TY - CHAP A1 - Krumbein, W.E. A1 - Gorbushina, Anna ED - Timmis, K.N. T1 - Global relations between the Redox cycles of carbon, iron, and sulfur T2 - Handbook of hydrocarbon and lipid microbiology N2 - Solar energy has been transformed into useful redox differences or disequilibria within the Earth´s crust since the onset of anoxygenic and oxygenic photosynthesis in the Precambrian. Inorganic oxidized carbon is transformed into reduced carbon compounds by capturing and storing solar energy. During this process, many different organic compounds are formed including carbohydrates, proteins, hydrocarbons, and various other complex organic metabolic products and their diagenetic polymerization products (melanin, humic substances, petroleum, coal, and kerogen). Many of these solar energy-enriched compounds, however, are oxidized immediately or during the diagenetic transformation of sediments. The oxidation agents are oxygen, sulfate, iron, and other oxidized compounds, which in turn are partly enriched with the original solar energy. On a global biogeochemical scale, however, sulfur and iron are the most important elements. Geological evidence shows that biogeochemical cycles tend to yield stable ratios between the most oxidized forms of carbon (carbon dioxide and calcium/magnesium carbonate) and the most reduced forms (diamond, coal, methane, and hydrocarbons). Throughout the Earth’s history and evolution, this equilibrium ratio is around 1:4, maximally 1:5. When too much carbon is stored in the crust in the form of reduced compounds or vice versa, climatic and biogeomorphogenetic consequences upset the equilibrium. The biosphere reacts in a way to return to the optimal ratio. Excellent examples for this fluctuating equilibrium are the Carboniferous (too much organic carbon stored), the Permian (too little organic carbon stored), and the Tertiary with a generally equivalent production of hydrocarbons and carbonates. At present, we are in a period in which there is a global biogeochemical need to oxidize reduced carbon compounds as fast as possible in order to avoid even more dramatic global climate shifts. The highly evolved human genome seems to be the tool for this shift. Enormous amounts of reduced carbon are turned into the oxidized form as carbon dioxide, which by various biogeochemical pathways is quickly transformed into carbonate, another oxidized form of carbon that can be stabilized and stored in the sedimentary record. Fast recycling of excessively stored solar energy may enable the survival of a global biosphere under highly stressed conditions. KW - Geochemistry KW - Biologically influenced mineral fluxes PY - 2010 SN - 978-3-540-77584-3 SN - 978-3-540-77587-4 DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-77587-4_10 IS - Chapter 10 SP - 157 EP - 169 PB - Springer CY - Berlin Heidelberg AN - OPUS4-21983 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Gorbushina, Anna A1 - Kempe, A. A1 - Rodenacker, K. A1 - Jütting, U. A1 - Altermann, W. A1 - Stark, R.W. A1 - Heckl, W.M. A1 - Krumbein, W.E. T1 - Quantitative 3-dimensional image analysis of mineral surface modifications - chemical, mechanical and biological JF - Geomicrobiology journal N2 - Three principally different mechanisms contribute to the wear-down process of mineral aggregates in sedimentary environments: (1) mechanical abrasion by forces of wind and water and by floating or saltating neighbouring grains, (2) chemical attack and dissolution by fluids, and (3) physical bioerosion and chemical biocorrosion. It is however, difficult to attribute the specific surface changes to specific environments and processes. Quartz sand grains from subaerial and subaquatic environments were analysed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) for traces of natural and experimental aeolian, aquatic and biological wear-down processes. Quantitative topographical parameters of surface alterations were extracted from topography data by non-linear methods derived from digital image analysis. These parameters were examined by multivariate statistic, yielding three well-distinguishable groups. Morphological surface alterations dominated by subaerial, subaquatic and by biological impact could be differentiated. The method may also be used for the detection of aeolian, subaquatic, and biological modification of sedimentary grains and rock surfaces in extraterrestrial environments, and for assessment of environmental damage on monuments and buildings. KW - Sediment grain corrosion KW - Chemical grain pitting KW - Biological grain pitting KW - Aquatic grain corrosion KW - Biopitting KW - Weathering KW - Surface analysis KW - Nano-structure of grain and mineral surfaces PY - 2011 DO - https://doi.org/10.1080/01490451.2010.490077 SN - 0149-0451 VL - 28 SP - 1 EP - 13 PB - Crane, Russak & Co. CY - New York, NY, USA AN - OPUS4-23058 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - GEN A1 - Stephan, Ina A1 - Askew, P. A1 - Gorbushina, Anna A1 - Grinda, Manfred A1 - Hertel, Horst A1 - Krumbein, W.E. A1 - Müller, R.-J. A1 - Pantke, Michael A1 - Plarre, Rüdiger A1 - Schmitt, G. A1 - Schwibbert, Karin ED - Czichos, Horst ED - Saito, T. ED - Smith, L. T1 - Biogenic impact on materials T2 - Springer handbook of metrology and testing N2 - Materials as constituents of products or components of technical systems rarely exist in isolation and many must cope with exposure in the natural world. This chapter describes methods that simulate how a material is influenced through contact with living systems such as microorganisms and arthropods. Both unwanted and desirable interactions are considered. This biogenic impact on materials is intimately associated with the environment to which the material is exposed (Materials-Environment Interaction, Chap. 15). Factors such as moisture, temperature and availability of food sources all have a significant influence on biological systems. Corrosion (Chap. 12) and wear (Chap. 13) can also be induced or enhanced in the presence of microorganisms. Section 14.1 introduces the categories between desired (biodegradation) and undesired (biodeterioration) biological effects on materials. It also introduces the role of biocides for the protection of materials. Section 14.2 describes the testing of wood as a building material especially against microorganisms and insects. Section 14.3 characterizes the test methodologies for two other groups of organic materials, namely polymers (Sect. 14.3.1) and paper and textiles (Sect. 14.3.2). Section 14.4 deals with the susceptibility of inorganic materials such as metals (Sect. 14.4.1), concrete (Sect. 14.4.2) and ceramics (Sect. 14.4.3) to biogenic impact. Section 14.5 treats the testing methodology concerned with the performance of coatings and coating materials. In many of these tests specific strains of organisms are employed. It is vital that these strains retain their ability to utilize/attack the substrate from which they were isolated, even when kept for many years in the laboratory. Section 14.6 therefore considers the importance of maintaining robust and representative test organisms that are as capable of utilizing a substrate as their counterparts in nature such that realistic predictions of performance can be made. KW - Materialschutz KW - Biologie KW - Organismus KW - Standard KW - Prüfung PY - 2011 SN - 978-3-642-16640-2 SP - 769 EP - 844 PB - Springer CY - Berlin, Heidelberg AN - OPUS4-24210 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -