Environmental significance of the potential for mer (Tn21)-mediated reduction of Hg (2+) to Hg in natural waters
Technical Report
·
OSTI ID:7266249
The role of mer(Tn21) in adaptation of aquatic microbial communities to Hg2+ was investigated. Elemental mercury was the sole product of Hg2+ volatilization by freshwater and saline microbial communities. Bacterial activity was responsible for biotransformation because most microeukaryotes did not survive the exposure conditions, and removal of larger microbes (> 1 microgram) from adapted communities did not significantly (P > 0.01) reduce Hg2+ volatilization rates. DNA sequences homologous to mer(Tn21) were found in 50% of Hg2+ resistant bacterial strains representing two freshwater communities, but in only 12% of strains representing two saline communities (difference highly significant, P < 0.001). Thus, mer(Tn21) played a significant role in Hg2+ resistance among strains isolated from freshwaters where microbial activity had a limited role in Hg2+ volatilization. In saline environments where microbially mediated volatilization was the major mechanism of Hg2+ loss, other bacterial genes coded for the biotransformation.
- Research Organization:
- Technical Resources, Inc., Gulf Breeze, FL (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 7266249
- Report Number(s):
- PB-90-129511/XAB
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540320 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BIOLOGICAL ADAPTATION
BIOSYNTHESIS
DNA SEQUENCING
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FRESH WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MERCURY
MERCURY COMPOUNDS
METALS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
STRUCTURAL CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
SYNTHESIS
TOXICITY
WATER
WATER POLLUTION
540320 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BIOLOGICAL ADAPTATION
BIOSYNTHESIS
DNA SEQUENCING
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FRESH WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MERCURY
MERCURY COMPOUNDS
METALS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
STRUCTURAL CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
SYNTHESIS
TOXICITY
WATER
WATER POLLUTION