Anoxic pyrite oxidation by water radiolysis products - A potential source of biosustaining energy

Earth and Planetary Science Letters

Volumn 292, Issue 1-2, 2010, Pages 57-67

  Lefticariu, Liliana ^a,b   Pratt, Lisa A ^b   LaVerne, Jay A ^c   Schimmelmann, Arndt ^b  

^a SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY   (United States)

^b INDIANA UNIVERSITY   (United States)

^c UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME   (United States)

Author keywords

astrobiology; hydrogen; pyrite oxidation; radiolysis; sulfate

Indexed keywords

CHEMICAL OXIDANTS; CHEMICAL SPECIES; CONCOMITANT PRODUCTION; CONTINENTAL CRUSTS; CRYSTALLINE STRUCTURE; ELEMENTAL SULFUR; EXTRATERRESTRIAL ENVIRONMENTS; FERRIC IRON; GASEOUS PRODUCTS; GEOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT; HYDROXYL RADICALS; IRRADIATION DOSE; IRRADIATION EXPERIMENTS; MICROBIAL LIFE; MOLECULAR HYDROGEN; OXIDATIVE DISSOLUTION; PLANETARY BODIES; POTENTIAL SOURCES; PRESENCE OF WATER; PYRITE OXIDATION; PYRITE SURFACES; RADIATION DOSE; RADIOLYSIS PRODUCTS; RADIOLYTIC OXIDATION; RADIOLYTIC PRODUCTION; REDOX GRADIENTS; SUBSURFACE ENVIRONMENT; SULFUR ISOTOPE; SULFUR OXIDATION; WATER COUPLED; WATER RADIOLYSIS;

DISSOLUTION; HYDROGEN; IRRADIATION; ISOTOPES; METAL RECOVERY; OXIDANTS; OXIDATION; PETROLEUM TAR; RADIATION CHEMISTRY; REDOX REACTIONS; SULFUR;

RADIOLYSIS;

AQUEOUS SOLUTION; EXOBIOLOGY; GAMMA RAY RADIATION; HYDROGEN; OXIDATION; PYRITE; REDOX CONDITIONS; SULFATE;

EID: 77249135782     PISSN: 0012821X     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.epsl.2010.01.020     Document Type: Article

References (74)

1. Allen A.O. The Radiation Chemistry of Water and Aqueous Solutions (1961), D. van Nostrand Company, Inc, Princeton
2. Asta M.P., Cama J., Soler J.M., Arvidson R.S., and Lüttge A. Interferometric study of pyrite surface reactivity in acidic conditions. Am. Mineral. 93 (2008) 508-519
3. Atreya S.K., Wong A., Renno N.O., Farrell W.M., Delory G.T., Sentman D.D., Cummer S.A., Marshall J.R., Rafkin C.R., and Catling D.C. Oxidant enhancement in Martian dust devils and storms: implications for life and habitability. Astrobiology 6 (2006) 439-450
4. Balci N., Shanks W.C., Mayer B., and Mandernack K.W. Oxygen and sulfur isotope systematics of sulfate produced by bacterial and abiotic oxidation of pyrite. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 71 (2007) 3796-3811
5. Bank T.L., Kukkadapu R.K., Madden A.S., Ginder-Vogel M.A., Baldwin M.E., and Jardine P.M. Effects of gamma-sterilization on the physico-chemical properties of natural sediments. Chem. Geol. 251 (2008) 1-7
6. Basolo F., and Pearson R.G. Oxidation-reduction reactions. Mechanisms of Inorganic Reactions: A Study of Metal Complexes in Solution (1967), John Wiley, New York 454-525
7. Bibring J.P., Arvidson R.E., Gendrin A., Gondet B., Langevin Y., Le Mouelic S., Mangold N., Morris R.V., Mustard J.F., Poulet F., Quantin C., and Sotin C. Coupled ferric oxides and sulfates on the Martian surface. Science 317 (2007) 1206-1210
8. Blair C.C., D'Hondt S., Spivack A.J., and Kingsley R.H. Radiolytic hydrogen and microbial respiration in subsurface sediments. Astrobiology 7 (2007) 951-970
9. Böhlke J.K., Mroczkowski S.J., and Coplen T.B. Oxygen isotopes in nitrate: new reference materials for 18O:17O:16O measurements and observations on nitrate-water equilibration. Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 17 (2003) 1835-1846
10. Boice, A.E 2004. Sulfur isotopic evidence of microbial activity during deposition of Neoarchean shale and in modern deep groundwater, Witwatersrand Basin, South Africa. Ph.D. thesis, Indiana University.
11. Borda M.J., Elsetinow A.R., Strongin D.R., and Schoonen M.A. A mechanism for the production of hydroxyl radical at surface defect sites on pyrite. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 67 (2003) 935-939
12. Brunner B., Yu J.Y., Mielke R.E., MacAskill J.A., Madzunkov S., McGenity T.J., and Coleman M. Different isotope and chemical patterns of pyrite oxidation related to lag and exponential growth phases of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans reveal a microbial growth strategy. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 270 (2008) 63-72
13. Burns R.G., and Fisher D.S. Iron-sulfur mineralogy of Mars: magmatic evolution and chemical weathering products. J. Geophys. Res. 95 (1990) 14415-14421
14. Camisani-Calzolari F.A., de Klerk W.J., and van der Merwe P.J. Assessment of South African uranium resources: methods and results. Nuclear Development of South Africa (1984) 39 pp.
15. Chivian D., Brodie E.L., Alm E.J., Culley D.E., Dehal P.S., Desantis T.Z., Gihring T.M., Lapidus A., Lin L., Lowry S.R., Moser D.P., Richardson P.M., Southam G., Wanger G., Pratt L.M., Andersen G.L., Hazen T.C., Brockman F.J., Arkin A.P., and Onstott T.C. Environmental genomics reveals a single-species ecosystem deep within Earth. Science 322 (2008) 275-278
16. Clark B.C., Baird A.K., Rose Jr. H.J., Toulmin III P., Keil K., Castro A.J., Kelliher W.C., Rowe C.D., and Evans P.H. Inorganic analyses of Martian surface samples at the Viking landing sites. Science 194 (1976) 1283-1288
17. Clark B.C., Baird A.K., Weldon R.J., Tsusaki D.M., Schnabel L., and Candelaria M.P. Chemical composition of Martian fines. J. Geophys. Res. 87 (1982) 10059-10067
18. Cohn C.A., Mueller S., Wimmer E., Leifer N., Greenbaum S., Strongin D.R., and Schoonen M.A. Pyrite-induced hydroxyl radical formations and its effect on nucleic acids. Geochem. Trans. 7 3 (2006) 1-11
19. Coplen T.B. New guidelines for reporting stable hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen isotope-ratio data. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 60 (1996) 3359-3360
20. Craig H. Isotopic standards for carbon and oxygen and correction factor for mass spectrometric analysis of carbon dioxide. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 12 (1957) 133-149
21. Davila A.F., Fairen A.G., Gago-Duport L., Stoker C., Amils R., Bonaccorsi R., Zavaleta J., Lim D., Schultze-Makuch D., and McKey P.C. Subsurface formation of oxidants on Mars and implications for the preservation of organic biosignatures. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 272 (2008) 456-463
22. DesMarais D.J., and Hayes J.M. Tube cracker for opening glass-sealed ampoules under vacuum. Anal. Chem. 48 (1976) 1651-1652
23. Dreibus G., and Wänke H. Mars, a volatile-rich planet. Meteoritics 20 (1985) 367-381
24. Druschel G.K., Hamers R.J., Luther G.W., and Banfield J.F. Kinetics and mechanism of trithionate and tetrathionate oxidation at low pH by hydroxyl radicals. Aquatic. Geochem. 9 (2004) 145-164
25. 2-bearing fluid inclusions in three uranium deposits. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 52 (1988) 1155-1167
26. Elwood Madden M.E., Bodnar R.J., and Rimstidt J.D. Jarosite as an indicator of water limited chemical weathering on Mars. Nature 431 (2004) 821-823
27. Frimmel H.E. Archaean atmospheric evolution: evidence from the Witwatersrand gold fields, South Africa. Earth-Sci. Rev. 70 (2005) 1-46
28. Frimmel H.E., Groves D.I., Kirk J., Ruiz J., Chesley J., and Minter W.E.L. The formation and preservation of the Witwatersrand goldfields, the largest gold province in the world. Society of Economic Geology, 100th Anniversary Vol., pp. (2005) 769-797
29. Garrett B.C., et al. Role of water in electron-initiated processes and radical chemistry: issues and scientific advances. Chem. Rev. 105 (2005) 355-390
30. Gendrin A., Mangold N., Bibring J.-P., Langevin Y., Gondet B., Poulet F., Bonello G., Quantin C., Mustard J., Arvidson R.E., and LeMouélic S. Sulfates in Martian layered terrains: the OMEGA/Mars Express view. Science 307 (2005) 1587-1591
31. Goldhaber M.B. Experimental study of metastable sulfur oxy-anion formation during pyrite oxidation at pH 6-9 and 30 °C. Am. J. Sci. 238 (1983) 193-217
32. Guevremont J.M., Elsetinow A.R., Strongin D.R., Bebie J., and Schoonen M.A.A. Structure sensitivity of pyrite oxidation: comparison of the (100) and (111) planes. Am. Mineral. 83 (1998) 1353-1356
33. Haber F., and Weiss J. The catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide by iron salts. Proc. Roy. Soc. 147 (1934) 332-351
34. King D.W., Lounsbury H.A., and Millero F.J. Rates and mechanism of Fe(II) oxidation at nanomolar total iron concentration. Environ. Sci. Technol. 29 (1995) 818-824
35. Kminek G., and Bada J.L. The effect of ionizing radiation on the preservation of amino acids on Mars. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 245 (2006) 1-5
36. Knoll A.H., Carr M.H., Clark B.C., Des Marais D.J., Farmer J.D., Fischer W.W., Grotzinger J.P., Hayes A., McLennan S.M., Malin M., Schroder C., Squyres S.W., Tosca N.J., and Wdowiak T. An astrobiological perspective on Meridiani Platum. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 240 (2005) 179-189
37. Kwan W., and Voelker B. Decomposition of hydrogen peroxide and organic compounds in the presence of dissolved iron and ferrrihydrite. Environ. Sci. Technol. 36 (2002) 1467-1472
38. 2 formation in water. J. Phys. Chem. A 104 (2000) 5841-5846
39. Lefticariu L., Pratt L.M., and Ripley E.M. Mineralogic and sulfur isotopic effects accompanying oxidation of pyrite in millimolar solutions of hydrogen peroxide at temperatures from 4 to 150 °C. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 70 (2006) 4889-4905
40. 2 and its dependence on temperature. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 71 (2007) 5072-5088
41. 2, a potential energy for the deep subsurface biosphere. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 69 (2005) 893-903
42. Lin L.-H., Wang P.L., Rumble D., Lippmann-Pipke J., Boice E., Pratt L.M., Sherwood Lollar B., Brodie E.L., Hazen T.C., Andersen G.L., DeSantis T.Z., Moser D.P., Kershaw D., and Onstott T.C. Long-term sustainability of a high-energy, low-diversity crustal biome. Science 314 (2006) 479-482
43. Lowson R.T. Aqueous pyrite oxidation by molecular oxygen. Chem. Rev. 82 (1982) 461-497
44. McLennan S.M., Bell III J.F., Calvin W.M., Christensen P.R., Clark B.C., de Souza P.A., Farmer J., Farrand W.H., Fike D.A., Gellert R., Ghosh A., Glotch T.D., Grotzinger J.P., Hahn B., Herkenhoff K.E., Hurowitz J.A., Johnson J.R., Johnson S.S., Jolliff B., Klingelhofer G., Knoll A.H., Learner Z., Malin M.C., McSween H.Y., Pocock J., Ruff S.W., Soderblom L.A., Squyres S.W., Tosca N.J., Watters W.A., Wyatt M.B., and Yen A. Provenance and diagenesis of the evaporite-bearing Burns formation, Meridiani Planum, Mars. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 240 (2005) 95-121
45. Morris R.V., Klingelhöfer G., Bernhardt B., Schröder C., Rodionov D.S., de Souza Jr. P.A., Yen A., Gellert R., Evlanov E.N., Foh J., Kankeleit E., Gütlich P., Ming D.W., Renz F., Wdowiak T., Squyres S.W., and Arvidson R.E. Mineralogy at Gusev Crater from the Mössbauer Spectrometer on the Spirit Rover. Science 305 (2004) 833-836
46. Morris R.V., Ming D.W., Yen A., Arvidson R.E., Gruener J., Humm D., Klingelhöfer G., Murchie S., Schröder C., Seelos F., Squyres S.W., Wiseman S., Wolff M., et al. Possible evidence for iron sulfates, iron sulfides, and elemental sulfur at Gusev Crater, Mars, from MER, CRISM, and analog data. Seventh International Conference on Mars, Pasadena, California, Abstract # 3393 (2007)
47. Moses C.O., Nordstrom D.K., Herman J.S., and Mills A.L. Aqueous pyrite oxidation by dissolved oxygen and ferric iron. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 51 (1987) 1561-1571
48. Murphy R., and Strongin D.R. Surface reactivity of pyrite and related sulfides. Surf. Sci. Report 64 (2009) 1-45
49. Nicolaysen L.O., Hart R.J., and Gale N.H. The Vredefort radioelement profile extended to supracrustal strata at Carletonville, with implications for continental heat flow. J. Geophys. Res. 86 (1981) 10653-10661
50. Onstott T.C., Lin L.-H., Davidson M., Mislowack B., Borcsik M., Hall J., Slater G.F., Ward J., Sherwood Lollar B., Lippmann-Pipke J., Boice E., Pratt L.M., Pfiffner S.M., Moser D.P., Gihring T., Kieft T.L., Phelps T.J., van Heerden E., Litthaur D., DeFlaun M., and Rothmel R. The origin and age of biogeochemical trends in deep fracture water of the Witwatersrand Basin, South Africa. Geomicrobiol. J. 23 (2006) 369-414
51. Pastina B., and LaVerne J.A. Hydrogen peroxide production in the radiolysis of water with heavy ions. J. Phys. Chem. A 103 (1999) 1592-1597
52. Pastina B., and LaVerne J.A. Effect of molecular hydrogen peroxide in water radiolysis. J. Phys. Chem. A 105 (2001) 9316-9324
53. Pastina B., LaVerne J.A., and Pimblott S.M. Dependence of molecular hydrogen formation in water on scavengers of the precursor to the hydrated electron. J. Phys. Chem. A 103 (1999) 5841-5846
54. Pedersen K. Exploration of deep intraterrestrial microbial life: current perspectives. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 185 (2000) 9-16
55. Rimstidt J.D., and Vaughan D.J. Pyrite oxidation: a state-of the-art assessment of the reaction mechanism. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 67 (2003) 873-880
56. Rosso K.M., Becker U., and Hochella Jr. M.F. The interaction of pyrite 100 surfaces with O2 and H2O: fundamental oxidation mechanisms. Am. Mineral. 84 (1999) 1549-1561
57. Rudnick R.L., and Gao S. Composition of the continental crust, treatise on geochemistry. In: Holland H., Turekian K., and Rudnick R.L. (Eds). The Crust vol. 3 (2007), Elsevier 1-64
58. Rush J.D., and Bielski B.H.J. Pulse radiolytic studies of the reactions of hydrodioxyl - superoxide with Fe(II)/Fe(III) ions. The reactivity of hydrodioxyl - superoxide with ferric ions and its implication on the occurrence of the Haber-Weiss reaction. J. Phys. Chem. 89 (1985) 5062-5066
59. Savary V., and Pagel M. The effects of water radiolysis on local redox conditions in the Oklo, Gabon, natural fission reactors 10 and 16. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 61 (1997) 4479-4494
60. Schauble E.A., Rossman G.R., and Taylor H.P. Theoretical estimates of equilibrium chromium-isotope fractionations. Chem. Geol. 205 (2004) 99-114
61. Schaufuss A.G., Nesbitt H.W., Kartio I., Laajalehto K., Bancroft G.M., and Szargan R. Reactivity of surface chemical states on fractured pyrite. Surf. Sci. 411 (1998) 321-328
62. Schippers A., and Jørgensen B.B. Biogeochemistry of pyrite and iron sulfide oxidation in marine sediments. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 66 (2002) 85-92
63. Schulze-Makuch D., and Irwin L.N. Life in the Universe: Expectations and Constraints (2006), Springer, Berlin 172 pp.
64. Seal II R.R. Stable-isotope geochemistry of mine waters and related solids. In: Jambor J.L., Blowes D.W., and Ritchie A.I.M. (Eds). Environmental Aspects of Mine Wastes. Mineral. Assoc. Short Course vol. 31 (2003) 303-334
65. 2 release from Precambrian fractured rocks-energy for deep subsurface life on Earth and Mars. Astrobiology 7 (2007) 971-986
66. Squyres S.W., Grotzinger J.P., Arvidson R.E., Bell III J.F., Christensen P.R., Clark B.C., Crisp J.A., Farrand W.H., Herkenhoff K.E., Johnson J.R., Klingelhofer G., Knoll A.H., McLennan S.M., McSween Jr. H.Y., Morris R.V., Rice Jr. J.W., Rieder R., and Soderblom L.A. In situ evidence for an ancient aqueous environment at Meridiani Planum, Mars. Science 306 (2004) 1709-1714
67. Stuglik Z., and Zagorski Z.P. Pulse-radiolysis of neutral iron(II) solutions - oxidation of ferrous-ions by OH radicals. Radiat. Phys. Chem. 17 (1981) 229-233
68. Todd E.C., Sherman D.M., and Purton J.A. Surface oxidation of pyrite under ambient atmospheric and aqueous (pH 2 to 10) conditions: electronic structure and mineralogy from X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 67 (2003) 881-893
69. Toran L., and Harris R. Interpretation of sulfur and oxygen isotopes in biological and abiological sulfide oxidation. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 53 (1989) 2341-2348
70. Tosca N.J., Knoll A.H., and McLennan S.M. Water activity and the challenge for life on early Mars. Science 320 (2008) 1204-1208
71. Urey H.C. The cosmic abundance of potassium, uranium, and thorium and the heat balances of the Earth, the Moon, and Mars. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 41 (1955) 127-144
72. Vovk I.F. Radiolysis of underground waters as the mechanism of geochemical transformation of the energy of radioactive decay in sedimentary rocks. Litho. Mineral. Res. 16 (1982) 328-334
73. Vovk, I.F., 1987. Radiolytic oxidation of sulphides and geochemical behavior of sulphur isotopes in uranium deposits. In: Studies on sulphur isotope variations in nature. Vienna, Austria: International Atomic Energy Agency, pp. 85-103.
74. Yen A.S., Kim S.S., Hecht M.H., Frant M.S., and Murray B. Evidence that the reactivity of the Martian soil is due to superoxide ions. Science 289 (2000) 1909-1912