Measurement of methanotroph- and methanogen-signature phosopholipids for use in assessment of biomass and community structure in model systems

Technical Report · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6846952

Nichols, P D; Mancuso, C A; White, D C

Methanotrophic biomass and community structure were assessed for a soil column enriched with natural gas. An increase in microbial biomass, based on phospholipid ester-linked fatty acids (PLFA), was apparent for the natural gas-enriched column relative to a control column and untreated surface soil. Following GC-MS analyses of the derivatized monounsaturated fatty acids, the major component (22% of the PLFA) of the natural gas-enriched column was identified as 18:1 delta 10C. The relatively novel fatty acid has only been previously reported as a major component in methanotrophs. Its presence in the soil, together with other supportive evidence, implies that the microbial metabolic group makes a large contribution to the column flora. Other microbial groups were also recognized and differences compared between the soils analyzed.

• Research Organization: Florida State Univ., Tallahassee (USA). Dept. of Biological Science
• OSTI ID: 6846952
• Report Number(s): PB-88-219811/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ALKANES
BACTERIA
BIOCHEMISTRY
BIOMASS
CHEMISTRY
ENERGY SOURCES
ESTERS
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
HYDROCARBONS
LIPIDS
METHANE
METHANOGENIC BACTERIA
MICROORGANISMS
NATURAL GAS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHOLIPIDS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SOIL CHEMISTRY
SOILS