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IRON CYCLE

IRON CYCLE


  • Iron (Fe) is one of the most abundant elements in Earth’s crust.
  • The Iron cycle (Fe) is the Biogeochemical cycle of Iron through the Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, Biosphere and Lithosphere.

STEPS INVOLVED IN IRON CYCLE

  • On the surface of earth, Iron exists naturally in Two oxidation states, (i) Ferrous [Fe2+ or Fe(II)] and (iii) Ferric [Fe3+ or Fe(III)]. A third oxidation state, Fe0 is abundant in Earth’s core and is also a major product of human activities from the smelting of Iron ores to form Cast iron.
  • Iron cycle has two steps. They are
  1.  Ferrous iron oxidation
  2. Ferric iron reduction

Iron cycle (Oxidation – Yellow; Reduction – Red)

1) Ferrous Iron Oxidation

  • In Ferrous iron oxidation, the Ferric iron (Fe3+) is reduced to the Iron ore (Fe0) and then oxidized to Ferrous iron (Fe2+). This reaction is a Chemical oxidation process.
  • The oxidized Ferrous iron (Fe2+) is again reduced to Iron ore (Fe0).
  • The Ferrous iron (Fe2+) undergoes Ferrous iron oxidation by the Bacterial or Chemical oxidation process and results in formation of Ferric iron (Fe3+).
  • Microorganisms involved in Ferrous iron oxidation process are Gallionella sp., Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, Sulfolobus sp., Iron bacteria (Sphaerotilus sp. & Leptothrix sp.) and Dechlorosoma suillum.

2) Ferric Iron Reduction

  • The oxidized Ferric iron (Fe3+) is reduced to Ferrous iron (Fe2+) by the Bacterial or Chemical reduction process.
  • Ferric Iron Reduction is a Two steps process.

ü  Step - I: Ferric iron (Fe3+) is reduced to Ferric hydroxide (FeOH3)

ü  Step - II: Ferric hydroxide (FeOH3) is reduced to Ferrous iron (Fe2+)


  • Microorganisms involved in Ferric iron reduction process are Geobacter metallireducens, Geobacter sulfurreducens, Ferribacterium limneticum, Shewanella putrefaciens and Aquaspirillum magnetotaticum.

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