Use of poisons in determination of microbial manganese binding rates in seawater

Journal Article · Sun Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1984 · Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6472351

Rosson, R A; Tebo, B M; Nealson, K H

A method was developed to determine whether microorganisms mediate the precipitation of manganese(II) in the marine environment. Radioactive /sup 54/Mn(II) was used as a tracer to measure the precipitation (binding and oxidation) of Mn(II) (i.e., the /sup 54/Mn(II) trapped on 0.2-..mu..m membrane filters) in the presence and absence of biological poisons. A variety of antibiotics, fixatives, and metabolic inhibitors were tested in laboratory control experiments to select poisons that did not interfere in the chemistry of manganese. The poisons were deemed suitable if (i) they did not complex Mn(II) more strongly than the ion-exchange resin Chelex 100, (ii) they did not interfere in the adsorption of /sup 54/Mn(II) onto synthetic deltaMnO/sub 2/ (manganate), (iii) they did not cause desorption of /sup 54/Mn(II) which had been preadsorbed onto synthetic manganate, and (iv) they did not solubilize synthetic /sup 54/manganate. In addition, several known chelators, reducing agents, and buffers normally added to microbiological growth media or used in biochemical assays were tested. Most additions interfered to some extent with manganese chemistry. However, at least one inhibitor, sodium azide, or a mixture of sodium azide, penicillin, and tetracycline was shown to be appropriate for use in field studies of /sup 54/Mn(II) binding. Formaldehyde could also be used in short incubations (1 to 3 h) but was not suitable for longer time course studies. The method was applied to studies of Mn(II) precipitation in Saanich Inlet, British Columbia, Canada. Bacteria were shown to significantly enhance the rate of Mn(II) removal from solution in the manganese-rich particulate layer which occurs just above the oxygen-hydrogen sulfide interface in the water column. 23 references.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Texas, Austin
• OSTI ID: 6472351
• Journal Information: Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States), Journal Name: Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States) Vol. 47:4; ISSN AEMID
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550501* -- Metabolism-- Tracer Techniques
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
BACTERIA
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIODEGRADATION
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DECOMPOSITION
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
ELEMENTS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INHIBITION
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
MANGANESE
MANGANESE 54
MANGANESE ISOTOPES
METALS
MICROORGANISMS
NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PRECIPITATION
RADIOISOTOPES
REDOX REACTIONS
SEAWATER
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
WATER