Bacterial and chemical interactions with iron oxide/hydroxide stalagmites using ATR-IR spectroscopy and its 4th derivative spectra

Kovač, Minka (author), Bele, Marjan (author), Orel, Boris (author), Mihelčič, Mohor (author)

Here we report on the chemical interaction between bacteria and fast-growing iron oxide/hydroxide sulphate stalagmites in the abandoned Sitarjevec mine in Slovenia with a low pH (2.2 to 3.4) environment. SEM micrographs revealed distinct morphologies of dry particles from both water and stalagmite layers, as well as the presence of bacterial cells, EPS residue, and biofilm. Bacterial adhesion was studied on the stalagmite surface and inside the stalagmite. Comparison of ATR-IR spectra and the corresponding 2nd and 4th derivative spectra revealed the presence of the P-OFe, COO▫$^⁻$▫ and SO▫$_4^{2-}$▫ modes, which are thought to be responsible for bacterial adhesion to the surface and were detected also in the inner part of the stalagmite. To our knowledge, this is the first study of its kind to confirm persistent chemical interactions between iron oxide/hydroxide sulphate-based stalagmite minerals and bacteria on their surface, which is also maintained in the core of the stalagmite.

• Language: English
• Keywords: bacterial adhesion, bacteria, geochemistry, infrared spectroscopy, mineralogy, X-ray spectroscopy
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FS - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: 15 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 44
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-175130
• UDC: 550.4
• ISSN on article: 1616-1068
• DOI: 10.1007/s10230-025-01071-y
• COBISS.SI-ID: 246645763
• Publication date in RUL: 17.10.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Mine water and the environment
• Shortened title: Mine water environ.
• Publisher: Springer
• ISSN: 1616-1068
• COBISS.SI-ID: 512028697

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: adhezija bakterij, bakterije, geokemija, infrardeča spektroskopija, mineralogija, rentgenska spektroskopija

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P2-0393
• Name: Napredni materiali za nizkoogljično in trajnostno družbo

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P2-0264
• Name: Trajnostni Polimerni materiali in Tehnologije