Opal-A and associated microbes from Wairakei, New Zealand: the first 300 days

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
All samples of silica sinter, Hydrogenophilus thermoluteus,a thermophilic filamentous bacterium, and two cluster with putatively thermophilic members of theCyanobacteriaand green non-sulphur bacteria respectively. Initial opal-A deposits rapidly as agglomerations of silica nanospheres that, in turn, form chains of coalesced, oblate, microspheres += 930 μg/g, Ca2+= 12 μg/g, Cl = 1500 μg/g) and abundant microbial community facilitate rapid and copious flocculation of solid silica within the drain, in contrast to the slower accumulation on the natural sinter terrace at lower temperature (30—45°C) from less saline dilute bicarbonate-chloride waters (Na+= 180 μg/g, Ca2+= 0.2 μg/g, Cl = 400 μg/g, pH = 8.1).