Structure of biogenic uraninite produced by Shewanella oneidensis strain MR-1.
The stability of biogenic uraninite with respect to oxidation is seminal to the success of in situ bioreduction strategies for remediation of subsurface U(VI) contamination. The properties and hence stability of uraninite are dependent on its size, structure, and composition. In this study, the local-, intermediate-, and long-range molecular-scale structure of nanoscale uraninite produced by Shewanella oneidensis strain MR-1 was investigated using EXAFS, SR-based powder diffraction and TEM. The uraninite products were found to be structurally homologous with stoichiometric U02 under all conditions considered. Significantly, there was no evidence for lattice strain of the biogenic uraninite nanoparticles. The fresh nanoparticles were found to exhibit a well-ordered interior core of diameter ca. 1.3 nm and an outer region of thickness ca approximately 0.6 nm in which the structure is locally distorted. The lack of nanoparticle strain and structural homology with stoichiometric U02 suggests that established thermodynamic parameters for the latter material are an appropriate starting point to model the behavior of nanobiogenic uraninite. The detailed structural analysis in this study provides an essential foundation for subsequent investigations of environmental samples.
Schofield
Eleanor J
EJ
Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Rd., Menlo Park, California 94025, USA. eleanors@slac.stanford.edu
Veeramani
Harish
H
Sharp
Jonathan O
JO
Suvorova
Elena
E
Bernier-Latmani
Rizlan
R
Mehta
Apurva
A
Stahlman
Jonathan
J
Webb
Samuel M
SM
Clark
David L
DL
Conradson
Steven D
SD
Ilton
Eugene S
ES
Bargar
John R
JR
D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008958:Models, Molecular; D020592:Shewanella / Q000378:metabolism*; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D013499:Surface Properties; D017356:Synchrotrons; D017974:Uranium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
D017974:Uranium Compounds; C012597:uranium dioxide