Microbial acetogenesis as a source of organic acids in ancient Atlantic Coastal Plain sediments

Abstract

Research Article| October 01, 1996 Microbial acetogenesis as a source of organic acids in ancient Atlantic Coastal Plain sediments Francis H. Chapelle; Francis H. Chapelle 1U.S. Geological Survey, 720 Gracern Road, Suite 129, Columbia, South Carolina 29210 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Paul M. Bradley Paul M. Bradley 1U.S. Geological Survey, 720 Gracern Road, Suite 129, Columbia, South Carolina 29210 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Francis H. Chapelle 1U.S. Geological Survey, 720 Gracern Road, Suite 129, Columbia, South Carolina 29210 Paul M. Bradley 1U.S. Geological Survey, 720 Gracern Road, Suite 129, Columbia, South Carolina 29210 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1996) 24 (10): 925–928. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1996)024<0925:MAAASO>2.3.CO;2 Article history First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Francis H. Chapelle, Paul M. Bradley; Microbial acetogenesis as a source of organic acids in ancient Atlantic Coastal Plain sediments. Geology 1996;; 24 (10): 925–928. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1996)024<0925:MAAASO>2.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Field and laboratory evidence shows that deeply buried (90–888 m) fine-grained sediments of the Atlantic Coastal Plain contain viable acetogenic microorganisms, and that these microorganisms actively produce organic acids. Concentrations of formate, acetate, and propionate in pore waters extracted from fine-grained sediments ranged from 50 μM to 5 mM and were much higher than in adjacent pore waters associated with sandy sediments (<2 μM). Laboratory studies showed that asceptically cored fine-grained sediments incubated under a H2 atmosphere produced formate and acetate, and that H14CO3− was converted to 14C-acetate and 14C-formate over time. An enrichment culture of these acetogenic microorganisms was recovered from one long-term incubation that showed the presence of several morphologically distinct gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria. These microorganisms were capable of growth under autotrophic (H2 + CO2), heterotrophic (syringate), and mixotrophic (H2 + CO2 + syringate) conditions. These results suggest that microbial acetogenesis, rather than abiotic processes, is the most important organic acid-producing mechanism during low-temperature (∼ 30 °C) diagenesis of Atlantic Coastal Plain sediments. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.