Adsorption of rare earth elements onto bacterial cell walls and its implication for REE sorption onto natural microbial mats

Microbial mats and thermal waters at the Nakafusa hot spring (Nagano Prefecture, Japan) were also examined to evaluate whether the REE patterns of natural samples could be used as indicators of the presence of bacteria. The apparent distribution coefficients of REE displayed a pattern similar to that obtained in the laboratory experiments using pure bacterial strains. The results suggest that the REE pattern of chemical sedimentary rocks may be used to identify the bacterial contribution to the deposition of the rocks in the geological record.