Biomineralization of carbonates by Marinococcus albus and Marinococcus halophilus isolated from the Salar de Atacama (Chile)

• Published in: Current microbiology Vol. 39; no. 1; pp. 53 - 57
• Main Authors: RIVADENEVRA, M.-A, DELGADO, G, SORIANO, M, RAMOS-CORMENZANA, A, DELGADO, R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Springer 01.07.1999; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Bacteria; Biochemistry; Biochemistry and biology; Biological and medical sciences; Calcite; Carbonates; Carbonates - metabolism; Chemical, physicochemical, biochemical and biological properties; Chile; Crystallization; Crystals; Culture Media - chemistry; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gram-positive bacteria; Gram-Positive Cocci - growth & development; Gram-Positive Cocci - metabolism; Magnesium; Magnesium Chloride - chemistry; Magnesium Compounds - metabolism; Microbiology; Mineralization; Physics, chemistry, biochemistry and biology of agricultural and forest soils; Salinity; Salt; Salts; Sodium Chloride - chemistry; Soil science; Time Factors; X-ray diffraction; Chile; Performance evaluation; Precipitation; Mineralization; Bacteria; Micrococcales; Biological method; Carbonates; Planococcaceae; In vitro; Marinococcus halophilus
• ISSN: 0343-8651; 1432-0991
• DOI: 10.1007/PL00006827

We studied the precipitation of carbonates in 17 strains of moderately halophilic, Gram-positive cocci belonging to two species: Marinococcus halophilus and Marinococcus albus, isolated from the Salar de Atacama (Chile). They were cultivated in solid and liquid laboratory media for 42 days at salt concentrations (wt/vol) of 3%, 7.5%, 15%, and 20%. The bioliths precipitated were studied by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. M. halophilus formed crystals at each of the salt concentrations, with a maximum number of strains capable of precipitating carbonates at 7.5% and 15% salt concentrations. M. albus did not precipitate at 20% and showed a maximum at 7.5%. This behavior is similar to that of other gram-positive bacteria and differs from that found in gram-negative bacteria. The bioliths precipitated were spherical, generally isolated, with a size of 10-100 microm, varying with salinity. They were of magnesium calcite (CO3 Ca1-x Mgx) with Mg content increasing with increasing salinity and Mg/Ca molar ratio of the culture medium. These results demonstrate the active role played by M. halophilus and M. albus in the precipitation of carbonates.