Geochemical, Genetic, and Community Controls on Mercury

Wall, Judy D.

关键词: Sulfate-reducing bacteria;    Mercury methylation;   

DOI  :  10.2172/1163496
RP-ID  :  DOE-MISSOURI-64396
PID  :  OSTI ID: 1163496

美国|英语

来源: SciTech Connect

【 摘 要 】

The sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are soil bacteria that share two common characteristics, strict anaerobiosis and the ability to respire sulfate. The metabolic activities of these bacteria play significant roles in the global sulfur cycle, anaerobic degradation of biomass, biological metal corrosion in the environment and, recently, degradation of toxic compounds. The accumulation of evidence suggests these bacteria are also key to the production of the neurotoxin methylmercury in environmental settings. We propose to use our experience with the development of genetics in sulfate-reducing bacteria of the genus Desulfovibrio to create mutations that will eliminate the methylation of mercury, thereby identifying the genes essential for this process. This information may allow the environmental monitoring of the mercury methylation potential to learn the location and quantity of the production this toxin. From these data, more accurate predictive models of mercury cycling can be generated.