Anaerobic versus aerobic degradation of dimethyl sulfide and methanethiol in anoxic freshwater sediments
- Univ. of Nijmegen (Netherlands). Dept. of Microbiology and Evolutionary Biology
Degradation of dimethyl sulfide and methanethiol in slurries prepared from sediments of minerotrophic peatland ditches were studied under various conditions. Maximal aerobic dimethyl sulfide-degrading capacities, measured in bottles shaken under an air atmosphere, were 10-fold higher than the maximal anaerobic degrading capacities determined from bottles shaken under N{sub 2} or H{sub 2} atmosphere. Incubations under experimental conditions which mimic the in situ conditions, however, revealed that aerobic degradation of dimethyl sulfide and methanethiol in freshwater sediments is low due to oxygen limitation. Inhibition studies with bromoethanesulfonic acid and sodium tungstate demonstrated that the degradation of dimethyl sulfide and methanethiol in these incubations originated mainly from methanogenic activity. Prolonged incubation under a H{sub 2} atmosphere resulted in lower dimethyl sulfide degradation rates. Kinetic analysis of the data resulted in apparent K{sub m} values (6 to 8 {micro}M) for aerobic dimethyl sulfide degradation which are comparable to those reported for Thiobacillus spp., Hyphomicrobium spp., and other methylotrophs. Apparent K{sub m} values determined for anaerobic degradation of dimethyl sulfide were of the same order of magnitude. The low apparent K{sub m} values obtained explain the low dimethyl sulfide and methanethiol concentrations in freshwater sediments that they reported previously. The observations point to methanogenesis as the major mechanism of dimethyl sulfide and methanethiol consumption in freshwater sediments.
- OSTI ID:
- 330540
- Journal Information:
- Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Vol. 65, Issue 2; Other Information: PBD: Feb 1999
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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