Estuarine methylation of tin and its relationship to the microbial sulfur cycle
This work describes the first quantitative measurement of tin methylation in nature. Central to this research was development of a technique for the determination of methyltin species in sediment with detection limits of about 1 pg per gm dry weight sediment. Methyltin concentrations measured in Chesapeake Bay sediments ranged from 0.005 to 8 ng per gm dry weight sediment, with monomethyltin the predominant species. Estuarine tin methylation occurred only in anoxic, sulfidic sediments and was microbially mediated. Sulfate-reducing bacteria were correlated with methyltin production in sediments, and capable of tin methylation in pure culture without sediment. Conversely, excess sulfide concentrations inhibited methylation. Sulfate reduction rates and reduced inorganic sulfur distribution between acid-volatile and non-volatile sulfides for Chesapeake sediments were also determined. Monomethyltin was the predominant product of stepwise inorganic tin methylation in sediments and bacterial cultures, with di- and trimethylated tins produced in lesser amounts. Methylation rates based on accumulation of all detectable methyltin species were quite low. Maximum concentrations of methyltins formed were quite low. Maximum concentrations of methyltins formed were 10 ng total methyltins per ml culture, or 4 ng per gm dry weight sediment. Trimethyltin, the most toxic product, was produced in the smallest quantities, never more than 50 pg per gm sediment.
- Research Organization:
- Maryland Univ., College Park (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6966347
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Gas-chromatographic speciation of methylstannanes in the Chesapeake Bay using purge and trap sampling with a tin-selective detector
In-situ subaqueous capping of mercury-contaminated sediments in a fresh-water aquatic system, Part I—Bench-scale microcosm study to assess methylmercury production
Related Subjects
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
SEDIMENTS
SULFUR CYCLE
SULFATE-REDUCING BACTERIA
METABOLISM
TIN
METHYLATION
BIOCONVERSION
CHESAPEAKE BAY
ESTUARIES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
ATLANTIC OCEAN
BACTERIA
BAYS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DATA
ELEMENTS
INFORMATION
METALS
MICROORGANISMS
NUMERICAL DATA
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
520200* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
550500 - Metabolism
550700 - Microbiology