Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/C519462/1
Macroscopic and molecular characterisation of lanthanide sorption to bacterial cells: A potential chemical biosignature.
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Professor BT Ngwenya, University of Edinburgh, Sch of Geosciences
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr JFW Mosselmans, Diamond Light Source, Diamond Light Source Ltd
- Grant held at:
- University of Edinburgh, Sch of Geosciences
- Science Area:
- Terrestrial
- Earth
- Freshwater
- Overall Classification:
- Freshwater
- ENRIs:
- Pollution and Waste
- Natural Resource Management
- Biodiversity
- Science Topics:
- Earth Surface Processes
- Planetary science
- Palaeobiology
- Sediment/Sedimentary Processes
- Environmental biotechnology
- Abstract:
- Recognition of biological signatures in minerals is an indispensable tool in the search for life in past environments and extraterrestrial worlds. Fractionation patterns of rare earth elements (REE) and yttrium (Y) observed in rocks and minerals provide useful and unambiguous tools for their provenance and the processes leading to formation of such samples. The adsorption of rare earth elements to surfaces of bacterial cells appears to produce a unique fractionation pattern that offers the promise of a potential biosignature for bacterial presence and activity. The mechanism behind such a pattern is unknown, but appears to be linked to phosphate sites on the bacterial surface that selectively adsorb some of these elements. This project will combine laboratory experiments with field sampling and analysis of known biominerals to place constraints on the origin and magnitude of REE and Y fractionation patterns and their potential utility as biosignatures. Adsorption of individual metals as a function of pH will be used to calculate metal-site stability constants with each site on the surface of bacteria. The variation in these stability constants with atomic number will provide some insight into biosorption and fractionation mechanisms. Parallel mineral growth experiments from REE-spiked fluids which have been contacted with, or in the presence of bacteria will be combined with field sampling and analysis of known biogenic minerals to characterise fractionation patterns in such minerals. Spectroscopic analysis of the bacteria in cell pellets from the experiments will be used to identify biosorptive sites for each REE. This combined macroscopic and molecular level analysis will provide a mechanistic basis for REE fractionation patterns in biominerals.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/C519462/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Standard Grants Pre FEC
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Standard Grant
This grant award has a total value of £97,584
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - Staff | Total - T&S | Total - Other Costs | Total - Equipment | Total - Indirect Costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £51,795 | £5,020 | £13,888 | £3,055 | £23,826 |
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