Iron Cycle

Iron Cycle
 Oxidation-Reaction

 Reduce ferric iron to ferrous iron and

oxidize ferrous iron to ferric iron

 Ferric ion precipitates in alkaline

environments as Ferric hydroxide
 Ferric iron – reduce under aerobic
condition to the more soluble ferrous
form

 Sufficient H2S - precipitate iron as

ferrous sulphide
 Flooding of soil – anaerobic condition
 Ferrous State

 Well-Drained Soil – aerobic condition

 Ferric State
 Microbial Growth

 Limited by the availability of iron

 Various bacteria produce siderophores

 Bind iron and facilitate its cellular uptake

  Some chemolithotrophs

 Oxidize iron to generate cellular energy.

Iron-oxidizing bacteria can lead to substantial iron

deposits.
 Iron – fourth most abundant element

 Microbial metal transformation

 Microbial metallic ores
 Extracting metals from low-grade ores
 Microbial iron transformations
include:

 Iron scavenging and uptake

 Iron oxidation and precipitation

 Iron reduction and solubilisation

 Aerobic Environment

 microbial iron oxidation - acidic

condition

 chelation- neutral environment

 Anaerobic Environment

 Iron cycle – iron reduction and

precipitation of iron sulphides
 Aerated condition

 Obtain energy from oxidation of

ferrous ions

 Thiobacillus ferrooxidans
 Iron oxidizing bacteria
Thiobacillus ferrooxidans
Thiobacillus ferrooxidans
 motile chemolithotrophic bacillus

 pH 2-4

 ferrous sulphate to ferric sulphate