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  3. Microorganisms found in a metal-impacted stream, Blackbird Creek, Idaho
Title

Microorganisms found in a metal-impacted stream, Blackbird Creek, Idaho

    Item Description
    Limited Access
    The author(s) chose to restrict access to this thesis to current Whitman students, faculty, and staff. Please log in to view it.
    Linked Agent
    Creator (cre): Goss, Lena Crosby
    Advisor (adv): Kimball, Bryn
    Department (dpt): Whitman College. Geology Department
    Date
    May 11, 2016
    Graduation Year
    2016
    Abstract

    Iron oxidizing microorganisms play a key role in the iron (Fe) cycle. In metal-rich environments, microorganisms catalyze Fe oxidation and subsequent precipitation reactions, thus forming biogenic minerals. This process occurs naturally, but can also be human induced in cases of metal-contaminated water remediation efforts. Iron-oxidizing bacteria (FeOB) that live in neutral pH environments are highly specialized because they have to compete with the rapid chemical oxidation of Fe²⁺ that occurs at neutral pH. The primary research objective was to determine what FeOB can be detected in the artificially neutral, Fe-rich environment of Blackbird Creek that flows from the retired Blackbird Mine in Cobalt, Idaho. The bacteria sequences from two sample sites were classified using the 16S rRNA gene. The culture-independent study indicated that neutrophilic FeOB were in fact present in Blackbird Creek, along with a variety of aquatic and soil bacteria. FeOB interactions with Fe have significant implications for environmental cleanup and acid mine drainage (AMD) remediation, as the bacteria help to remove dissolved metals from solution through biomineralization.

    Subject
    Cobalt (Idaho) -- Blackbird Creek
    Chemical elements -- Metals -- Transitional metals -- Iron
    Iron bacteria
    Iron -- Oxidation
    Science
    Academic theses
    Whitman College 2016 -- Dissertation collection -- Geology Department
    Geographic Subject
    United States
    Idaho
    Lemhi County (Idaho)
    Cobalt (Idaho)
    Blackbird Mine (Lemhi County, Idaho)
    Genre
    Theses
    Extent
    39 pages
    Permanent URL
    http://works.whitman.edu/201801031271
    Rights
    http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
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