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Miyajima Y, Aoyagi T, Yoshioka H, Hori T, Takahashi HA, Tanaka M, Tsukasaki A, Goto S, Suzumura M. Impact of Concurrent aerobic-anaerobic Methanotrophy on Methane Emission from Marine Sediments in Gas Hydrate Area. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:4979-4988. [PMID: 38445630 PMCID: PMC10956523 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c09484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Microbial methane oxidation has a significant impact on the methane flux from marine gas hydrate areas. However, the environmental fate of methane remains poorly constrained. We quantified the relative contributions of aerobic and anaerobic methanotrophs to methane consumption in sediments of the gas hydrate-bearing Sakata Knoll, Japan, by in situ geochemical and microbiological analyses coupled with 13C-tracer incubation experiments. The anaerobic ANME-1 and ANME-2 species contributed to the oxidation of 33.2 and 1.4% methane fluxes at 0-10 and 10-22 cm below the seafloor (bsf), respectively. Although the aerobic Methylococcaceae species consumed only 0.9% methane flux in the oxygen depleted 0.0-0.5 cmbsf zone, their metabolic activity was sustained down to 6 cmbsf (based on rRNA and lipid biosyntheses), increasing their contribution to 10.3%. Our study emphasizes that the co-occurrence of aerobic and anaerobic methanotrophy at the redox transition zone is an important determinant of methane flux.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Miyajima
- Research
Institute for Geo-Resources and Environment, Geological Survey of
Japan, National Institute of Advanced Industrial
Science and Technology (AIST), Central 7, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8567, Japan
| | - Tomo Aoyagi
- Environmental
Management Research Institute, National
Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 16-1 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8569, Japan
| | - Hideyoshi Yoshioka
- Research
Institute for Geo-Resources and Environment, Geological Survey of
Japan, National Institute of Advanced Industrial
Science and Technology (AIST), Central 7, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8567, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Hori
- Environmental
Management Research Institute, National
Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 16-1 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8569, Japan
| | - Hiroshi A. Takahashi
- Research
Institute of Earthquake and Volcano Geology, Geological Survey of
Japan, National Institute of Advanced Industrial
Science and Technology (AIST), Central 7, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8567, Japan
| | - Minako Tanaka
- KANSO
TECHNOS Co., Ltd., 14 Kanda Higashimatsushita-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0042, Japan
| | - Ayumi Tsukasaki
- Environmental
Management Research Institute, National
Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 16-1 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8569, Japan
| | - Shusaku Goto
- Research
Institute for Geo-Resources and Environment, Geological Survey of
Japan, National Institute of Advanced Industrial
Science and Technology (AIST), Central 7, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8567, Japan
| | - Masahiro Suzumura
- Environmental
Management Research Institute, National
Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 16-1 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8569, Japan
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Di P, Li N, Chen L, Feng J, Chen D. Elevated nutrients and surface chlorophyll-α associated with natural methane seeps in the Haima cold seep area of the Qiongdongnan Basin, northern South China Sea. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 191:114873. [PMID: 37031642 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Cold seeps are a significant source of methane to the ocean. However, nutrients and Chl-α in the euphotic layer overlying cold seeps have been poorly studied. Variations in Chl-α, nutrients, environmental parameters, and CH4 concentrations in the Haima cold seeps were analyzed. Results show that the overlying water exhibits a typical low nutrient and low Chl-α marine environment. Phosphate and Chl-α were significantly elevated, and the average SCM in cold seeps was much higher than that in control stations. Spearman correlation analysis indicated Chl-α in cold seep was positively correlated with salinity and negatively with nutrient and CH4 concentrations. It implied that the CH4 concentrations may promote the increase of Chl-α, and may be linked to CH4 plumes, bringing cold, nutrient-rich waters to the thermocline. However, due to the CH4 plumes hardly to track, more sampling is needed to determine the effects on Chl-α and phytoplankton in the euphotic layer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Di
- Key Laboratory of Ocean and Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511481, China.
| | - Niu Li
- Key Laboratory of Ocean and Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511481, China
| | - Linying Chen
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hadal Science and Technology, College of Marine Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Junxi Feng
- MNR Key Laboratory of Marine Mineral Resources, Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey, Ministry of Natural Resources, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510075, China
| | - Duofu Chen
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hadal Science and Technology, College of Marine Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
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Padilla AM, Weber TC. Acoustic backscattering observations from non-spherical gas bubbles with ka between 0.03 and 4.4. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 149:2504. [PMID: 33940916 DOI: 10.1121/10.0004246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The study of gas bubbles in liquid media is of importance in many areas of research. Gas bubbles are often studied using in situ measurement techniques; however, acoustic inversion techniques have also been used to extract physical properties of gas bubbles. These inversion techniques rely on existing analytical scattering models; however, these models often assume that the gas bubbles are spherical in shape and have an equivalent bubble radius, a, that is small compared to the incident acoustic wavelength (ka ≪ 1), which is not always valid. This study aims to understand how the departure from these assumptions affects the acoustic backscattering cross section, σbs, of non-spherical gas bubbles. Experimental estimates of σbs of non-spherical gas bubbles of different sizes, with ka values ranging between 0.03 and 4.4, were compared to four commonly known analytical σbs models. All models performed equally at predicting σbs for ka smaller than 0.5; however, there was no model that better predicted the experimental estimates of σbs for ka larger than 0.5, regardless of bubble shape. Large variabilities in the experimental estimates of σbs are observed for ka larger than 0.5, which are caused by the variability in bubble shape and size, as well as the bubble's orientation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra M Padilla
- School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering, University of New Hampshire, 8 College Road, Durham, New Hampshire 03824, USA
| | - Thomas C Weber
- Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping, University of New Hampshire, 24 Colovos Road, Durham, New Hampshire 03824, USA
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Mazzini A, Sciarra A, Etiope G, Sadavarte P, Houweling S, Pandey S, Husein A. Relevant methane emission to the atmosphere from a geological gas manifestation. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4138. [PMID: 33602990 PMCID: PMC7892996 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83369-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Quantifying natural geological sources of methane (CH4) allows to improve the assessment of anthropogenic emissions to the atmosphere from fossil fuel industries. The global CH4 flux of geological gas is, however, an object of debate. Recent fossil (14C-free) CH4 measurements in preindustrial-era ice cores suggest very low global geological emissions (~ 1.6 Tg year-1), implying a larger fossil fuel industry source. This is however in contrast with previously published bottom-up and top-down geo-emission estimates (~ 45 Tg year-1) and even regional-scale emissions of ~ 1-2 Tg year-1. Here we report on significant geological CH4 emissions from the Lusi hydrothermal system (Indonesia), measured by ground-based and satellite (TROPOMI) techniques. Both techniques indicate a total CH4 output of ~ 0.1 Tg year-1, equivalent to the minimum value of global geo-emission derived by ice core 14CH4 estimates. Our results are consistent with the order of magnitude of the emission factors of large seeps used in global bottom-up estimates, and endorse a substantial contribution from natural Earth's CH4 degassing. The preindustrial ice core assessments of geological CH4 release may be underestimated and require further study. Satellite measurements can help to test geological CH4 emission factors and explain the gap between the contrasting estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriano Mazzini
- Centre for Earth Evolution and Dynamics (CEED), University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Alessandra Sciarra
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, via di Vigna Murata 605, 00143, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Etiope
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, via di Vigna Murata 605, 00143, Rome, Italy
- Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, Babes Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Pankaj Sadavarte
- SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research, Earth Science Group (ESG), Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Climate, Air and Sustainability, TNO, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Sander Houweling
- SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research, Earth Science Group (ESG), Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Earth Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sudhanshu Pandey
- SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research, Earth Science Group (ESG), Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Alwi Husein
- Pusat Pengendalian Lumpur Sidoarjo (PPLS), Suarabaya, Indonesia
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Using Time-Series Videos to Quantify Methane Bubbles Flux from Natural Cold Seeps in the South China Sea. MINERALS 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/min10030216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Natural cold seeps are an important source of methane and other greenhouse gases to the ocean and atmosphere in the marine environment. Accurate quantification of methane bubble fluxes from cold seeps is vital for evaluating their influence on the global methane budget and climate change. We quantified the flux of gas bubbles released from two natural cold seep sites in the South China Sea: one seep vent in the Haima cold seeps (1400 m depth) and three seep vents at Site F (1200 m depth). We determined bubble diameter, size distribution, and bubble release rate using image processing techniques and a semiautomatic bubble-counting algorithm. The bubble size distributions fit well to log-normal distribution, with median bubble diameters between 2.54 mm and 6.17 mm. The average bubble diameters and release rates (4.8–26.1 bubbles s−1) in Site F was lower than that in Haima cold seeps (22.6 bubbles s−1), which may be attributed to a variety of factors such as the nature of the gas reservoir, hydrostatic pressure, migration pathways in the sediments, and pore size. The methane fluxes emitted at Haima cold seeps (12.6 L h−1) and at Site F (4.9 L h−1) indicate that the Haima and Site F cold seeps in the South China Sea may be a source of methane to the ocean. However, temporal variations in the bubble release rate and the geochemical characteristics of the seeps were not constrained in this study due to the short observational time interval.
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6
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Sirhan ST, Katsman R, Lazar M. Methane Bubble Ascent within Fine-Grained Cohesive Aquatic Sediments: Dynamics and Controlling Factors. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:6320-6329. [PMID: 31042027 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b06848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Methane (CH4) is a potent greenhouse gas. Its release from aquatic sediments to the water column and potentially to the atmosphere, is a subject of great concern. A coupled macroscopic single-bubble mechanical/reaction-transport numerical model was used to explore the ascent of a mature CH4 bubble toward the seafloor in muddy aquatic sediment. Two bubble ascent scenarios were demonstrated: stable and dynamic. For small effective overburden loads (≤11 kPa), stable ascent is followed by dynamic ascent (which has not been previously demonstrated to the best of the our knowledge). This ultimately leads to the bubble being released to the water column. Higher effective overburden loads induce only stable bubble ascent, which stops at the gas horizon frequently observed below the seafloor. The depth of the gas horizon increases, while bubble rise velocity decreases with an increase in the overburden load. It is shown that the bubble migration scenario is managed predominantly by inner bubble pressure, which defines a bubble solute exchange with ambient porewaters. Predicting a bubble ascent scenario in muddy sediment will further allow estimation of CH4 emission to the atmosphere and evaluation of changes in the effective mechanical properties of aquatic sediment due to the ascending bubbles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahrazad Tarboush Sirhan
- The Dr. Moses Strauss Department of Marine Geosciences , The University of Haifa , 199 Aba Khoushy Avenue , Haifa , Mount Carmel 3498838 , Israel
| | - Regina Katsman
- The Dr. Moses Strauss Department of Marine Geosciences , The University of Haifa , 199 Aba Khoushy Avenue , Haifa , Mount Carmel 3498838 , Israel
| | - Michael Lazar
- The Dr. Moses Strauss Department of Marine Geosciences , The University of Haifa , 199 Aba Khoushy Avenue , Haifa , Mount Carmel 3498838 , Israel
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8
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Meister P, Wiedling J, Lott C, Bach W, Kuhfuß H, Wegener G, Böttcher ME, Deusner C, Lichtschlag A, Bernasconi SM, Weber M. Anaerobic methane oxidation inducing carbonate precipitation at abiogenic methane seeps in the Tuscan archipelago (Italy). PLoS One 2018; 13:e0207305. [PMID: 30566474 PMCID: PMC6300204 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Seepage of methane (CH4) on land and in the sea may significantly affect Earth's biogeochemical cycles. However processes of CH4 generation and consumption, both abiotic and microbial, are not always clear. We provide new geochemical and isotope data to evaluate if a recently discovered CH4 seepage from the shallow seafloor close to the Island of Elba (Tuscany) and two small islands nearby are derived from abiogenic or biogenic sources and whether carbonate encrusted vents are the result of microbial or abiotic processes. Emission of gas bubbles (predominantly CH4) from unlithified sands was observed at seven spots in an area of 100 m2 at Pomonte (Island of Elba), with a total rate of 234 ml m-2 d-1. The measured carbon isotope values of CH4 of around -18‰ (VPDB) in combination with the measured δ2H value of -120‰ (VSMOW) and the inverse correlation of δ13C-value with carbon number of hydrocarbon gases are characteristic for sites of CH4 formation through abiogenic processes, specifically abiogenic formation of CH4 via reduction of CO2 by H2. The H2 for methanogenesis likely derives from ophiolitic host rock within the Ligurian accretionary prism. The lack of hydrothermal activity allows CH4 gas to become decoupled from the stagnant aqueous phase. Hence no hyperalkaline fluid is currently released at the vent sites. Within the seep area a decrease in porewater sulphate concentrations by ca. 5 mmol/l relative to seawater and a concomitant increase in sulphide and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) indicate substantial activity of sulphate-dependent anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM). In absence of any other dissimilatory pathway, the δ13C-values between -17 and -5‰ in dissolved inorganic carbon and aragonite cements suggest that the inorganic carbon is largely derived from CH4. The formation of seep carbonates is thus microbially induced via anaerobic oxidation of abiotic CH4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Meister
- Department of Geodynamics and Sedimentology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Johanna Wiedling
- HYDRA Marine Sciences GmbH, Sinzheim, Germany and HYDRA Field Station Elba, Italy
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Christian Lott
- HYDRA Marine Sciences GmbH, Sinzheim, Germany and HYDRA Field Station Elba, Italy
| | - Wolfgang Bach
- MARUM–Center for Marine Environmental Research, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Hanna Kuhfuß
- HYDRA Marine Sciences GmbH, Sinzheim, Germany and HYDRA Field Station Elba, Italy
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Gunter Wegener
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
- MARUM–Center for Marine Environmental Research, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Michael E. Böttcher
- Geochemistry & Isotope Biogeochemistry Group, Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research (IOW), Warnemünde, Germany
| | | | - Anna Lichtschlag
- National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Water Front Campus, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | | | - Miriam Weber
- HYDRA Marine Sciences GmbH, Sinzheim, Germany and HYDRA Field Station Elba, Italy
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
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9
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Improved Visualization of Hydroacoustic Plumes Using the Split-Beam Aperture Coherence. SENSORS 2018; 18:s18072033. [PMID: 29941840 PMCID: PMC6069103 DOI: 10.3390/s18072033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Revised: 06/04/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Natural seepage of methane into the oceans is considerable, and plays a role in the global carbon cycle. Estimating the amount of this greenhouse gas entering the water column is important in order to understand their environmental impact. In addition, leakage from man-made structures such as gas pipelines may have environmental and economical consequences and should be promptly detected. Split beam echo sounders (SBES) detect hydroacoustic plumes due to the significant contrast in acoustic impedance between water and free gas. SBES are also powerful tools for plume characterization, with the ability to provide absolute acoustic measurements, estimate bubble trajectories, and capture the frequency dependent response of bubbles. However, under challenging conditions such as deep water and considerable background noise, it can be difficult to detect the presence of gas seepage from the acoustic imagery alone. The spatial coherence of the wavefield measured across the split beam sectors, quantified by the coherence factor (CF), is a computationally simple, easily available quantity which complements the acoustic imagery and may ease the ability to automatically or visually detect bubbles in the water column. We demonstrate the benefits of CF processing using SBES data from the Hudson Canyon, acquired using the Simrad EK80 SBES. We observe that hydroacoustic plumes appear more clearly defined and are easier to detect in the CF imagery than in the acoustic backscatter images.
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10
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Bryukhanov AL, Vlasova MA, Malakhova TV, Perevalova AA, Pimenov NV. Phylogenetic Diversity of the Sulfur Cycle Bacteria in the Bottom Sediments of the Chersonesus Bay. Microbiology (Reading) 2018. [DOI: 10.1134/s0026261718030025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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11
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Singh R, Guzman MS, Bose A. Anaerobic Oxidation of Ethane, Propane, and Butane by Marine Microbes: A Mini Review. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:2056. [PMID: 29109712 PMCID: PMC5660070 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.02056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The deep ocean and its sediments are a continuous source of non-methane short-chain alkanes (SCAs) including ethane, propane, and butane. Their high global warming potential, and contribution to local carbon and sulfur budgets has drawn significant scientific attention. Importantly, microbes can use gaseous alkanes and oxidize them to CO2, thus acting as effective biofilters. A relative decrease of these gases with a concomitant 13C enrichment of propane and n-butane in interstitial waters vs. the source suggests microbial anaerobic oxidation. The reported uncoupling of sulfate-reduction (SR) from anaerobic methane oxidation supports their microbial consumption. To date, strain BuS5 isolated from the sediments of Guaymas Basin, Gulf of California, is the only pure culture that can anaerobically degrade propane and n-butane. This organism belongs to a metabolically diverse cluster within the Deltaproteobacteria called Desulfosarcina/Desulfococcus. Other phylotypes involved in gaseous alkane degradation were identified based on stable-isotope labeling and fluorescence in-situ hybridization. A novel syntrophic association of the archaeal genus, Candidatus Syntrophoarchaeum, and a thermophilic SR bacterium, HotSeep-1 was recently discovered from the Guaymas basin, Gulf of California that can anaerobically oxidize n-butane. Strikingly, metagenomic data and the draft genomes of ca. Syntrophoarchaeum suggest that this organism uses a novel mechanism for n-butane oxidation, distinct from the well-established fumarate addition mechanism. These recent findings indicate that a lot remains to be understood about our understanding of anaerobic SCA degradation. This mini-review summarizes our current understanding of microbial anaerobic SCA degradation, and provides an outlook for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajesh Singh
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Michael S Guzman
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Arpita Bose
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
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12
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Vielstädte L, Haeckel M, Karstens J, Linke P, Schmidt M, Steinle L, Wallmann K. Shallow Gas Migration along Hydrocarbon Wells-An Unconsidered, Anthropogenic Source of Biogenic Methane in the North Sea. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:10262-10268. [PMID: 28763203 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b02732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Shallow gas migration along hydrocarbon wells constitutes a potential methane emission pathway that currently is not recognized in any regulatory framework or greenhouse gas inventory. Recently, the first methane emission measurements at three abandoned offshore wells in the Central North Sea (CNS) were conducted showing that considerable amounts of biogenic methane originating from shallow gas accumulations in the overburden of deep reservoirs were released by the boreholes. Here, we identify numerous wells poking through shallow gas pockets in 3-D seismic data of the CNS indicating that about one-third of the wells may leak, potentially releasing a total of 3-17 kt of methane per year into the North Sea. This poses a significant contribution to the North Sea methane budget. A large fraction of this gas (∼42%) may reach the atmosphere via direct bubble transport (0-2 kt yr-1) and via diffusive exchange of methane dissolving in the surface mixed layer (1-5 kt yr-1), as indicated by numerical modeling. In the North Sea and in other hydrocarbon-prolific provinces of the world shallow gas pockets are frequently observed in the sedimentary overburden and aggregate leakages along the numerous wells drilled in those areas may be significant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Vielstädte
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel , 24148 Kiel, Germany
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University , Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Matthias Haeckel
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel , 24148 Kiel, Germany
| | - Jens Karstens
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel , 24148 Kiel, Germany
| | - Peter Linke
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel , 24148 Kiel, Germany
| | - Mark Schmidt
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel , 24148 Kiel, Germany
| | - Lea Steinle
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel , 24148 Kiel, Germany
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel , 4001 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Klaus Wallmann
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel , 24148 Kiel, Germany
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13
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An extensive pockmark field on the upper Atlantic margin of Southeast Brazil: spatial analysis and its relationship with salt diapirism. Heliyon 2017; 3:e00257. [PMID: 28275740 PMCID: PMC5328937 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2017.e00257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2016] [Revised: 02/17/2017] [Accepted: 02/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
We present new evidence for the existence of a large pockmark field on the continental slope of the Santos Basin, offshore southeast Brazil. A recent high-resolution multibeam bathymetric survey revealed 984 pockmarks across a smooth seabed at water depths of 300–700 m. Four patterns of pockmark arrays were identified in the data: linear, network, concentric, and radial. Interpretation of Two-dimensional multi-channel seismic reflection profiles that crosscut the surveyed area shows numerous salt diapirs in various stages of development (e.g. salt domes, walls, and anticlines). Some diapirs were exposed on the seafloor, whereas the tops of others (diapir heads) were situated several hundreds of meters below the surface. Extensional faults typically cap these diapirs and reach shallow depths beneath the seafloor. Our analysis suggests that these pockmark patterns are linked to stages in the development of underlying diapirs and their related faults. The latter may extend above salt walls, take the form of polygonal extensional faults along higher-level salt anticlines, or concentric faults above diapir heads that reach close to the seafloor. Seismic data also revealed buried pockmark fields that had repeatedly developed since the Middle Miocene. The close spatio-temporal connection between pockmark and diapir distribution identified here suggests that the pockmark field extends further across the Campos and Espírito Santo Basins, offshore Brazil. Spatial overlap between the pockmark field topping a large diapir field and a proliferous hydrocarbon basin is believed to have facilitated the escape of fluid/gas from the subsurface to the water column, which was enhanced by halokinesis. This provides a possible control on fossil gas contribution to the marine system over geological time.
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14
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The Bubble Box: Towards an Automated Visual Sensor for 3D Analysis and Characterization of Marine Gas Release Sites. SENSORS 2015; 15:30716-35. [PMID: 26690168 PMCID: PMC4721745 DOI: 10.3390/s151229825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2015] [Accepted: 12/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Several acoustic and optical techniques have been used for characterizing natural and anthropogenic gas leaks (carbon dioxide, methane) from the ocean floor. Here, single-camera based methods for bubble stream observation have become an important tool, as they help estimating flux and bubble sizes under certain assumptions. However, they record only a projection of a bubble into the camera and therefore cannot capture the full 3D shape, which is particularly important for larger, non-spherical bubbles. The unknown distance of the bubble to the camera (making it appear larger or smaller than expected) as well as refraction at the camera interface introduce extra uncertainties. In this article, we introduce our wide baseline stereo-camera deep-sea sensor bubble box that overcomes these limitations, as it observes bubbles from two orthogonal directions using calibrated cameras. Besides the setup and the hardware of the system, we discuss appropriate calibration and the different automated processing steps deblurring, detection, tracking, and 3D fitting that are crucial to arrive at a 3D ellipsoidal shape and rise speed of each bubble. The obtained values for single bubbles can be aggregated into statistical bubble size distributions or fluxes for extrapolation based on diffusion and dissolution models and large scale acoustic surveys. We demonstrate and evaluate the wide baseline stereo measurement model using a controlled test setup with ground truth information.
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Malakhova TV, Kanapatskii TA, Egorov VN, Malakhova LV, Artemov YG, Evtushenko DB, Gulin SB, Pimenov NV. Microbial processes and genesis of methane gas jets in the coastal areas of the Crimean Peninsula. Microbiology (Reading) 2015. [DOI: 10.1134/s0026261715060053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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Vazquez A, Manasseh R, Chicharro R. Can acoustic emissions be used to size bubbles seeping from a sediment bed? Chem Eng Sci 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2015.03.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Römer M, Sahling H, Pape T, Bohrmann G, Spieß V. Quantification of gas bubble emissions from submarine hydrocarbon seeps at the Makran continental margin (offshore Pakistan). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012. [DOI: 10.1029/2011jc007424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Barry MA, Boudreau BP, Johnson BD, Reed AH. First-order description of the mechanical fracture behavior of fine-grained surficial marine sediments during gas bubble growth. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.1029/2010jf001833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Shakhova N, Semiletov I, Leifer I, Salyuk A, Rekant P, Kosmach D. Geochemical and geophysical evidence of methane release over the East Siberian Arctic Shelf. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.1029/2009jc005602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Identification of novel methane-, ethane-, and propane-oxidizing bacteria at marine hydrocarbon seeps by stable isotope probing. Appl Environ Microbiol 2010; 76:6412-22. [PMID: 20675448 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00271-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Marine hydrocarbon seeps supply oil and gas to microorganisms in sediments and overlying water. We used stable isotope probing (SIP) to identify aerobic bacteria oxidizing gaseous hydrocarbons in surface sediment from the Coal Oil Point seep field located offshore of Santa Barbara, California. After incubating sediment with (13)C-labeled methane, ethane, or propane, we confirmed the incorporation of (13)C into fatty acids and DNA. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis and sequencing of the 16S rRNA and particulate methane monooxygenase (pmoA) genes in (13)C-DNA revealed groups of microbes not previously thought to contribute to methane, ethane, or propane oxidation. First, (13)C methane was primarily assimilated by Gammaproteobacteria species from the family Methylococcaceae, Gammaproteobacteria related to Methylophaga, and Betaproteobacteria from the family Methylophilaceae. Species of the latter two genera have not been previously shown to oxidize methane and may have been cross-feeding on methanol, but species of both genera were heavily labeled after just 3 days. pmoA sequences were affiliated with species of Methylococcaceae, but most were not closely related to cultured methanotrophs. Second, (13)C ethane was consumed by members of a novel group of Methylococcaceae. Growth with ethane as the major carbon source has not previously been observed in members of the Methylococcaceae; a highly divergent pmoA-like gene detected in the (13)C-labeled DNA may encode an ethane monooxygenase. Third, (13)C propane was consumed by members of a group of unclassified Gammaproteobacteria species not previously linked to propane oxidation. This study identifies several bacterial lineages as participants in the oxidation of gaseous hydrocarbons in marine seeps and supports the idea of an alternate function for some pmoA-like genes.
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Algar CK, Boudreau BP. Stability of bubbles in a linear elastic medium: Implications for bubble growth in marine sediments. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.1029/2009jf001312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Greinert J, McGinnis DF, Naudts L, Linke P, De Batist M. Atmospheric methane flux from bubbling seeps: Spatially extrapolated quantification from a Black Sea shelf area. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.1029/2009jc005381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Wasmund K, Kurtböke DI, Burns KA, Bourne DG. Microbial diversity in sediments associated with a shallow methane seep in the tropical Timor Sea of Australia reveals a novel aerobic methanotroph diversity. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2009; 68:142-51. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6941.2009.00667.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
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