Dissertations and Theses @ UNI
Availability
Open Access Thesis
Keywords
Agricultural pollution--Environmental aspects; Bacteria--Ecology; Gram-positive bacteria; Phosphorus--Environmental aspects; Academic theses;
Abstract
Excess plant nutrient, often from agricultural runoff, can cause uncontrolled algal growth that leads to eutrophic conditions in a water body. Desulfotomaculum sp. reduction of ferric ions to ferrous ions can aid in reduction of excess phosphate in a water body. This bacterium may use iron mine tailings as an inexpensive source of iron ions that can aid in elimination of excess nutrient load such as phosphates. As part of a remediation plan Desulfotomaculum sp. reduction of ferric ions can help restore and maintain a healthy aquatic ecosystem. The biochemical pathway of iron reduction by Desulfotomaculum sp. is unclear and the question of direct and indirect dissimilatory reduction by Desulfotomaculum sp. was explored. While sulfur can act as an intermediate reducer between the cells and ferric ions, direct dissimilatory reduction of ferric ions still occurs. When sulfur is removed from the media direct dissimilatory reduction of ferric ions occurs. Results support Desulfotomaculum sp. as a direct dissimilatory reducer of Fe+3 ions to Fe+2 ions.
Year of Submission
2013
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Department of Biology
First Advisor
Ed Brown
Second Advisor
Maureen Clayton
Third Advisor
Ira Simet
Date Original
2013
Object Description
1 PDF file (108 leaves)
Copyright
©2013 Jim Elric
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Elric, Jim, "Desulfotomaculum Dissimilatory Reduction of Iron (III)" (2013). Dissertations and Theses @ UNI. 2583.
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/etd/2583
Comments
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