Controls and consequences of sulfate reduction rates in recent marine sediments

Journal Article · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1975 · Soil Sci.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1097/00010694-197501000-00008· OSTI ID:6632455

Goldhaber, M B ^[1]; Kaplan, I R

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1. Yale Univ., New Haven

A brief review has been given of the process of bacterial sulfate reduction in respect to other processes in ocean sediments. In particular, rates of sulfate reduction have been discussed in the context of control mechanisms and geochemical consequences. It is concluded that besides temperature and pressure, which are cosmopolitan parameters influencing most biological processes, the rate of sulfate reduction is dependent on (1) total organic carbon preserved in sediment; (2) state of complexing of the organic matter and its availability for biogenic degradation. These two parameters are in turn influenced by (3) the environment of deposition and (4) the rate of sediment accumulation. Correlations are presented that show a direct relationship betwen rate of sulfate reduction and rate of sediment accumulation. The consequences of different rates of sulfate reduction on pyrite formation and isotope fractionation are discussed.

• OSTI ID: 6632455
• Journal Information: Soil Sci.; (United States), Vol. 119:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
58 GEOSCIENCES
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
SEDIMENTS
SULFATES
REDUCTION
ANAEROBIC CONDITIONS
BACTERIA
BIODEGRADATION
BUILDUP
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONTROL
CORRELATIONS
ENVIRONMENT
GEOCHEMISTRY
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PYRITE
SEA BED
SEAS
SEDIMENTATION
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMISTRY
DECOMPOSITION
ECOSYSTEMS
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRON SULFIDES
MICROORGANISMS
MINERALS
ORES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PYRITES
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR ORES
SURFACE WATERS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
520200* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
580500 - Oceanography- (1980-1989)