Biomineralization: Long-term effectiveness of polysaccharides on the growth and dissolution of calcite

TY - JOUR

T1 - Biomineralization

T2 - Long-term effectiveness of polysaccharides on the growth and dissolution of calcite

AU - Sand, K. K.

AU - Pedersen, C. S.

AU - Sjöberg, S.

AU - Nielsen, J. W.

AU - Makovicky, Emil

AU - Stipp, S. L S

PY - 2014/11/5

Y1 - 2014/11/5

N2 - Our results demonstrate that in addition to being used for controlling morphology during calcite growth, polysaccharide (PS) that has been designed for biomineralization is also extremely robust, influencing calcite reactions even after millions of years. We investigated calcite (CaCO3) behavior in solutions with very small concentrations of PS that was produced ∼70 Ma ago by coccolithophorids. We used atomic force microscopy (AFM) and the constant composition method to monitor calcite growth in the presence of this ancient PS. The ancient PS is still very active and has a high affinity for calcite step edges. Adsorption, even at extremely low concentrations (0.5 μg/mL), results in decreased growth rate and dramatic morphology changes during growth and dissolution. The experimental results are complemented with surface complexation modeling for adsorption of components of polysaccharide from a modern coccolithophorid, Emiliania huxleyi. We generated surface complexation constants for the branch components: malonate: 14.25 ± 0.17, succinate: 11.91 ± 0.06, tricarballylate: 14.86 ± 0.04, and citrate: 15.25 ± 0.04. The implication is that complex PS could hold promise for smart material engineering and for preventing scaling. (Figure Presented).

AB - Our results demonstrate that in addition to being used for controlling morphology during calcite growth, polysaccharide (PS) that has been designed for biomineralization is also extremely robust, influencing calcite reactions even after millions of years. We investigated calcite (CaCO3) behavior in solutions with very small concentrations of PS that was produced ∼70 Ma ago by coccolithophorids. We used atomic force microscopy (AFM) and the constant composition method to monitor calcite growth in the presence of this ancient PS. The ancient PS is still very active and has a high affinity for calcite step edges. Adsorption, even at extremely low concentrations (0.5 μg/mL), results in decreased growth rate and dramatic morphology changes during growth and dissolution. The experimental results are complemented with surface complexation modeling for adsorption of components of polysaccharide from a modern coccolithophorid, Emiliania huxleyi. We generated surface complexation constants for the branch components: malonate: 14.25 ± 0.17, succinate: 11.91 ± 0.06, tricarballylate: 14.86 ± 0.04, and citrate: 15.25 ± 0.04. The implication is that complex PS could hold promise for smart material engineering and for preventing scaling. (Figure Presented).

U2 - 10.1021/cg5006743

DO - 10.1021/cg5006743

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:84909944708

SN - 1528-7483

VL - 14

SP - 5486

EP - 5494

JO - Crystal Growth & Design

JF - Crystal Growth & Design

IS - 11

ER -