Search results for "Sulfur cycle"

2012

Abstract. Mineral dust is a major fraction of global atmospheric aerosol, and the oxidation of SO2 on mineral dust has implications for cloud formation, climate and the sulfur cycle. Stable sulfur isotopes can be used to understand the different oxidation processes occurring on mineral dust. This study presents measurements of the 34S/32S fractionation factor α34 for oxidation of SO2 on mineral dust surfaces and in the aqueous phase in mineral dust leachate. Sahara dust, which accounts for ~60% of global dust emissions and loading, was used for the experiments. The fractionation factor for aqueous oxidation in dust leachate is αleachate = 0.9917±0.0046, which is in agreement with previous m…

2012

Abstract. The oxidation of SO2 to sulfate on sea salt aerosols in the marine environment is highly important because of its effect on the size distribution of sulfate and the potential for new particle nucleation from H2SO4 (g). However, models of the sulfur cycle are not currently able to account for the complex relationship between particle size, alkalinity, oxidation pathway and rate – which is critical as SO2 oxidation by O3 and Cl catalysis are limited by aerosol alkalinity, whereas oxidation by hypohalous acids and transition metal ions can continue at low pH once alkalinity is titrated. We have measured 34S/32S fractionation factors for SO2 oxidation in sea salt, pure water and NaOCl…

Bacterial community analysis of a gas-phase biotrickling filter for biogas mimics desulfurization through the rRNA approach

2010

Abstract The bacterial composition of a lab-scale biotrickling filter (BTF) treating high loads of H 2 S was investigated by the rRNA approach. Two 16S rRNA gene clone libraries were established 42 and 189 d after reactor startup, while fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH) with DNA probes was performed throughout 260 d of reactor operation. Diversity, community structure and metamorphosis were studied from reactor startup to fully-established pseudo-steady state operation at near neutral pH and at an inlet H 2 S concentration of 2000 ppmv (load of 55.6 g H 2 S m −3  h −1 ). In addition, FISH was used for assessing the spatial distribution of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) along the len…

Stratospheric aerosol-Observations, processes, and impact on climate

2016

Interest in stratospheric aerosol and its role in climate have increased over the last decade due to the observed increase in stratospheric aerosol since 2000 and the potential for changes in the sulfur cycle induced by climate change. This review provides an overview about the advances in stratospheric aerosol research since the last comprehensive assessment of stratospheric aerosol was published in 2006. A crucial development since 2006 is the substantial improvement in the agreement between in situ and space-based inferences of stratospheric aerosol properties during volcanically quiescent periods. Furthermore, new measurement systems and techniques, both in situ and space based, have be…

The genus thiobacillus: Physiology and industrial applications

1983

This review deals with different aspects concerning the genus Thiobacillus as an obligat chemoautotroph able to oxidize reduced anorganic sulphur compounds. There are given the following topics: physiology of the genus (nutritional requirements, enzymatic complexes for sulphur oxidation, energy generation, reductive CO2 assimilation and growing in presence of organic compounds). The ecological significance of Thiobacilli in the sulphur cycle in Nature is presented. The industrial applications of Thiobacilli in respect to the leaching processes that allow the recovery of metals through oxidation and solubilization from low-grade ores are discussed, with special reference to copper and uraniu…