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Fan Y, Niu X, Zhang D, Lin Z, Fu M, Zhou S. Analysis of the characteristics of phosphine production by anaerobic digestion based on microbial community dynamics, metabolic pathways, and isolation of the phosphate-reducing strain. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 262:128213. [PMID: 33182078 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Although phosphine is ubiquitously present in anaerobic environments, little is known regarding the microbial community dynamics and metabolic pathways associated with phosphine formation in an anaerobic digestion system. This study investigated the production of phosphine in anaerobic digestion, with results indicating that phosphine production mainly occurred during logarithmic microbial growth. Dehydrogenase and hydrogen promoted the production of phosphine, with a maximum phosphine concentration of 300 mg/m3. The abundance of Ruminococcaceae and Escherichia was observed to promote phosphine generation. The analysis of metabolic pathways based on the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and the MetaCyc pathway database revealed the highest relative abundance of replication and repair in genetic information processing; further, the cofactor, prosthetic group, electron carrier, and vitamin biosynthesis were observed to be closely related to phosphine formation. A phylogenetic tree was reconstructed based on the neighbor-joining method. The results indicated the clear evolutionary position of the isolated Pseudescherichia sp. SFM4 strain, adjacent to Escherichia, with a stable phosphate-reducing ability for a maximum phosphine concentration of 26 mg/m3. The response surface experiment indicated that the initial optimal conditions for phosphine production by SFM4 could be achieved with nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus loads of 6.17, 300, and 10 mg/L, respectively, at pH 7.47. These results provide comprehensive insights into the dynamic changes in the microbial structure, isolated single bacterial strain, and metabolic pathways associated with phosphine formation. They also provide information on the molecular biology associated with phosphorus recycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yimin Fan
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Xiaojun Niu
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China; School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming, 525000, China; Sino-Singapore International Joint Research Institute, Guangzhou, 510700, PR China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment and Pollution Control, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Centre, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China; The Key Lab of Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, Ministry of Education, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Centre, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China.
| | - Dongqing Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming, 525000, China.
| | - Zhang Lin
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Mingli Fu
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Shaoqi Zhou
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
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Sousa-Silva C, Seager S, Ranjan S, Petkowski JJ, Zhan Z, Hu R, Bains W. Phosphine as a Biosignature Gas in Exoplanet Atmospheres. ASTROBIOLOGY 2020; 20:235-268. [PMID: 31755740 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2018.1954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
A long-term goal of exoplanet studies is the identification and detection of biosignature gases. Beyond the most discussed biosignature gas O2, only a handful of gases have been considered in detail. In this study, we evaluate phosphine (PH3). On Earth, PH3 is associated with anaerobic ecosystems, and as such, it is a potential biosignature gas in anoxic exoplanets. We simulate the atmospheres of habitable terrestrial planets with CO2- and H2-dominated atmospheres and find that PH3 can accumulate to detectable concentrations on planets with surface production fluxes of 1010 to 1014 cm-2 s-1 (corresponding to surface concentrations of 10s of ppb to 100s of ppm), depending on atmospheric composition and ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. While high, the surface flux values are comparable to the global terrestrial production rate of methane or CH4 (1011 cm-2 s-1) and below the maximum local terrestrial PH3 production rate (1014 cm-2 s-1). As with other gases, PH3 can more readily accumulate on low-UV planets, for example, planets orbiting quiet M dwarfs or with a photochemically generated UV shield. PH3 has three strong spectral features such that in any atmosphere scenario one of the three will be unique compared with other dominant spectroscopic molecules. Phosphine's weakness as a biosignature gas is its high reactivity, requiring high outgassing rates for detectability. We calculate that tens of hours of JWST (James Webb Space Telescope) time are required for a potential detection of PH3. Yet, because PH3 is spectrally active in the same wavelength regions as other atmospherically important molecules (such as H2O and CH4), searches for PH3 can be carried out at no additional observational cost to searches for other molecular species relevant to characterizing exoplanet habitability. Phosphine is a promising biosignature gas, as it has no known abiotic false positives on terrestrial planets from any source that could generate the high fluxes required for detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Sousa-Silva
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Department of Physics, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Sara Seager
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Department of Physics, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Sukrit Ranjan
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts
- SCOL Postdoctoral Fellow
| | - Janusz Jurand Petkowski
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Zhuchang Zhan
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Renyu Hu
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
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Bains W, Petkowski JJ, Sousa-Silva C, Seager S. New environmental model for thermodynamic ecology of biological phosphine production. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 658:521-536. [PMID: 30579209 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.12.086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2018] [Revised: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
We present a new model for the biological production of phosphine (PH3). Phosphine is found globally, in trace amounts, in the Earth's atmosphere. It has been suggested as a key molecule in the phosphorus cycle, linking atmospheric, lithospheric and biological phosphorus chemistry. Phosphine's production is strongly associated with marshes, swamps and other sites of anaerobic biology. However the mechanism of phosphine's biological production has remained controversial, because it has been believed that reduction of phosphate to phosphine is endergonic. In this paper we show through thermodynamic calculations that, in specific environments, the combined action of phosphate reducing and phosphite disproportionating bacteria can produce phosphine. Phosphate-reducing bacteria can capture energy from the reduction of phosphate to phosphite through coupling phosphate reduction to NADH oxidation. Our hypothesis describes how the phosphate chemistry in an environmental niche is coupled to phosphite generation in ground water, which in turn is coupled to the phosphine production in water and atmosphere, driven by a specific microbial ecology. Our hypothesis provides clear predictions on specific complex environments where biological phosphine production could be widespread. We propose tests of our hypothesis in fieldwork.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Bains
- Rufus Scientific, 37 The Moor, Melbourn, Royston, Herts SG8 6ED, UK.
| | - Janusz J Petkowski
- Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Mass. Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Clara Sousa-Silva
- Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Mass. Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Sara Seager
- Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Mass. Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Dept. of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Mass. Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Mass. Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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An S, Niu X, Chen W, Sheng H, Lai S, Yang Z, Gu X, Zhou S. Mechanism of matrix-bound phosphine production in response to atmospheric elevated CO 2 in paddy soils. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 239:253-260. [PMID: 29656249 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.03.082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2017] [Revised: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
To explore the effect of elevated CO2 concentrations ([CO2]) on phosphine formation in paddy fields, the matrix-bound phosphine (MBP) content, different phosphorus fractions and various carbon forms in soil samples from rice cultivation under varying CO2 concentrations of 400 ppm, 550 ppm and 700 ppm by indoor simulation experiment were determined. This study showed that MBP concentration did not increase significantly with elevated [CO2] over four-week cultivation periods of rice seedlings, regardless of soil layers. MBP had a significant positive correlation with total phosphorus (TP) and inorganic phosphorus (IP), and multiple stepwise linear regression analysis further indicated that MBP preservation in neutral paddy soils with depths of 0-20 cm may have been due to conversion from FeP and CaP. Based on redundancy analysis and forward selection analysis, speculated that the formation of MBP in the neutral paddy soils as the response to atmospheric elevated [CO2] was due to two processes: (i) FeP transformation affected by the changes of soil respiration (SCO2) and TOC was the main precursor for the production of MBP; and (ii) CaP transformation resulting from variation in HCO3- was the secondary MBP source. The complex combination of these two processes is simultaneously controlled by SCO2. In a word, the soil environment in the condition of elevated [CO2] was in favor of MBP storage in neutral paddy soils. The results of our study imply that atmospheric CO2 participates in and has a certain impact on the global biogeochemical cycle of phosphorus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaorong An
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xiaojun Niu
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Nanjing 210093, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment and Pollution Control, Guangzhou 510640, China.
| | - Weiyi Chen
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Hong Sheng
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Senchao Lai
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zhiquan Yang
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xiaohong Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Shaoqi Zhou
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
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Chen W, Niu X, An S, Sheng H, Tang Z, Yang Z, Gu X. Emission and distribution of phosphine in paddy fields and its relationship with greenhouse gases. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 599-600:952-959. [PMID: 28505887 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.04.228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2017] [Revised: 04/23/2017] [Accepted: 04/28/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Phosphine (PH3), as a gaseous phosphide, plays an important role in the phosphorus cycle in ecosystems. In this study, the emission and distribution of phosphine, carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) in paddy fields were investigated to speculate the future potential impacts of enhanced greenhouse effect on phosphorus cycle involved in phosphine by the method of Pearson correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis. During the whole period of rice growth, there was a significant positive correlation between CO2 emission flux and PH3 emission flux (r=0.592, p=0.026, n=14). Similarly, a significant positive correlation of emission flux was also observed between CH4 and PH3 (r=0.563, p=0.036, n=14). The linear regression relationship was determined as [PH3]flux=0.007[CO2]flux+0.063[CH4]flux-4.638. No significant differences were observed for all values of matrix-bound phosphine (MBP), soil carbon dioxide (SCO2), and soil methane (SCH4) in paddy soils. However, there was a significant positive correlation between MBP and SCO2 at heading, flowering and ripening stage. The correlation coefficients were 0.909, 0.890 and 0.827, respectively. In vertical distribution, MBP had the analogical variation trend with SCO2 and SCH4. Through Pearson correlation analysis and multiple stepwise linear regression analysis, pH, redox potential (Eh), total phosphorus (TP) and acid phosphatase (ACP) were identified as the principal factors affecting MBP levels, with correlative rankings of Eh>pH>TP>ACP. The multiple stepwise regression model ([MBP]=0.456∗[ACP]+0.235∗[TP]-1.458∗[Eh]-36.547∗[pH]+352.298) was obtained. The findings in this study hold great reference values to the global biogeochemical cycling of phosphorus in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiyi Chen
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xiaojun Niu
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; The Key Lab of Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment and Pollution Control, Guangzhou 510640, China.
| | - Shaorong An
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Hong Sheng
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zhenghua Tang
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zhiquan Yang
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xiaohong Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
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6
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Study on Effects of Electron Donors on Phosphine Production from Anaerobic Activated Sludge. WATER 2017. [DOI: 10.3390/w9080563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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7
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Liu W, Niu X, Chen W, An S, Sheng H. Effects of applied potential on phosphine formation in synthetic wastewater treatment by Microbial Electrolysis Cell (MEC). CHEMOSPHERE 2017; 173:172-179. [PMID: 28110006 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2016] [Revised: 12/02/2016] [Accepted: 01/02/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Phosphine (PH3) emission from conventional biological wastewater treatment is very inefficient (ng-μg m-3). In this work, we investigated the feasibility of promoting PH3 formation from inorganic phosphorus (IP) or organic phosphorus (OP) containing synthetic wastewater treatment by Microbial Electrolysis Cell (MEC) for the first time. Positive effect of applied potential on PH3 production was observed after methanogens was inhibited. The highest production of PH3 (1103.10 ± 72.02 ng m-3) was obtained in IP-fed MEC operated at -0.6 V, which was about 5-fold and 2-fold compared to that in open circuit experiment and OP-fed MEC, respectively. Meanwhile, PH3 formation corresponded positively with current density and alkaline phosphatase activity. This result showed that suitable potential could enhance the activity of relevant enzymes and boost the biosynthesis of PH3. Bacterial communities analysis based on high-throughput sequencing revealed that applied potential was conductive to the enrichment of phosphate-reducing organisms in contrast to the control test. These results provide a new idea for resource utilization of phosphorus in wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Liu
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Xiaojun Niu
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; The Key Lab of Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment and Pollution Control, Guangzhou 510640, China.
| | - Weiyi Chen
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Shaorong An
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Hong Sheng
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
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8
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Penguins significantly increased phosphine formation and phosphorus contribution in maritime Antarctic soils. Sci Rep 2014; 4:7055. [PMID: 25394572 PMCID: PMC4231338 DOI: 10.1038/srep07055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2014] [Accepted: 10/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Most studies on phosphorus cycle in the natural environment focused on phosphates, with limited data available for the reduced phosphine (PH3). In this paper, matrix-bound phosphine (MBP), gaseous phosphine fluxes and phosphorus fractions in the soils were investigated from a penguin colony, a seal colony and the adjacent animal-lacking tundra and background sites. The MBP levels (mean 200.3 ng kg−1) in penguin colony soils were much higher than those in seal colony soils, animal-lacking tundra soils and the background soils. Field PH3 flux observation and laboratory incubation experiments confirmed that penguin colony soils produced much higher PH3 emissions than seal colony soils and animal-lacking tundra soils. Overall high MBP levels and PH3 emissions were modulated by soil biogeochemical processes associated with penguin activities: sufficient supply of the nutrients phosphorus, nitrogen, and organic carbon from penguin guano, high soil bacterial abundance and phosphatase activity. It was proposed that organic or inorganic phosphorus compounds from penguin guano or seal excreta could be reduced to PH3 in the Antarctic soils through the bacterial activity. Our results indicated that penguin activity significantly increased soil phosphine formation and phosphorus contribution, thus played an important role in phosphorus cycle in terrestrial ecosystems of maritime Antarctica.
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Zhu R, Ding W, Hou L, Wang Q. Matrix-bound phosphine and phosphorus fractions in surface sediments of Arctic Kongsfjorden, Svalbard: effects of glacial activity and environmental variables. CHEMOSPHERE 2014; 103:240-249. [PMID: 24380439 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2013.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2012] [Revised: 11/26/2013] [Accepted: 12/04/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The surface sediments were collected from the glacial bay (GLAC), the central basin (CENTR) and their transition area (TRANS) along the fjord Kongsfjorden axis on Svalbard, Arctic, and matrix-bound phosphine (MBP), phosphorus fractions and alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) were analyzed. MBP was found in all the sediments with the concentration range of 8.93-59.45 ng kg(-1) dw. The MBP levels in the CENTR sediments were two times higher than those in the GLAC and TRANS sediments, and the yield of phosphine (PH3) as a fraction of total phosphorus ranged from 1.78×10(-8) to 3.53×10(-8) mg PH3 mg(-1)P. The CENTR and TRANS sediments showed higher concentrations of total phosphorus (TP), organic phosphorus (OP) and APA than the GLAC sediments, indicating that glacial activity had an important effect on the spatial variability in the concentrations of MBP and phosphorus fractions. There existed a significant positive correlation (p<0.01) between MBP and seawater depths, OP, TP, APA, total organic matter, total nitrogen and total sulfur. The multiple stepwise regression model ([MBP]=16.1[OP]+18.6[APA]-26.1pH+221.3) was obtained between MBP concentrations and environmental variables. This model could be used to predict MBP levels in the sediments. Our results indicated that the production of MBP was associated with OP decomposition and microbially mediated factors in the sediments of Kongsfjorden in Arctic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renbin Zhu
- Institute of Polar Environment, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei City, Anhui Province 230026, PR China.
| | - Wei Ding
- Institute of Polar Environment, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei City, Anhui Province 230026, PR China
| | - Lijun Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, PR China
| | - Qing Wang
- Institute of Polar Environment, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei City, Anhui Province 230026, PR China
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Zhu R, Ma D, Ding W, Bai B, Liu Y, Sun J. Occurrence of matrix-bound phosphine in polar ornithogenic tundra ecosystems: effects of alkaline phosphatase activity and environmental variables. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2011; 409:3789-3800. [PMID: 21762959 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.06.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2011] [Revised: 06/13/2011] [Accepted: 06/16/2011] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Phosphine (PH(3)), a reduced phosphorus compound, is a highly toxic and reactive atmospheric trace gas. In this study, a total of ten ornithogenic soil/sediment profiles were collected from tundra ecosystems of east Antarctica and Arctic, and matrix-bound phosphine (MBP), the phosphorus fractions and alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) were analyzed. High MBP concentrations were found in these profiles with the range from 39.59 ng kg(-1) dw to 11.77 μg kg(-1) dw. MBP showed a consistent vertical distribution pattern in almost all the soil profiles, and its concentrations increased at soil surface layers and then decreased with depths. MBP levels in the ornithogenic soils were two to three orders of magnitude lower than those in ornithogenic sediments. The yield of PH(3) as a fraction of total P in all the profiles ranged from 10(-5) to 10(-9) mgPH(3) mg(-1)P with higher mean PH(3) yield in the ornithogenic sediments. The ornithogenic soils showed high concentrations of total phosphorus (TP), organic phosphorus (OP), inorganic phosphorus (IP) and metal elements (Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe, Al and Ca) but low MBP levels, vice versa for the ornithogenic sediments. No correlation had been obtained between MBP concentrations and IP, OP and TP. There existed an exponential correlation (r=0.67, p<0.01) between MBP and soil/sediment moisture. MBP concentrations showed a significant positive correlation with APA (r=0.668, p<0.0001), total organic carbon (r=0.501, p<0.0001), total hydrogen (r=0.483, p<0.0001) and total sulfur (r=0.398, p<0.001), indicating that the production of MBP is associated with microbially mediated factors rather than the contents of TP, IP and OP in the P-enriched ornithogenic soils/sediments. Our results indicated that MBP is an important gaseous link in the phosphorus biogeochemical cycles of ornithogenic tundra ecosystems in Antarctica and Arctic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renbin Zhu
- Institute of Polar Environment, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei city, Anhui Province 230026, PR China.
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11
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Liu Z, Jia S, Wang B, Zhang T, Liu S. Preliminary investigation on the role of microorganisms in the production of phosphine. J Environ Sci (China) 2008; 20:885-890. [PMID: 18814587 DOI: 10.1016/s1001-0742(08)62142-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The relationships between the phosphine content and various microbial populations, activities of different enzymes were investigated firstly. The results indicated that the phosphine content of samples from various environments was positively related to total anaerobic microorganisms, organic phosphate compound-dissolving bacteria, denitrifying bacteria, and the activities of alkaline phosphatase and dehydrogenase, with correlation coefficients (R2) up to 0.93, 0.90, 0.69, 0.79, and 0.82, respectively. Results also showed that the phosphine content was not related to total aerobic microorganisms, inorganic phosphate compound-dissolving bacteria, sulfate-reducing bacteria, and the acidic phosphatase activity. Nutrients such as yeast extract and glucose were added, at a time and individually, to normal or autoclaved soil samples. The soil samples were inoculated with sulfate-reducing bacterial (SRB) enrichments and/or denitrifying bacterial (DNB) enrichment. After incubation for one month at 30 degrees C, the phosphane content of these samples was analyzed. The results indicated that the addition of glucose or yeast extract could greatly increase the phosphane content. Moreover, it was revealed that inoculation with SRB or DNB could also promote the formation of phosphine. The DNB, however, was more efficient in this regard. The highest phosphine content, about 5 times that of the control, was detected in the sample that was added with both glucose and yeast extract and inoculated with SRB and DNB simultaneously. SRB and DNB were enriched for several generations and the phosphane content of different generations was analyzed. Furthermore, SRB and DNB enrichments were inoculated into different media, in the beginning of enriching, the phosphane content was about the same for different enrichments, and differed more significantly as the enrichment process was carried further. In fourth generation, the phosphane content of DNB enrichment was about 3 times of that of SRB enrichment, indicating that the inoculation of different enrichments into different media caused the variations of the phosphine content. The highest phosphine content was detected in the sample which was inoculated with DNB enrichment into the denitrifying medium without nitrate. It is inferred from these results that microorganisms play an important role in the production of phosphine in different environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhipei Liu
- Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
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12
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Zhu R, Sun L, Kong D, Geng J, Wang N, Wang Q, Wang X. Matrix-bound phosphine in Antarctic biosphere. CHEMOSPHERE 2006; 64:1429-35. [PMID: 16504242 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2005.12.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2005] [Revised: 12/05/2005] [Accepted: 12/19/2005] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Phosphine (PH(3)) is a natural gaseous carrier of phosphorus in its geochemical cycles, and it might be of importance to the phosphorus balance of natural ecosystem. For the first time phosphine levels were investigated in the Earth's coldest, driest, and most southerly Antarctic biosphere. Matrix-bound phosphine (MBP) was found in sea animal guanos, ornithogenic sediments and soils. Phosphine concentrations varied with different sea animal guanos. Average phosphine concentrations in empire penguin, gentoo penguin, sea lion, skua and gull guanos were 2.54+/-1.28 ng kg(-1), 6.21+/-2.15 ng kg(-1), 9.12+/-4.66 ng kg(-1), 11.90+/-1.29 ng kg(-1) and 14.55+/-6.74 ng kg(-1), respectively. The contents of phosphorus in these various matrixes have an important effect on MBP concentrations. The levels of phosphine appeared an increasing tendency with the content of TP, IP and OP in sea animal guanos, ornithogenic sediments or soils. The correlation between PH(3) and Fe, Mn, Al in these matrixes was also analyzed and discussed. Phosphine showed an obviously positive correlation with Fe in sea animal guanos. However, excessively high Fe, Al and Mn may inhibit the formation of PH(3) in the ornithogenic soils or sediments in the Antarctic biosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renbin Zhu
- Institute of Polar Environment, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei city, Anhui Province 230026, PR China.
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Ding L, Wang X, Zhu Y, Edwards M, Glindemann D, Ren H. Effect of pH on phosphine production and the fate of phosphorus during anaerobic process with granular sludge. CHEMOSPHERE 2005; 59:49-54. [PMID: 15698643 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2004.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2004] [Revised: 10/02/2004] [Accepted: 10/05/2004] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The effect of pH on phosphine formation during anaerobic cultivation of granular sludge was investigated. The sludge was taken from full-scale anaerobic reactors treating brewery wastewater. Acetate and phosphate were used as the carbon source and phosphorus source respectively. After 10 days cultivation in the dark, results showed that acidic conditions were more favorable for free phosphine production. At pH 5, the optimum concentration 86.42 ng PH3 m-3 of free phosphine was obtained. The level at pH 7 was reduced to 18.53 ng PH3 m-3, about 1/5 of the maximum. The maximum concentration of matrix-bound phosphine of 3.30 ng PH3 kg-1 wet sludge was achieved at pH 6. More than 83% of the total phosphine was matrix-bound phosphine, which accounted for 0.003-0.009 per thousand of the phosphate removal, while free phosphine comprised 0.00002-0.001 per thousand of the phosphate removal. Most of the phosphorus removal from solution was turned into chemical precipitation or was adsorbed by sludge. The mechanism of the phosphate reduction-step in the formation of phosphine production is still unknown. The promotion of phosphine formation by low pH is compatible with an acidic bio-corrosion mechanism of metal particles in the sludge or of metal phosphides which form phosphine at low pH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing, 210093, P.R. China
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14
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Roels J, Huyghe G, Verstraete W. Microbially mediated phosphine emission. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2005; 338:253-265. [PMID: 15713333 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2004.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2004] [Revised: 05/22/2004] [Accepted: 07/15/2004] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
There is still a lot of controversy in literature concerning the question whether a biochemical system exists enabling micro-organisms to reduce phosphate to phosphine gas. The search for so-called 'de novo synthesised' phosphine is complicated by the fact that soils, slurries, sludges, etc., which are often used as inocula, usually contain matrix bound phosphine (MBP). Matrix bound phosphine is a general term used to indicate non-gaseous reduced phosphorus compounds that are transformed into phosphine gas upon reaction with bases or acids. A study was carried out to compare the different digestion methods, used to transform matrix bound phosphine into phosphine gas. It was demonstrated that caustic and acidic digestion methods should be used to measure the matrix bound phosphine of the inoculum prior to inoculation to avoid false positive results concerning de novo synthesis. This is especially true if anthropogenically influenced inocula possibly containing minute steel or aluminium particles are used. The comparative study on different digestion methods also revealed that the fraction of phosphorus in mild steel, converted to phosphine during acid corrosion depended on the temperature. Following these preliminary studies, anaerobic growth experiments were set up using different inocula and media to study the emission of phosphine gas. Phosphine was detected in the headspace gases and its quantity and timeframe of emission depended on the medium composition, suggesting microbially mediated formation of the gas. The amount of phosphine emitted during the growth experiments never exceeded the bound phosphine present in inocula, prior to inoculation. Hence, de novo synthesis of phosphine from phosphate could not be demonstrated. Yet, microbially mediated conversion to phosphine of hitherto unknown reduced phosphorus compounds in the inoculum was evidenced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joris Roels
- Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology (LabMET), Faculty of Applied and Biological Sciences, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium
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15
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Roels J, Verstraete W. Occurrence and origin of phosphine in landfill gas. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2004; 327:185-196. [PMID: 15172581 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2003.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2003] [Revised: 10/02/2003] [Accepted: 11/28/2003] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
A landfill (Hooge Maey, Flanders, Belgium) was subjected to an in-depth study in order to explain the origin of phosphine detected in high amounts in landfill gas, in comparison with biogas from other sources, during a previous study. The spatial and temporal variability of the phosphine concentration in landfill gas was assessed. Twenty-four wells were monitored and differences in phosphine concentration up to one log unit were observed (3.2-32.4 microg/m(3)). The phosphine concentration in each well was constant in time over a period of 4 months. No correlation was found between the phosphine concentration and methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, ethene or ethane concentration. In a series of laboratory tests, it was shown that phosphine was emitted during batch fermentation tests inoculated with landfill leachate when Fe(0) or Al(0) specimens were added. Conditions favouring corrosion of iron gave rise to higher emissions of phosphine. The phosphine concentration in the headspace of a batch test rose to 1.43 mg/m(3) after 27 days of incubation. Weight loss of corroding steel coupons correlated with phosphine emission. Calculations showed that all phosphine emitted from the 0.005 km(3) landfill (160 g/year) could be attributed to corrosion of metals. No evidence of de novo synthesis could be established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joris Roels
- Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology (LabMET), Faculty of Applied and Biological Sciences, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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16
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Morton SC, Glindemann D, Edwards MA. Phosphates, phosphites, and phosphides in environmental samples. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2003; 37:1169-1174. [PMID: 12680671 DOI: 10.1021/es020738b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The common assumption that phosphorus occurs exclusively as phosphate in the environment is deserving of increased scrutiny. If a sample contained reduced phosphorus compounds (P in an oxidation state of less than +5), standard methods of phosphorus determination would incorrectly classify the compounds mostly as organic P, although significant fractions were sometimes misclassified as orthophosphates and condensed P. The disappearance of gaseous hydrogen phosphide (PH3) from samples was a function of solution composition, in that certain acids and metals enhanced removal whereas other constituents increased PH3 stability. No previously used extraction method could detect a significant portion of reduced phosphorus in representative samples by measuring PH3 evolution, particularly for highly recalcitrant iron phosphides. Despite analytical limitations, clear evidence was gathered that reduced phosphorus compounds can be leached from cast iron to water and that reduced phosphorus is also present in the scale (rust) that forms on the metal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyuan C Morton
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 407 Durham Hall, Mail Code 0246, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0246, USA
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17
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Han SH, Zhuang YH, Zhang HX, Wang ZJ, Yang JZ. Phosphine and methane generation by the addition of organic compounds containing carbon-phosphorus bonds into incubated soil. CHEMOSPHERE 2002; 49:651-657. [PMID: 12430652 DOI: 10.1016/s0045-6535(02)00401-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Formation of phosphine and methane in anaerobic incubation systems was investigated under stirred and unstirred conditions. The PH3 and CH4 levels in the headspace, as well as the matrix-bound PH3 content in the stirred soil, significantly increased upon the addition of phosphonoacetic acid (P(O)(OH)2CH2COOH). Both the levels of matrix-bound PH3 and CH4 are positively correlated to the buffered dithionite fraction of reactive phosphorus in the soil samples, while a negative correlation was observed between matrix-bound PH3/CH4 levels and the reactive phosphorus fraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- S H Han
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing
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18
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Roels J, Van Langenhove H, Verstraete W. Determination of phosphine in biogas and sludge at ppt-levels with gas chromatography-thermionic specific detection. J Chromatogr A 2002; 952:229-37. [PMID: 12064534 DOI: 10.1016/s0021-9673(02)00084-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
A gas chromatographic (GC) system to measure free phosphine in biogas and matrix bound phosphine in manure and sludge is presented. The system consists of a sample preconcentration trap filled with glass beads, connected with a capillary GC equipped with a thermionic specific detector. With a trap temperature as low as -155 degrees C, a sampling flow of 20 ml/min and a typical total sample volume of 100 ml, free phosphine concentrations in the low ng/m3 range and matrix bound phosphine in the low ng/kg dry matter range, can be accurately and reproducibly determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joris Roels
- Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology, Faculty of Applied and Biological Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium
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19
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Roels J, Verstraete W. Biological formation of volatile phosphorus compounds. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2001; 79:243-250. [PMID: 11499578 DOI: 10.1016/s0960-8524(01)00032-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Phosphine and phosphides are reported to occur at numerous environmental sites such as fresh and marine sediments, landfills, faecal matter, biogas digesters and soils. The concentrations are several log units lower than the time-weighted average exposure standard, i.e. in the order of ng per m3 of gas or ng per kg material. Research about the biological formation of highly reduced gaseous phosphorus compounds dates back more than a hundred years. The early reports had to deal with a lot of scepticism. Thanks to new analytical tools (gas chromatography) it has become clear, during the last decade, that phosphine is a global constituent of the atmosphere. Pure strains of micro-organisms cultivated under highly anaerobic conditions were shown to produce phosphine. Thermodynamic considerations indicate that it is very improbable that the reduction of phosphate to phosphine is endergonic. Therefore the generation of phosphine cannot be compared with sulphidogenesis and methanogenesis. There seems to be a link between the existence of highly reactive gaseous phosphorus compounds and increased levels of metal corrosion. The reactive compounds could be formed by micro-organisms or they are liberated from phosphorus-containing impurities in the iron by the action of bacterial metabolites. The biochemical pathways responsible for the production of gaseous phosphorus compounds have not been characterised yet.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Roels
- Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology, Faculty of Applied and Biological Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium
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20
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Ha SH, Zhuang YH, Liu JA, Glindemann D. Phosphorus cycling through phosphine in paddy fields. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2000; 258:195-203. [PMID: 11007290 DOI: 10.1016/s0048-9697(00)00570-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Phosphine emission fluxes from paddy fields, phosphine ambient levels in air, and the vertical profile of matrix-bound phosphine in soil have been measured throughout the growing season of rice in Beijing, China. It was found that both the seasonal and diurnal emission fluxes and ambient levels fluctuate significantly. During the drainage period, phosphine released from the soil with the highest diurnal average flux on the first period of drainage (approx. 17.7 ng m(-2) h(-1)), whereas its highest ambient level (approx. 250 ng m(-3)) occurred at 06.00 h. During the flooded period, phosphine emission was low, and the peaks of phosphine emissions occurred at midnight. The average flux of PH3 emission for the whole season was found to be approximately 1.78 ng m(-2) h(-1). The mass fraction of matrix-bound phosphine is approximately 0.18 approximately 1.42 x 10(-7) (m/m) part of organic phosphorus or 3.4 approximately 9.2 x 10(-9) (m/m) part of total phosphorus in paddy soil. The amount of phosphine emitted to the atmosphere was only a small fraction of the phosphine that remained in the soil in the matrix-bound form. Soil serves both as the source and the sink of PH3.
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Affiliation(s)
- S H Ha
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, Germany
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Jenkins RO, Morris TA, Craig PJ, Ritchie AW, Ostah N. Phosphine generation by mixed- and monoseptic-cultures of anaerobic bacteria. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2000; 250:73-81. [PMID: 10811253 DOI: 10.1016/s0048-9697(00)00368-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
A microbial basis for bioreductive generation of phosphine is proposed, which could account at least in part for the presence of this toxic gas in natural anaerobic environments and in sewage and landfill gases. Phosphine generation under anaerobic growth conditions was dependent upon both the culture inoculum source (animal faeces) and enrichment culture conditions. Phosphine was detected in headspace gases from mixed cultures under conditions promoting fermentative growth of mixed acid and butyric acid bacteria, either in the presence or absence of methane generation. Monoseptic cultures of certain mixed acid fermentors (Escherichia coli, Salmonella gallinarum, and Salmonella arizonae) and solvent fermentors (Clostridium sporogenes, Clostridium acetobutyricum and Clostridium cochliarium) also generated phosphine. Such fermentative bacteria participate in the multi-stage process of methanogenesis in nature. Generation of phosphine by these bacteria, rather than by methanoarchaea themselves, could explain the apparent correlation between methanogenesis and the formation of phosphine in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- R O Jenkins
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Applied Sciences, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK.
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Devai I, DeLaune R, Devai G, Patrick, Jr. W, Czegeny I. Phosphine Production Potential of Various Wastewater and Sewage Sludge Sources. ANAL LETT 1999. [DOI: 10.1080/00032719908542909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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