Inorganic and organic sulfur cycling in salt-marsh pore waters

Journal Article · Fri May 09 00:00:00 EDT 1986 · Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.232.4751.746· OSTI ID:5533797

Luther, III, G W; Church, T M; Scudlark, J R; Cosman, M

Sulfur species in pore waters of the Great Marsh, Delaware, were analyzed seasonally by polarographic methods. The species determined (and their concentrations in micromoles per liter) included inorganic sulfides (less than or equal to3360), polysulfides (less than or equal to326), thiosulfate (less than or equal to104), tetrathionate (less than or equal to302), organic thiols (less than or equal to2411), and organic disulfides (less than or equal to139). Anticipated were bisulfide increases with depth due to sulfate reduction and subsurface sulfate excesses and pH minima, the result of a seasonal redox cycle. Unanticipated was the pervasive presence of thiols (for example, glutathione), particularly during periods of biological production. Salt marshes appear to be unique among marine systems in producing high concentrations of thiols. Polysulfides, thiosulfate, and tetrathionate also exhibited seasonal subsurface maxima. These results suggest a dynamic seasonal cycling of sulfur in salt marshes involving abiological and biological reactions and dissolved and solid sulfur species. The chemosynthetic turnover of pyrite to organic sulfur is a likely pathway for this sulfur cycling. Thus, material, chemical, and energy cycles in wetlands appear to be optimally synergistic.

• Research Organization: Kean College of New Nersey, Union
• OSTI ID: 5533797
• Journal Information: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States), Vol. 232
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
SEAWATER
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
SULFIDES
POLAROGRAPHY
THIOLS
THIOSULFATES
DELAWARE
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
MARSHES
PH VALUE
REDOX REACTIONS
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DATA
ECOSYSTEMS
FEDERAL REGION III
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
USA
WATER
WETLANDS
400102* - Chemical & Spectral Procedures
520200 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)