Saltikov lab
Above is an greenhouse experiment testing the effects of FermeGROW on plant growth. The experiment has 30 plants per treatment group arranged in a random block design. Treatments include no fertilizer (control), the fermented agriculture solution (FermeGROW), conventional fertilizer, and FermeGROW plus conventional fertilizer.
The photos above are of photosynthetic arsenite-oxidizing bacteria from extreme environments. They were first discovered within the hot springs of Paoha Island, Mono Lake. These photosynthetic bacteria "split" arsenic instead of water during photosynthesis. The bacteria have purple-colored photosynthetic pigments, which are useful in monitoring their growth and isolation from environmental samples.
The photo above is of a steel wire exposed to a corrisive bacterium called Desulfovirbrio. The photo was taken on a Keyence VHX-7000 digital microscope. The diameter of the steel wire decreases due to the reaction of hydrogen sulfide with iron and formation of secondary FeS minerals. Corrosion is monitored indirectly by increased resistance through the wire.
We are interested in the genetics, physiology, and ecology of microbes that metabolize pollutants within aquatic environments. These microbes play important roles in impacting the health and well being of people.
Our projects include:
Investigating fermented agriculture waste as an alternative organic fertilizer. This project is a collaboration with Anaerobe Systems and Anaerobe Energy to determine the effects of fermented agriculture waste on promoting plant and soil health. We are working with the product called FermeGROW and testing the effects on plant growth and changes in the soil microbiome. See the article at California Certified Organic Farmers (ccof.org) announcing or collaboration.
Investigating how microbes impact the arsenic biogeochemical cycle. Here we are studying arsenate reduction in aquatic environments and the gastrointestinal track using model strains like Shewanella and Citrobacter. We are also investigating arsenite oxidation in anoxygenic phototrophs isolated from freshwater and hypersaline alkaline lakes like Owen's River, Mono Lake, Big Soda Lake and Searles Lake (Western US).
Subsurface microbial processes within aquifers recharged with surface/storm water. Here we are investigating the geochemical and microbiological impacts of managed aquifer recharge using permeable reactive barriers to remove nitrate from stormwater during recharge.
Inhibiting Microbial Influenced Corrosion through engineered biofilms.
My projects are funded by the US Department of Agriculture, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, National Science Foundation, and Anaerobe Systems.
Contact me at: saltikov@ucsc.edu
Follow me on Linkedin and ResearchGate
University of California, Santa Cruz
Department of Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology
Above is a microcosm study aimed at quantifying how different types of carbon amendments affect denitrification in farm soils collected from active stormwater recharge systems.
Above is an experiment showing how metal-reducing bacteria can dissolve arsenic-containing iron oxide minerals. Iron and arsenic are released into solution as the minerals are dissolved by the bacteria (bottles start off red and turn clear). The left bottle contains the metal-reducer. The middle bottle has an iron-reduction deficient mutant. And on the right is a negative control without bacteria.