Earth Science Frontiers ›› 2024, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (1): 467-485.DOI: 10.13745/j.esf.sf.2024.1.19

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Interactions between clay minerals and microbes: Mechanisms and applications in environmental remediation

DONG Hailiang1,2(), ZENG Qiang1,2, LIU Deng3, SHENG Yizhi1, LIU Xiaolei1,4, LIU Yuan1,2, HU Jinglong1,2, LI Yang1,2, XIA Qingyin5, LI Runjie1,6, HU Dafu1,2, ZHANG Donglei1,6, ZHANG Wenhui1,6, GUO Dongyi1,2, ZHANG Xiaowen1,2   

  1. 1. Center for Geomicrobiology and Biogeochemistry Research, State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
    2. School of Earth Sciences and Resources, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
    3. School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China
    4. School of Ocean Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
    5. Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Engineering and Metallurgy, CNNC, Beijing 101149
    6. School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
  • Received:2023-12-05 Revised:2024-01-14 Online:2024-01-25 Published:2024-01-25

Abstract:

Clay minerals and microbes co-exist in natural environments, and their interaction can influence energy flow and element cycling. Clay minerals provide microbes with physical/chemical protection against environmental stress, as well as nutrients boosting their metabolism. Structural iron in clay mineral is an important electron acceptor/donor for iron-reducing/oxidizing microbes, where in redox environment many iron-reducing/oxidizing bacteria can reduce/oxidize structural Fe(III)/Fe(II) in clay minerals as they gain energy from the redox process. During such process redox microbes can alter the atomic structure of clay minerals through dissolution, transformation and precipitation where secondary minerals are also produced. Clay mineral-microbe interaction plays important role in geochemical cycling of carbon, nitrogen, silicon and phosphorus. Clay mineral can reduce organic carbon bioavailability and mineralization rate through adsorption; whereas under fluctuating redox conditions it can activate molecular oxygen to produce reactive oxygen species to degrade organic matters thus increasing their bioavailability. Through adsorption clay mineral can also reduce extracellular enzyme activity in organic matter degradation. Microbes can affect nitrogen cycling in clays by coupling iron oxidation (reduction) with nitrate reduction (ammonia oxidation) in clay. Phosphorus adsorption on clays and silicon release during weathering can affect the metabolic activity of microbes. Clay mineral-microbe interaction can find a wide range of application in heavy metal stabilization, organic pollutant degradation and sterilization.

Key words: clay mineral, microbe, interaction, element cycling, energy, electron transfer, redox, environmental remediation

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