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A Study of Calcifying Nanoparticles Extracted from the Vorotilovskaya Well



Author(s)

Sergey V. Vasilev^1,2, Anatoly B. Churilov^1,2, Olga Y. Prikhodko^1,2, Alexander S. Rudy^1,2, Nina V. Shekhovtsova³ and Anastasiya Y. Yagushkina³

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DOI:10.17265/2161-6221/2012.08.007

1. Facilities Sharing Centre "Micro-and Nanostructures Diagnosis", Yaroslavl State University, 14, Sovetskaya street, Yaroslavl, 150000, Russia
2. Yaroslavl Branch of Physics and Technology Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, 21, Universitetskaya street, Yaroslavl, 150007, Russia
3. Department of Biology, Yaroslavl State University, 14, Sovetskaya street, Yaroslavl, 150000, Russia

These are the results of the further research of nanoparticles which were extracted from the Vorotilovskaya deep scientific well. The morphology and phase composition of these nanoparticles were examined using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The phase composition of the nanoparticles and its changes during their evolution were identified and traced using the electron diffraction method. Based on these results it is concluded that the nanoparticles belong to a class of self-replicating mineral complexes known as “calcifying nanoparticles”. These nanoparticles in two months has changed their morphology and phase composition from Ca₂Fe(PO₄)₂(OH)·H₂O and Mg(NH₄)₈(P₃O₁₀)₂·8H₂O to CaCO₃ (aragonite).

Calcifying nanoparticles, scanning and transmission electron microscopy.