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Visualizing Methane-Cycling Microbial Dynamics in Coastal Wetlands

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Published on: January 31, 2025

Methane oxidation linked to chlorite dismutation.

Laurence G Miller¹, Shaun M Baesman¹, Charlotte I Carlström²

¹United States Geological Survey Menlo Park, CA, USA.

Frontiers in Microbiology

|July 3, 2014

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Methane oxidation coupled to oxygen from chlorite dismutation was observed. Perchlorate and chlorate reduction did not yield oxygen for methane oxidation, suggesting limited oxygen release from these processes.

Keywords:

chlorate chlorite methane oxidation perchlorate

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Area of Science:

Environmental microbiology
Biogeochemical cycles
Anaerobic oxidation

Background:

Methane (CH4) oxidation is crucial for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.
Oxygen is typically required for aerobic methane oxidation.
Alternative oxygen sources for anaerobic methane oxidation are being investigated.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate if methane oxidation can be coupled with oxygen from the dissimilatory reduction of perchlorate (ClO(-) 4), chlorate (ClO(-) 3), or chlorite (ClO(-) 2) dismutation.
To determine the potential of different oxyanions as oxygen donors for methane oxidation in anaerobic environments.

Main Methods:

Incubation of anaerobic mixed cultures and soil slurries with different oxyanions (ClO(-) 4, ClO(-) 3, ClO(-) 2).
Monitoring of chloride ion accumulation as an indicator of oxyanion reduction.
Quantification of methane (CH4) consumption using gas chromatography.
Experiments with physically separated cultures and soil to assess oxygen transfer.

Main Results:

Dissimilatory reduction of ClO(-) 4 and ClO(-) 3 was inferred from chloride accumulation but did not stimulate methane oxidation.
Chlorite (ClO(-) 2) amendment effectively stimulated methane oxidation in both pure cultures and soil enrichments.
Methane removal was observed when Dechloromonas agitata CKB was co-incubated with methanotrophs and ClO(-) 2, requiring physical separation for oxygen partitioning.

Conclusions:

Chlorite (ClO(-) 2) dismutation can provide oxygen for methane oxidation in anaerobic environments.
Perchlorate (ClO(-) 4) and chlorate (ClO(-) 3) reduction do not appear to supply sufficient oxygen for coupled methane oxidation.
The enzymatic release of oxygen during perchlorate reduction is likely negligible or unavailable to aerobic methanotrophs.