Relative contributions of mercury bioavailability and microbial growth rate on net methylmercury production by anaerobic mixed cultures.

ABSTRACT: Monomethylmercury (MeHg) is produced in many aquatic environments by anaerobic microorganisms that take up and methylate inorganic forms of Hg(II). Net methylation of Hg(II) appears to be correlated with factors that affect the activity of the anaerobic microbial community and factors that increase the bioavailability of Hg(II) to these organisms. However, the relative importance of one versus the other is difficult to elucidate even though this information can greatly assist remediation efforts and risk assessments. Here, we investigated the effects of Hg speciation (dissolved Hg and nanoparticulate HgS) and microbial activity on the net production of MeHg using two mixed microbial cultures that were enriched from marine sediments under sulfate reducing conditions. The cultures were amend

SUBMITTER: Kucharzyk KH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4782143 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature