in close proximity (III-oxyhydroxide minerals (FeOOH); resulting in localized floc-Fe-mineral precipitates and enhanced reactivity. Further, the Fe-enrichment of floc and of floc bio-mineral constituents in turn provides an important and novel lens through which to examine how environmental microbial communities, microbial metabolism and Fe^III/Fe^IIredox transformations interact. The results were the discovery of floc-hosted, Fe^III/II-redox cycling bacterial consortia across diverse oxygenated (O₂^Sat.=1-103%) aquatic systems, which were not predicted to sustain bacterial Fe-metabolism. Both environmental<em> </em>and experimentally-developed consortial aggregates constituted multiple genera of aero-intolerant Fe^III-reducing and Fe^II-oxidizing bacteria together with oxygen consuming organotrophic species. These findings highlight that the implementation of geochemical thermodynamic constraints alone as a guide to investigating and interpreting microbe-geosphere interactions may not accurately capture processes occurring <em>in situ.</em></p> <p><em> </em> Seasonal investigation of microbial Fe^III/II-redox transformations highlighted the interdependence of floc Fe-redox cycling consortia members, revealing that cold conditions and a turnover in putative Fe-reducing community membership extinguishes the potential for coupled Fe-redox cycling by wintertime floc bacteria. Further, the observed summer-winter seasonal turnover of <em>in situ</em> floc community membership corresponded with an overall shift from dominant Fe to S redox cycling bacterial communities. This significantly impacted observable floc Fe and TE (Cd, Pb) geochemistry, resulting in a shift in floc associated Fe-phases from dominantly Fe^(III)_(s) to Fe^(II)_(s), and, in turn, corresponded to a large decrease of TE uptake by flocs under ice.</p> / Doctor of Science (PhD)

No description available.

Thesis (MSc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The changes in carbon allocation to sucrose, hexoses, fibre, starch and respiration were investigated in developing internodes of sugarcane. Radiolabelling studies were conducted on internode 3, 6 and 9 tissue, representing three stages of increasing maturity. It was apparent that a high rate of cycling between triose-phosphate and hexose-phosphate occurred. A maximum of 50% of carbon entering triose-phosphates was returned to hexose-phosphate in internode 3 tissue, and this flux decreased with tissue maturity to 30%. Carbon partitioning into sucrose increased from 34% of total 14C uptake in internode 3, to 61% in internodes 6 and 9. In immature tissue, the protein and fibre components were the dominant competing sinks with sucrose for incoming carbon, to which 14 and 16% of carbon were allocated respectively. Increased carbon allocation to sucrose with tissue maturity, coincided with a decrease in partitioning to fibre. This indicated that previous studies had underestimated total carbon allocation to respiration, since the protein component was not considered. In contrast with earlier work, the respiratory pathway was the strongest competitor with sucrose for incoming carbon, even in mature tissue. Between internodes 3 and 6, carbon allocation to total respiration did not change significantly, but decreased 50% in mature tissue. Starch was a weak competitor with sucrose, for incoming carbon, to which a maximum of 2% of 14Cwas allocated in immature tissue. In cane harvested in early spring, radiolabelled maltose was recovered in internode 3 tissue of ripening cane, indicating that concomitant starch synthesis and degradation occurred. The. redistribution of C-1 and C-6 in starch glucose was analysed following feeding of tissue with [1_14C]_and [6_14C]_glucose. Randomization of label in starch indicated that the pathway for carbon movement into sugarcane plastids for starch synthesis is primarily through the triose-phosphate translocator. Finally, this study indicated that radiolabelling of tissue discs is a suitable experimental system to determine carbon flux in sugarcane. During the 3 h labelling period the rate of 14C02 release became linear, indicating that the system approached isotopic steady state between the external and internal glucose pool; and the respiratory processes involved in CO2 release. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die veranderinge in koolstoftoedeling na sukrose, heksoses, vesel, stysel en respirasie is in ontwikkelende internodes van suikerriet ondersoek. Die koolhidraatmetabolisme in internodes 3, 6 en 9, wat drie stadiums van toenemende rypheid verteenwoordig, is met behulp van 14Cmerkingstudies ondersoek. Dit is duidelik dat daar 'n hoë mate van koolstofsirkulering tussen die heksose- en triose-fosfaat poele voorkom. In internode 3 word tot 50% van die koolstofwat in triose-fosfate geïnkorporeer is, weer na heksosefosfaat omgeskakel. Selfs in volwasse weefsel vind daar nog soveel as 30% koolstofsirkukering plaas tussen die twee poele plaas. Koolstoftoedeling vanaf glukose na sukrose het van 34% in internode 3, tot 61% in internodes 6 en 9 toegeneem. Proteïn en selwandkomponente was die belangrikste swelgpunte vir koolstof in onvolwasse weefsel gewees. Namate die weefsel meer volwasse word, word sukrose 'n belangriker swelgpunt. Die koolstoftoedeling aan sukrose is veral ten koste van toedeling aan die selwandkomponente. Die bevinding dat die proteïenpoel 'n sterk swelgpunt is dui aan dat vorige studies die belang van respiratoriese koolstofvloei onderskat het. In teenstelling met vorige aansprake is dit duidelik dat selfs in volwasse weefsel respirasie die grootste swelpunt vir die inkomende organiese koolstof in die internode vorm. Koolstoftoedeling aan respirasie het nie noemenswaardig tussen internodes 3 en 6 verskil nie, maar het met 50% in volwasse weefsel afgeneem. Stysel is deurgaans 'n swak swelgpunt vir koolstof met die hoogste toedeling aan die poel (2%) in die jong weefsel (internode 3) . Na toediening van [U- 14C]-glukose is radioaktief gemerkte maltose gevind in suikerriet wat vroeg in die lente geoes is. Dit dui aan dat gelyktydige afbraak en sintese van stysel plaasgevind het. Die herverdeling van C-l en C-6 in glukose afkomstig van stysel is na toediening van [1_14C]_ en [6-14C]-glukose ontleed. Die ewekansige verspreiding van radioaktiwiteit tussen koolstof 1 en 6 van die glukose in stysel dui aan dat dit hoofsaaklik die triose-fosfaat translokeerder is wat in die plastied verantwoordelik is. Hierdie studie het ook aangetoon dat radioaktiewe merking van weefselsnitte 'n geskikte eksperimentele sisteem is om koolstoftoedeling in suikerriet te ondersoek. Die patroon van 14C02 vrystelling dui daarop dat die weefsel na 'n 3 h inkuberingsperiode isotopiese ewewig tussen die eksterne en interne glukose poele en die respiratoriese prosesse begin bereik het.

Carbon dioxide release from fossil-fuel burning is significant enough that we may soon experience perceptible changes in climate with important human consequences. Man's activities involving deforestation and agriculture have undoubtedly also affected atmospheric CO₂, although quantitative, and even qualitative, net effects of these processes are incompletely understood relative to fossil-fuel production. An accurate reconstruction of past ¹³C/¹²C ratios of atmospheric CO₂ may provide key constraints on the historical activity of the biosphere as CO₂ source or sink. Tree rings appear to be a repository of this information but there is much noise in the collection of previous reconstructions, presumably associated with site selection, radial variability, choice of representative wood chemical constituent, and subtle effects of climate on fractionation. This study attempts to avoid these pitfalls and develop a 50-yr δ¹³C(ATM) record from juniper trees (genus Juniperus), in fact, by taking advantage of the influence of climate on fractionation. Trees were harvested from suitable sites in close proximity to weather stations with monthly records of temperature and precipitation. Ring material was then separated from each of the sections in 5-yr intervals from 1930 to 1979 around their full circumference, and cellulose was extracted from the wood. After measuring δ¹³C of the cellulose by standard mass-spectrometric techniques, a variety of δ¹³C vs. climate functions were examined for each interval. The most useful relationships for at most 7 of the 10 sites were δ¹³C with December temperature or precipitation, because the coefficients were nearly constant from one interval to the next (averaging -0.27%₀ °C⁻¹ for temperature and -0.04%₀ mm⁻¹ for precipitation) and the intercepts differed. Local pollution effects are believed responsible for the three anomalous sites. The separation of these regression lines of different intervals is interpreted as the response of the trees to the changing δ¹³C of atmospheric CO₂ so that δ¹³C(ATM) curves are constructed from this spacing. The shape of the best-fit reconstruction suggests the biosphere has acted as CO₂ source to about 1965 and may now be a net sink. Although these conclusions are limited by certain assumptions and statistical restrictions, evidence from the recent scientific literature tends to support the increasing role of the biosphere as an important carbon sink.