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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, November 2000, p. 5092-5098, Vol. 66, No. 11
0099-2240/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Heavy Metal Coprecipitation with Hydrozincite [Zn5(CO3)2(OH)6] from Mine Waters Caused by Photosynthetic Microorganisms

Francesca Podda,1 Paola Zuddas,1 Andrea Minacci,2 Milva Pepi,2 and Franco Baldi2,*

Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09127 Cagliari,1 and Department of Environmental Sciences, University Cà Foscari, 30122 Venice,2 Italy

Received 24 April 2000/Accepted 21 July 2000

An iron-poor stream of nearly neutral pH polluted by mine tailings has been investigated for a natural phenomenon responsible for the polishing of heavy metals in mine wastewaters. A white mineralized mat, which was determined to be hydrozincite [Zn5(CO3)2(OH)6] by X-ray diffraction analysis, was observed in the stream sediments mainly in spring. The precipitate shows a total organic matter residue of 10% dry weight and contains high concentrations of Pb, Cd, Ni, Cu, and other metals. Scanning electron microscopy analysis suggests that hydrozincite is mainly of biological origin. Dormant photosynthetic microorganisms have been retrieved from 1-year-old dry hydrozincite. The autofluorescent microorganisms were imaged by a scanning confocal laser microscope. A photosynthetic filamentous bacterium, classified as Scytonema sp. strain ING-1, was found associated with microalga Chlorella sp. strain SA1. This microbial community is responsible for the natural polishing of heavy metals in the water stream by coprecipitation with hydrozincite.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Environmental Sciences, University Cà Foscari, La Celestia, Via Castello 2737/b, I-30122 Venice, Italy. Phone: 39-041-2578432. Fax: 39-041-5281494. E-mail: baldi{at}unive.it or baldi{at}unisi.it.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, November 2000, p. 5092-5098, Vol. 66, No. 11
0099-2240/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • De Giudici, G., Podda, F., Sanna, R., Musu, E., Tombolini, R., Cannas, C., Musinu, A., Casu, M. (2009). Structural properties of biologically controlled hydrozincite: An HRTEM and NMR spectroscopic study. American Mineralogist 94: 1698-1706 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Renninger, N., Knopp, R., Nitsche, H., Clark, D. S., Keasling, J. D. (2004). Uranyl Precipitation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa via Controlled Polyphosphate Metabolism. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70: 7404-7412 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Cidu, R., Cidu, R., Fanfani, L. (2002). Overview of the environmental geochemistry of mining districts in southwestern Sardinia, Italy. Geochemistry: Exploration, Environment, Analysis 2: 243-251 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


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