ベントナイトをまとう微生物
2000 年 39 巻 3 号 p. 171-183
詳細
2000 年 39 巻 3 号 p. 171-183
Bentonite, existing ubiquitously in soils and sediments, is widely used in the various fields. Interaction between bentonite and microbes has been investigated at floc (aggregates of clays and microbes) and ore collected from the Kasaoka Bentonite Mine, Okayama, Japan.
The floc consists of bentonite, algae, diatoms and bacteria. TEM observation of the algae after ultrasonic treatment for 30 min. shows that the algal cell walls are still covered with bentonite. The FT-IR spectrum of the sonicated algae supports that a cross-linking structure composed of Si-C and Si-O-C bonds are formed between bentonite and algal cell wall, which implies that bentonite-microbe interaction may have an organicinorganic complex compound.
The present studies have revealed that bentonite has a role of protection for microbial cells, with surrounding on the surface of the cells. Consequently, it is suggested that bentonite shields life from spill of the toxic materials, and that the bentonite-microbe interaction is necessary to be considered in buffer for waste disposal in terms of protection of ecosystem in the strata.
