Water and Soil Environments;
Microorganisms
play an important role
Kazue
Tazaki, Ph. D., Professor |
 |
In water and soil environmental systems, microorganisms are the most abundant and widespread, doing it in many ways. The microorganisms closely contribute to interaction with inorganic materials in the Earth, carry all kinds of elements, even though heavy metals and radioactive elements. They produce many other compounds on their cell surface during accumulation, precipitation, and alteration processes. The cell wall provides sites for mineral nucleation. The running water on the surface of microbial mats consisting of microorganisms encourages to produce biominerals. Microorganisms in water and soils are microscopic size. Electron microscopy is frequently used to portray real natural systems. Energy dispersive spectroscopy comes immediately to know the chemistry of the selected micro area. We have observed many biological specimens using electron microscopes mostly, virus, bacteria, algae, fungi, diatom and clays which are totally elucidated in the ecosystem. "Seeing is believing without 1000 words".
We have such a diverse field of the subject, bio-mineralization, dam sediments, rocks, microbial mats, crystallization, bioremediation of oil and polluted water etc. Microorganisms play an important role showing significant evidence of their existence and activities in water and soils. This is the central theme of our research activity.
Fortunately, in 2002, Field Emission Energy Filter Transmission Electron Microscope equipped with energy dispersive X-ray analyzer (JEM-2010FEF) has brought our Kanazawa University by COE project. With specific energy loss electrons, the JEM-2010FEF makes it possible to image the two-dimensional distribution of elements in the specimen and select optimum image contrast. Electron microscopy techniqueｓ actively produce high resolution of structural observation, micro area chemical analysis, and mineralogy, associated with microbial behavior. The activities have rekindled interest in the truly dynamic aspects of ecosystems.
