Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Microbial sulphate reduction at a low pH.

Matthias Koschorreck1

  • 1Department of Lake Research, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Brückstr, Magdeburg, Germany. matthias.koschorreck@ufz.de

FEMS Microbiology Ecology
|May 1, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Depth-resolved carbon dioxide and methane concentrations in 522 lakes, ponds, and reservoirs worldwide.

Scientific data·2026
Same author

Summer drought enhances diurnal amplitude of CO<sub>2</sub> in two German rivers of different size.

Water research·2024
Same author

Dissolved organic matter quality, hydrological connectivity and microbial activity shape phosphorus buffering in river-floodplain systems.

The Science of the total environment·2024
Same author

Anaerobic degradation of excess protein-rich fish feed drives CH<sub>4</sub> ebullition in a freshwater aquaculture pond.

The Science of the total environment·2024
Same author

Metabolism and carbonate buffering drive seasonal dynamics of CO<sub>2</sub> emissions from two German reservoirs.

Water research·2023
Same author

Large-scale sampling of the freshwater microbiome suggests pollution-driven ecosystem changes.

Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)·2022
Same journal

Versatile microbial community responsible for nitrate turnover in a carbonate aquifer in southwest Germany.

FEMS microbiology ecology·2026
Same journal

Geochemistry shapes microbial diversity and selected functional traits in flowback and produced waters from hydraulically fractured formations.

FEMS microbiology ecology·2026
Same journal

Desiccation, but not shading, substantially shifts the microbial community composition of benthic microbial mats in meltwater ponds near Bratina Island, Antarctica.

FEMS microbiology ecology·2026
Same journal

Soil microbial ecology and microbiome-metabolite linkages improve understanding of ecosystem states along terrestrial-aquatic interfaces.

FEMS microbiology ecology·2026
Same journal

Electrogenic CH4 oxidation on a bioanode: putative extracellular electron transport system in Methylobacter sp.

FEMS microbiology ecology·2026
Same journal

Exploring local and regional drivers of microbial biodiversity across freshwater ponds.

FEMS microbiology ecology·2026
See all related articles

Microbial sulfate reduction occurs in acidic environments below pH 5. This review covers factors affecting low pH sulfate reduction and newly isolated acid-tolerant bacteria.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Microbiology
  • Biogeochemistry
  • Acidophile Research

Background:

  • Microbial sulfate reduction (MSR) is a key biogeochemical process.
  • Traditionally, MSR was thought to occur only in neutral or alkaline environments.
  • Recent findings confirm MSR's occurrence in environments with pH < 5.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review existing literature on sulfate reduction in low pH environments.
  • To discuss the potential effects of low pH on sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB).
  • To highlight factors influencing MSR under acidic conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies reporting MSR in acidic environments.
  • Analysis of theoretical considerations regarding pH effects on SRB.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Discussion of inhibitory factors and microbial competition.

    • Main Results:

    • MSR has been documented in diverse acidic habitats (lakes, wetlands, soils, bioreactors).
    • Key inhibitory factors include toxic metabolites (H2S, organic acids) and metal sulfide precipitation.
    • Competition with other microbial groups, such as iron-reducing bacteria, can also limit MSR.
    • Theoretical models suggest MSR alone struggles to neutralize acidic micro-niches.
    • The first acidotolerant SRB have been recently isolated.

    Conclusions:

    • Microbial sulfate reduction is feasible and occurs in environments with pH < 5.
    • Low pH presents multiple challenges for SRB, including toxicity and competition.
    • The isolation of acidotolerant SRB opens new avenues for research and application in acidic environments.