Abstract
Iron oxidation by bacteria isolated from an estuary was inhibited completely by sodium chloride. At 3% (wt/vol) salt, no iron oxidation occurred. Bacteria could be partially adapted to 1.5% (wt/vol) NaCl, but even at this salinity iron oxidation was much reduced. Montmorillonite, a clay mineral, afforded some protection against salt toxicity. The results indicate that iron-oxidizing bacteria are confined to areas of low salinity to freshwater in the estuary and are apparently absent in the marine environment.
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