Barite Precipitation on Suspended Organic Matter in the Mesopelagic Zone
Mechanisms underlying barite precipitation in seawater and the precise depths of barite precipitation in the water column have been debated for decades. Here we present a detailed study of water column barite distribution in the mesopelagic zone at diverse stations in the open ocean by analyzing sam...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-10-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Earth Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2020.567714/full |
| _version_ | 1828189851981185024 |
|---|---|
| author | F. Martinez-Ruiz A. Paytan M. T. Gonzalez-Muñoz F. Jroundi M. M. Abad P. J. Lam T. J. Horner M. Kastner |
| author_facet | F. Martinez-Ruiz A. Paytan M. T. Gonzalez-Muñoz F. Jroundi M. M. Abad P. J. Lam T. J. Horner M. Kastner |
| author_sort | F. Martinez-Ruiz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Mechanisms underlying barite precipitation in seawater and the precise depths of barite precipitation in the water column have been debated for decades. Here we present a detailed study of water column barite distribution in the mesopelagic zone at diverse stations in the open ocean by analyzing samples collected using multiple unit large volume in-situ filtration systems in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans. Our results demonstrate that barite is an organo-mineral particularly abundant at intermediate depths throughout the world’s ocean regardless of saturation state with respect to barite. This is confirming the notion of precipitation at depths of intense organic matter mineralization. Our observations further support the link between barite formation and microbial activity, demonstrated by the association of barite particles with organic matter aggregates and with extracellular polymeric substances. Evidence for microbial mediation is consistent with previous experimental work showing that in bacterial biofilms Ba binds to phosphate groups on cell surfaces and within extracellular polymeric substances. This organo-accumulation promotes high concentrations of Ba leading to saturated microenvironments and nucleation sites favoring precipitation. The distribution of Ba isotopes in the water column and in particulate matter is also consistent with the proposed precipitation mechanism. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T08:12:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-aabec0a9bcfc4b8685d31a7dc40415aa |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-6463 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T08:12:41Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Earth Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-aabec0a9bcfc4b8685d31a7dc40415aa2022-12-22T03:40:56ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Earth Science2296-64632020-10-01810.3389/feart.2020.567714567714Barite Precipitation on Suspended Organic Matter in the Mesopelagic ZoneF. Martinez-Ruiz0A. Paytan1M. T. Gonzalez-Muñoz2F. Jroundi3M. M. Abad4P. J. Lam5T. J. Horner6M. Kastner7Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra (CSIC-UGR), Avda. de las Palmeras, Granada, SpainInstitute of Marine Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, United StatesDepartment of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, University of Granada, Campus Fuentenueva, Granada, SpainDepartment of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, University of Granada, Campus Fuentenueva, Granada, SpainCentro de Instrumentación Científica (CIC), University of Granada, Campus Fuentenueva, Granada, SpainInstitute of Marine Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, United StatesDepartment of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, United StatesScripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United StatesMechanisms underlying barite precipitation in seawater and the precise depths of barite precipitation in the water column have been debated for decades. Here we present a detailed study of water column barite distribution in the mesopelagic zone at diverse stations in the open ocean by analyzing samples collected using multiple unit large volume in-situ filtration systems in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans. Our results demonstrate that barite is an organo-mineral particularly abundant at intermediate depths throughout the world’s ocean regardless of saturation state with respect to barite. This is confirming the notion of precipitation at depths of intense organic matter mineralization. Our observations further support the link between barite formation and microbial activity, demonstrated by the association of barite particles with organic matter aggregates and with extracellular polymeric substances. Evidence for microbial mediation is consistent with previous experimental work showing that in bacterial biofilms Ba binds to phosphate groups on cell surfaces and within extracellular polymeric substances. This organo-accumulation promotes high concentrations of Ba leading to saturated microenvironments and nucleation sites favoring precipitation. The distribution of Ba isotopes in the water column and in particulate matter is also consistent with the proposed precipitation mechanism.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2020.567714/fullpelagic bariteorgano-mineralizationbarite saturation stateextracellular polymeric substancesbioaccumulation |
| spellingShingle | F. Martinez-Ruiz A. Paytan M. T. Gonzalez-Muñoz F. Jroundi M. M. Abad P. J. Lam T. J. Horner M. Kastner Barite Precipitation on Suspended Organic Matter in the Mesopelagic Zone Frontiers in Earth Science pelagic barite organo-mineralization barite saturation state extracellular polymeric substances bioaccumulation |
| title | Barite Precipitation on Suspended Organic Matter in the Mesopelagic Zone |
| title_full | Barite Precipitation on Suspended Organic Matter in the Mesopelagic Zone |
| title_fullStr | Barite Precipitation on Suspended Organic Matter in the Mesopelagic Zone |
| title_full_unstemmed | Barite Precipitation on Suspended Organic Matter in the Mesopelagic Zone |
| title_short | Barite Precipitation on Suspended Organic Matter in the Mesopelagic Zone |
| title_sort | barite precipitation on suspended organic matter in the mesopelagic zone |
| topic | pelagic barite organo-mineralization barite saturation state extracellular polymeric substances bioaccumulation |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2020.567714/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT fmartinezruiz bariteprecipitationonsuspendedorganicmatterinthemesopelagiczone AT apaytan bariteprecipitationonsuspendedorganicmatterinthemesopelagiczone AT mtgonzalezmunoz bariteprecipitationonsuspendedorganicmatterinthemesopelagiczone AT fjroundi bariteprecipitationonsuspendedorganicmatterinthemesopelagiczone AT mmabad bariteprecipitationonsuspendedorganicmatterinthemesopelagiczone AT pjlam bariteprecipitationonsuspendedorganicmatterinthemesopelagiczone AT tjhorner bariteprecipitationonsuspendedorganicmatterinthemesopelagiczone AT mkastner bariteprecipitationonsuspendedorganicmatterinthemesopelagiczone |