Iron Isotope Biosignatures
- 17 September 1999
- journal article
- other
- Published by American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Science
- Vol. 285 (5435) , 1889-1892
- https://doi.org/10.1126/science.285.5435.1889
Abstract
The 56 Fe/ 54 Fe of Fe-bearing phases precipitated in sedimentary environments varies by 2.5 per mil (δ 56 Fe values of +0.9 to −1.6 per mil). In contrast, the 56 Fe/ 54 Fe of Fe-bearing phases in igneous rocks from Earth and the moon does not vary measurably (δ 56 Fe = 0.0 ± 0.3 per mil). Experiments with dissimilatory Fe-reducing bacteria of the genus Shewanella algae grown on a ferrihydrite substrate indicate that the δ 56 Fe of ferrous Fe in solution is isotopically lighter than the ferrihydrite substrate by 1.3 per mil. Therefore, the range in δ 56 Fe values of sedimentary rocks may reflect biogenic fractionation, and the isotopic composition of Fe may be used to trace the distribution of microorganisms in modern and ancient Earth.Keywords
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