Geobacter is a genus of proteobacteria. Geobacter are an anaerobic_respiration bacterial species which have capabilities that may make them useful in bioremediation. The geobacter was found to be the first organism with the ability to oxidize organic compounds and metals, including iron, radioactive metals and petroleum compounds into environmentally benign carbon dioxide while using iron oxide or other available metals as electron acceptor. The Geobacter is under continuing research for a variety of applications, discussed below. Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Phyla/Divisions Actinobacteria Aquificae Bacteroidetes/Chlorobi Chlamydiae/Verrucomicrobia Chloroflexi Chrysiogenetes Cyanobacteria Deferribacteres Deinococcus-Thermus Dictyoglomi Fibrobacteres/Acidobacteria Firmicutes Fusobacteria Gemmatimonadetes Nitrospirae Omnibacteria Planctomycetes Proteobacteria Spirochaetes Thermodesulfobacteria Thermomicrobia Thermotogae Bacteria (singular, bacterium) are a major group of living organisms. ... Orders Alpha Proteobacteria Caulobacterales - e. ... Families & Genera Desulfuromonadaceae Desulfuromonas Desulfuromusa Pelobacteraceae Malonomonas Pelobacter Geobacteraceae Geobacter Trichlorobacter The Desulfomonadales are an order of Proteobacteria, with three families. ... Families & Genera Desulfuromonadaceae Desulfuromonas Desulfuromusa Pelobacteraceae Malonomonas Pelobacter Geobacteraceae Geobacter Trichlorobacter The Desulfomonadales are an order of Proteobacteria, with three families. ... Orders Alpha Proteobacteria Caulobacterales - e. ... Anaerobic respiration refers to the oxidation of molecules in the absence of oxygen to produce energy. ... Bioremediation can be defined as any process that uses microorganisms or their enzymes to return the environment altered by contaminants to its original condition. ... To oxidize an element or a compound is to increase its oxidation number. ... Carbon dioxide is an atmospheric gas composed of one carbon and two oxygen atoms. ... Iron oxide pigment There are a number of iron oxides: Iron oxides Iron(II) oxide or ferrous oxide (FeO) The black-coloured powder in particular can cause explosions as it readily ignites. ...
History
Geobacter metallireducens was first isolated in 1987 in sand sediment from the Potomac River in Washington D.C. The first strain was deemed strain GS-15. Geobacter have been found in anaerobic conditions in soils and aquatic sediment.
Potential and actual applications
Research on the potential of the Geobacter is underway and on-going. The Geobacter's ability to consume oil-based pollutants and radioactive material with carbon dioxide as waste by-product has already been used in enivironmental clean-up for underground petroleum spills and for disposal of uranium in groundwater. The Geobacter metabolizes the material by creating "pili," columns the width of a 3-5 nanometers that act as conduits to pass electrons between the food material and the Geobacter. This manner of consumption has also lead scientists to theorize that the Geobacter could act as a natural Battery This natural battery could use renewable biomass such as compost materials, or be used to convert human and animal solid waste into electricty. There are also potential applications in the field of nanotechnology for the creation of nanowires in very small circuits and electronic devices. The miniature wires could also be connected, creating a microscopic power grid. Four double-A (AA) batteries In science and technology, a battery is a device that stores energy and makes it available in an electrical form. ... A mite next to a gear set produced using MEMS, the precursor to nanotechnology. ... A nanowire is a wire of dimensions of the order of a nanometer ( meters). ...
Geobacter are the subject of intense investigation because they are useful agents in the bioremediation of groundwater contaminated with pollutants such as toxic and radioactive metals or petroleum.
Geobacter can live in the absence of oxygen because of its ability to transfer electrons outside the cell onto iron minerals, which are natural constituents of most soils.
Geobacter was discovered by Lovley in 1987 at the muddy bottom of the Potomac River in Washington D.C., and over the past 18 years his research has earned widespread media attention and major funding from government and private sources.
The geobacter was found to be the first organism with the ability to oxidize organic compounds and metals, including iron, radioactive metals and petroleum compounds into environmentally benign carbon dioxide while using iron oxide or other available metals as electron acceptor.
Geobacter metallireducens was first isolated by Derek Lovley and his colleagues at the University of Massachusetts (Amherst, MA) in 1987 in sand sediment from the Potomac River in Washington D.C. The first strain was deemed strain GS-15.
The Geobacter metabolizes the material by creating "pili," columns the width of a 3-5 nanometers that act as conduits to pass electrons between the food material and the Geobacter.
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