The effect of iron on the biodegradation of natural dissolved organic matter

Iron (Fe) may alter the biodegradation of dissolved organic matter (DOM), by interacting with (DOM), phosphorus (P) and microbes. We isolated DOM and a bacterial community from boreal lake water and examined bacterial growth on DOM in laboratory experiments. Fe was introduced either together with DOM (DOM-Fe) or into bacterial suspension, which led to the formation of insoluble Fe-precipitates on bacterial surfaces (Fe coating). In the latter case, the density of planktonic bacteria was an order of magnitude lower than that in the corresponding treatment without introduced Fe. The association of Fe with DOM decreased bacterial growth, respiration, and growth efficiency compared with DOM alo…

Photochemical mineralization of terrigenous DOC to dissolved inorganic carbon in ocean

When terrigenous dissolved organic carbon (tDOC) rich in chromophoric dissolved organic matter (tCDOM) enters the ocean, solar radiation mineralizes it partially into dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). This study addresses the amount and the rates of DIC photoproduction from tDOC and the area of ocean required to photomineralize tDOC. We collected water samples from 10 major rivers, mixed them with artificial seawater, and irradiated them with simulated solar radiation to measure DIC photoproduction and the photobleaching of tCDOM. The linear relationship between DIC photoproduction and tCDOM photobleaching was used to estimate the amount of photoproduced DIC from the tCDOM fluxes of the stu…

Photochemical Mineralization of Terrigenous DOC to Dissolved Inorganic Carbon in Ocean

Biologically labile photoproducts from riverine non-labile dissolved organic carbon in the coastal waters

In order to assess the production of biologically labile photoproducts (BLPs) from non-labile riverine dissolved organic carbon (DOC), we collected water samples from ten major rivers, removed labile DOC and mixed the residual non-labile DOC with artificial seawater for microbial and photochemical experiments. Bacteria grew on non-labile DOC with a growth efficiency of 11.5% (mean; range from 3.6 to 15.3%). Simulated solar radiation transformed a part of non-labile DOC into BLPs, which stimulated bacterial respiration and production, but did not change bacterial growth efficiency (BGE) compared to the non-irradiated dark controls. In the irradiated water samples, the amount of BLPs stimulat…

The effect of iron on the biodegradation of natural dissolved organic matter

Iron (Fe) may alter the biodegradation of dissolved organic matter (DOM), by interacting with DOM, phosphorus (P), and microbes. We isolated DOM and a bacterial community from boreal lake water and examined bacterial growth on DOM in laboratory experiments. Fe was introduced either together with DOM (DOM-Fe) or into bacterial suspension, which led to the formation of insoluble Fe precipitates on bacterial surfaces (Fe coating). In the latter case, the density of planktonic bacteria was an order of magnitude lower than that in the corresponding treatment without introduced Fe. The association of Fe with DOM decreased bacterial growth, respiration, and growth efficiency compared with DOM alon…