Ancient Biological Redox Cycles

A clear avenue of future research is to explore the S-Fe redox couple in biologic systems. Bacterial sulfate reduction and DIR may be spatially decoupled, dependent upon the distribution of poorly crystalline ferric hydroxides and sulfate (e.g., Canfield et al. 1993 Thamdrup and Canfield 1996), or may be closely associated in low-suUate environments. Production of FIjS from bacterial sulfate reduction may quickly react with Fefll) to form iron sulfides (e.g., Sorensen and Jeorgensen 1987 Thamdrup et al. 1994). In addition to these reactions, Fe(III) reduchon may be coupled to oxidation of reduced S (e.g., Thamdrup and Canfield 1996), where the net result is that S and Fe may be cycled extensively before they find themselves in the inventory of sedimentary rocks (e.g., Canfield et al. 1993). Investigation of both S and Fe isotope fractionations produced during biochemical cycling of these elements will be an important future avenue of research that will bear on our understanding of the isotopic variations of these elements in both modem and ancient environments. 

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