Evidence of Sulfur Bacteria in the Vermilion River

October 21, 2014

I saw something at the edge of the river Saturday, September 27, that I’d never seen before. Checking my hunch with Norrie Robbins, my knowledge source for all things microbial, I learned that this white threadlike formation is evidence of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. The black stuff around the edges shows the presence of sulfur-reducing bacteria. Since the shale in this area is replete with pyrite (fool’s gold), and pyrite is made of iron and sulfur, it should not have been a surprise.