Growth of Desulfovibrio vulgaris When Respiring U(VI) and Characterization of Biogenic Uraninite

The capacity of Desulfovibrio vulgaris to reduce U(VI) was studied previously with nongrowth conditions involving a high biomass concentration; thus, bacterial growth through respiration of U(VI) was not proven. In this study, we conducted a series of batch tests on U(VI) reduction by D. vulgaris at a low initial biomass (10 to 20 mg/L of protein) that could reveal biomass growth. D. vulgaris grew with U(VI) respiration alone, as well as with simultaneous sulfate reduction. Patterns of growth kinetics and solids production were affected by sulfate and Fe(2+). Biogenic sulfide nonenzymatically reduced 76% of the U(VI) and greatly enhanced the overall reduction rate in the absence of Fe(2+) but was rapidly scavenged by Fe(2+) to form FeS in the presence of Fe(2+). Biogenic U solids were uraninite (UO2) nanocrystallites associated with 20 mg/g biomass as protein. The crystallite thickness of UO2 was 4 to 5 nm without Fe(2+) but was <1.4 nm in the presence of Fe(2+), indicating poor crystallization inhibited by adsorbed Fe(2+) and other amorphous Fe solids, such as FeS or FeCO3. This work fills critical gaps in understanding the metabolic utilization of U by microorganisms and formation of UO2 solids in bioremediation sites.