title: Weathering of phlogopite by Bacillus cereus and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to assess the weathering of finely ground phlogopite, a trioctahedral mica, by placing it in contact with heterotrophic (Bacillus cereus) and acidophilic (Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans) cultures. X-ray diffraction analyses of the phlogopite sample before and after 24 weeks of contact in B. cereus cultures revealed a decrease in the characteristic peak intensities of phlogopite, indicating destruction of individual structural planes of the mica. No new solid phase products or interlayer structures were detected in B. cereus cultures. Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans cultures enhanced the chemical dissolution of the mineral and formed partially weathered interlayer structures, where interlayer K was expelled and coupled with the precipitation of K-jarosite [KFe3(SO4)2(OH)6].
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Geotechnics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Kosice, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Iveta
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Styriaková
authors.forename: Tariq M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Bhatti
authors.forename: Jerry M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bigham
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Styriak
authors.forename: Antti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vuorinen
authors.forename: Olli H
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Tuovinen
mesh_terms: D042763:Acidithiobacillus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D000535:Aluminum / Q000032:analysis; D000538:Aluminum Silicates / Q000737:chemistry*; D001409:Bacillus cereus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis; D058085:Iron Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D008274:Magnesium / Q000032:analysis; D011188:Potassium / Q000032:analysis; D012825:Silicon / Q000032:analysis; D012988:Soil Microbiology
chemical_list: D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D058085:Iron Compounds; D000535:Aluminum; D007501:Iron; D008274:Magnesium; D011188:Potassium; C011934:mica; D012825:Silicon