title: Use of attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to identify microbial metabolic products on carbonate mineral surfaces.
abstract: This paper demonstrates the use of attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy to detect microbial metabolic products on carbonate mineral surfaces. By creating an ATR-FTIR spectral database for specific organic acids using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy we were able to distinguish metabolic acids on calcite surfaces following Escherichia coli growth. The production of these acids by E. coli was verified using high-performance liquid chromatography with refractive index detection. The development of this technique has allowed us to identify microbial metabolic products on carbonate surfaces in nutrient-limited cave environments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, KY 41099, USA.
authors.forename: Heather A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Bullen
authors.forename: Stuart A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Oehrle
authors.forename: Ariel F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: Nicholas M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Hazel A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Barton
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000737:chemistry*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism*; D019289:Pyruvic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
chemical_list: D019289:Pyruvic Acid; D002119:Calcium Carbonate; D019342:Acetic Acid