Influence of salinity on dimethyl sulfide and methanethiol formation in estuarine sediments and its side effect on nitrous oxide emissions

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2012

Authors

Magalhaes, C (Author) Other; Salgado, P (Author) Other; Kiene, RP (Author) Other; Adriano Bordalo (Author) ICBAS

Journal

Title: Biogeochemistry

Vol. 110

Pages: 75-86

ISSN: 0168-2563

Publisher: Springer Nature

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 10 Citations

Scopus - 10 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-002-5YM

DOI: 10.1007/s10533-011-9690-z

Abstract (EN): We investigated the regulatory effect of salinity on the production of dimethylsulfide (DMS) and methanethiol (MeSH) in estuarine sediments and the potential interactions with the nitrous oxide (N2O) reductase step of the denitrification pathway. This was achieved by monitoring DMS, MeSH and N2O accumulation in sediment slurries retrieved from a temperate estuary (Ave, NW Portugal). Treatments were performed with and without amendments of potential sulfur gas precursors, DMSP (0-50 mu M) or methionine (0-500 mu M) at different salinities (0, 15 and 30 ppt). Experimental increases of salinity inhibited DMS accumulation under both oxic and anoxic incubation conditions, and the pattern was observed whether DMSP or methionine was added or not, i.e. lower salinities stimulated DMS net production. In contrast, MeSH tended to accumulate to higher concentrations in higher salinity treatments (15 and 30 ppt). Our results also suggest that while salinity had a direct influence on N2O accumulation, it also may modulated N2O production through its regulatory effect on the formation of MeSH, a compound previously shown to inhibit N2O reduction activity. Overall, our results suggest that changes in salinity may have an important regulatory role in net production of DMS, MeSH and N2O and their potential emissions to the atmosphere.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 12