Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria and Pyritic Sediments in Antarctica
- 21 July 1961
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Science
- Vol. 134 (3473) , 190
- https://doi.org/10.1126/science.134.3473.190
Abstract
Black lacustrine and marine sediments occur in the McMurdo Sound region of Antarctica. The black color is due to the presence of iron sulfide, precipitated by sulfate-reducing bacteria (Desulfovibrio) in the presence of decaying organic matter of algal origin. Viability of sulfate-reducing bacteria in the sediments was demonstrated in the laboratory by culturing in anaerobic liquid media. It is probable that sulfate-reducing bacteria are widely distributed in Antarctica.This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: