Biodegradation and phytotoxicity assessment of phenanthrene by biosurfactant-producing Bacillus pumilus 1529 bacteria

ABSTRACT

Phenanthrene is a toxic and mutagenic pollutant that can cause severe environmental and human health issues. The bioremediation of these polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is possible with a biosurfactant by enhancing hydrophobicity. In this study, the production of a biosurfactant by Bacillus pumilus 1529 and its effects on the phenanthrene biodegradation pathway were examined. Biosurfactant production was determined using hemolytic activity, emulsification index, and surface tension. For phenanthrene metabolite detection, samples at 0, 7, 14, and 21 incubation days were analysed by gas chromatography-mass (GC-mass) spectrometry. The results showed that Bacillus pumilus 1529 can reduce surface tension to 22.83?±?1.1?mN?m^?1. Furthermore, the GC-mass spectrometry analysis showed that 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid, benzaldehyde, o-phthalic acid, and phenylacetic acid were notable phenanthrene metabolites produced during phenanthrene biodegradation. Biodegraded phenanthrene and its metabolites have a less toxic effect on the germination of safflower seeds than non-biodegraded phenanthrene. The IC50 of phenanthrene on seed germination after biodegradation was increased to approximately 113?mg?L^?1. In general, biodegradation aided by biosurfactant producing bacteria contributed to turning the toxic phenanthrene into less harmful metabolites with lower phytotoxicity effects, indicating that its application in the bioremediation of PAHs is promising.     

Uptake of 55Fe from contaminated sediments by the polychaete Nereis diversicolor

The polychaete Nereis diversicolor O. F. Müller was exposed to marine sediments which had been contaminated with ⁵⁵Fe either through the testing of nuclear devices or by the release of liquid waste effluent from a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant. The amount of ⁵⁵Fe taken up reached a concentration in the worms about 6% of the concentration in both types of sediment. Bioavailability of ⁵⁵Fe was shown to depend on its concentration in sediment and not on sediment type, stable iron concentration, or the source of contamination. N. diversicolor may not extract from sediment the same fraction of ⁵⁵Fe as does 0.1N HCl and caution should be exercised in using such measurements to represent the bioavailable fraction.     

Short-term influence of nutrient availability on the uptake and translocation of phenanthrene in mangrove seedlings

Abstract

The uptake and distribution of phenanthrene, a typical polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, in plant tissues of Aegiceras corniculatum and Avicennia marina and the relationship with nutrient (nitrate, ammonium, and soluble reactive phosphorus) availability were investigated. After 12?h of exposure, enhancements in the concentration of nitrate and soluble reactive phosphorus markedly decreased the residual level of phenanthrene in roots, while the addition of ammonium significantly increased the residual concentration. Due to the similar enzymatic degradation potential between treatment groups, the variation of phenanthrene concentration in mangrove roots may result from the H⁺/phenanthrene cotransport at the root surface that was influenced by nutrient uptake. Moreover, both nitrate and soluble reactive phosphorus amendments significantly increased translocation of phenanthrene from roots to leaves, which likely resulted from the change of hydraulic conductivity in mangrove plants triggered by different nutrient availability.     

Nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria in aerobic granules formed in sequencing batch airlift reactors

The purpose of this study was to investigate nitrifying bacteria and denitrifying bacteria isolated from aerobic granules. Aerobic granules were formed in an internal-circulate sequencing batch airlift reactor (SBAR) and biodegradation of NH₃ ^?-N was analyzed in the reactor. Bacteria were isolated and determined from aerobic granules using selected media. The growth properties and morphology of bacteria colonies were observed by controlling aerobic or anaerobic conditions in the culture medium. It was found that bacteria in aerobic granules were diverse and some of them were facultative aerobes. The diversity of bacteria in aerobic granules was a premise of simultaneous nitrification and denitrification.     

Biodegradation of anthracene and phenanthrene by bacteria isolated from oil-contaminated soil of Bangladesh

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous environmental pollutants entering into the environment through natural and anthropogenic activities. Owing to their toxicity to various life forms including humans, detoxification of PAHs is crucial to reduce their effects on cells. In this study, we have isolated two bacteria capable of degrading two common PAHs, anthracene and phenanthrene, from contaminated soil samples by using selective enrichment culture supplemented with test PAHs as the sole source of carbon and energy. The isolated bacteria were identified and affiliated as Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain KD and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia strain RC based on their 16s rRNA gene sequences. The degradation of anthracene and phenanthrene was estimated indirectly by measuring the decolourisation extent of a redox indicator, 2, 6-dichlorophenolindophenol, incorporated into PAH-supplemented mineral salt media. In the case of anthracene, ≥90% decolourisation was recorded at 20 and 48 days for P. aeruginosa and S. Maltophilia, respectively. On the other hand, ≥94% decolourisation was recorded at 56 and 52 days for P. aeruginosa and S. maltophilia, respectively during the utilisation of phenanthrene.     

菲胁迫下湿生植物美人蕉(Canna indica)对斜生栅藻(Scenedesmus obliquus)生长的影响

多环芳烃有机污染物的环境问题日益严重,亟待需求从群落及生态系统的角度进行毒理学复合危害效应的研究。本文采用以美人蕉(Canna indica)种植根区水培养斜生栅藻(Scenedesmus obliquus)的方式,观察菲胁迫下其生长的变化。结果表明,美人蕉种植根区水对斜生栅藻生长具有化感效应,且表现为"低促高抑"的现象。而在菲胁迫下,种植根区水比例为15%和30%时随着菲浓度的增加,生长促进作用增强,且在菲浓度为1 mg·L-1出现最高值;在100%种植根区水时随着菲浓度的增加生长抑制作用增强。说明,菲胁迫使美人蕉种植根区水对藻类的化感效应增强。进行逻辑斯谛生长拟合发现,30%、1 mg·L-1处理组种群内禀增长率最高,斜生栅藻种群出现暴发增长的生态风险最大。     

The bacterial symbiont from the hydrothermal vent tubewormRiftia pachyptila is a sulfide specialist

We have investigated the metabolic adaptations of the chemolithotrophic bacterial symbionts ofRiftia pachyptila. Specimens of the tubeworm were collected by submersible from depths of 2600 m at 13°N on the East Pacific Rise in 1987, and 2450 m at the Galápagos Rift in 1988. Isolated bacteria utilize sulfide, but not thiosulfate or sulfite, as their sole reduced-sulfur energy source. The bacteria rapidly oxidize a wide range of sulfide concentrations (5µM to 2 mM), with maximal respiration rates at concentrations >1 mM, and unlike many sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, show no inhibition in oxygen consumption at sulfide concentrations up to 2 mM. Incubations of freshly homogenized trophosome tissue or isolated bacteria with sodium [³⁵S] sulfide and subsequent analysis of sulfur products by high-performance liquid chromatography and flow-through scintillation counting showed that sulfide disappeared almost completely within 1 min. Both soluble and insoluble products of sulfide oxidation were produced. The soluble fraction contained sulfate and polysulfides, with no thiosulfate produced. However, the majority of the radioactivity was in the water-insoluble fraction, mostly as elemental sulfur. Whole-worm experiments under pressure showed a rapid removal of³⁵S-sulfide from the incubation water, with sulfide, sulfate, and polysulfides appearing in the blood within 4 h. There was no utilization of thiosulfate by the whole worms, freshly homogenized trophosome tissue, or isolated bacteria.     

Degradation of bacteria by Mytilus edulis

The uptake of several species of bacteria by the common mussel Mytilus edulis (L.) and the subsequent fate of some polymers of the bacteria have been investigated in a study carried out during 1981. Bacteria (Escherichia coli, Micrococcus luteus, M. roseus, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus and a marine pseudomonad, 1-1-1) were radiolabelled by growth in medium containing ³H-thymidine and the uptake of bacteria by Mytilus edulis was monitored. Labelled and unlabelled bacteria, at initial concentrations of 0.5 to 1x10⁷ bacteria ml^-1, were cleared at similar, exponential rates with no significant difference in the rates for different bacteria: 90% of bacteria were cleared in a mean time of 1.93±0.12 h (SEM, n=63). Those bacteria with cell walls which were sensitive to M. edulis lysozyme were rapidly degraded by the mussel and ³H-labelled DNA was released in a form not precipitable by 10% trichloroacetic acid. Lysozyme-resistant bacteria (Micrococcus roseus and S. aureus) were cleared from suspension by Mytilus edulis but most were rejected intact. By measuring the rate of release of ³H-thymidine-labelled material from the mussel the rate of degradation of lysozyme-sensitive bacteria by M. edulis was found. For different bacteria the degradation rate varied from approx 2x10⁸ to 27x10⁸ bacteria h^-1 with an overall mean of 10x10⁸ bacteria h^-1. A thymidine- and diaminopimelicacid-requiring auxotroph of E. coli was radiolabelled with ³H-thymidine, ³H-diaminopimelic acid or ¹⁴C-glucose and fed to M. edulis. Bacteria were cleared and degraded by the mussel; ³H-diaminopimelic acid-labelled or ¹⁴C-glucose-labelled polymers were retained, whereas ³H-thymidine-labelled polymers were released into the surrounding water. Extracts of the digestive gland of M. edulis degraded lysozyme-sensitive bacteria to release ³H-thymidine-labelled material, but did not release ³H-thymidine-labelled material from lysozyme-resistant bacteria. It is concluded that M. edulis can select lysozymesensitive bacteria for subsequent processing and discriminate between bacterial polymers to reject DNA. Also, bacteria could provide a substantial fraction of the carbon requirement of the mussel.     

Phytotoxicity assessment of phenanthrene and pyrene in soil using two barley genotypes

This study investigated the toxicity extent of phenanthrene and pyrene to two cultivars (CM-72 and Gairdner) of barley (Hordeum vulgare). Germination of barley seeds was evaluated in 69-d aged soil, separately spiked with phenanthrene at extractable concentrations of 0.95, 6.3, 59, and 300 mg kg^?1 (dry soil) and pyrene at 1.0, 9.0, 73, and 400 mg kg^?1 (dry soil). Although germination was not inhibited, significant (P < 0.05) reduction in root and shoot length occurred at concentrations of phenanthrene ≥6.3 mg kg^?1 and pyrene ≥9.0 mg kg^?1 after both 72 and 240 h. Fresh and dry biomass of both cultivars reduced with increasing concentrations of both polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Barley cultivar CM-72 was more sensitive than Gairdner, and it can be considered suitable for toxicity assessment of PAH-contaminated soils.     

Dual <Superscript>14</Superscript>C/residue analysis method to assess the microbial accessibility of native phenanthrene in environmental samples

The aim of this work was to develop a method to assess the microbial accessibility of native phenanthrene present in soils and sediments. We developed an accelerated biodegradation assay, characterized by (a) inoculation with a sufficient number of phenanthrene-degrading microorganisms, (b) monitoring of the biodegradation activity through ¹⁴C-mineralization measurements, and (c) single-step chemical analysis of the native compound in the residue. The use of ¹⁴C-labeling allowed the determination of the time period needed for biodegradation of the bioaccessible fraction of the native chemical. The method was tested with environmental samples having a wide range of phenanthrene concentrations, i.e., from background levels (μg kg^-1) originating in soil from atmospheric deposition, to acute concentrations (g kg^-1) corresponding to industrial pollution of soils and sediments. The results showed a wide range of bioaccessibility (15–95% of the initial amount). The method can be used for the assessment of bioaccessibility involved in the management of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) pollution.     

菲和镉单一及复合污染条件下在毛蚶体内的富集动力学研究

采用室内半静态双箱动力学模型实验,研究了菲和镉单一及复合污染条件下在毛蚶(Anadara subcrenata)体内的生物富集,通过对富集与释放过程中毛蚶体内菲和Cd的富集量进行非线性曲线拟合,获得了菲和Cd单一及复合污染条件下在毛蚶体内的吸收速率常数k1、释放速率常数k2、生物富集因子BCF、生物半衰期B1/2和平衡状态下最大富集量CA max等动力学参数。实验结果表明,菲和Cd在实验前期富集速率较高,8 d以后富集速率减缓,释放阶段与富集阶段相似。毛蚶对菲的BCF值为37.80,远大于Cd的BCF值13.12,且生物半衰期时间更长,菲更容易在生物体内富集。菲和Cd联合暴露条件下,在毛蚶体内的CA max和BCF值均大于单一作用,说明二者同时暴露时,毛蚶对菲和镉的吸收富集均有所增强。实验模型拟合度较好,输出值和实测值之间无显著性差异,拟合方程和拟合参数可信。     

Evaluation of tests to assess the quality of mine-contaminated soils

An acid metal-contaminated soil from the Aljustrel mining area (a pyrite mine located in SW Portugal in the Iberian Pyrite Belt) was subjected to chemical characterisation and total metal quantification (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn). Water-soluble metals were determined and a sequential extraction procedure was used to investigate metal speciation. Two bioavailable metal fractions were determined: a mobile fraction and a mobilisable fraction. Soil ecotoxicity was studied using a battery of bioassays: plant growth test and seed germination with cress (Lepidium sativum L.), earthworm (Eisenia fetida) mortality, E. fetida avoidance behaviour, luminescent inhibition of Vibrio fischeri and Daphnia magna immobilisation. Although the total content of Cu, Zn and Pb in the soil was large (362, 245 and 1,250 mg/kg dry matter, respectively), these metals were mostly structurally bound (87% for Cu, 81% for Zn and 89% for Pb) and, therefore, scarcely bioavailable. Nonetheless, the D. magna immobilization test using soil leachate showed an EC₅₀ (48 h) of 36.3% (v/v), and the luminescent inhibition of V. fischeri presented an EC₂₀ (15 min) of 45.2% and an EC₂₀ (30 min) of 10.7% (v/v), suggesting a considerable toxic effect. In the direct exposure bioassays, E. fetida avoided the mine soil at the highest concentrations (50%, 75% and 100% v/v). At the same soil concentrations, cress showed negligible growth. The results suggest the need to use a battery of toxicity tests, in conjunction with chemical methods, in order to assess the quality of mine-contaminated soils correctly.     

Comparison of the bioavailability of Cr and Fe bound with natural colloids of different origins and sizes to two marine bivalves

Recent studies have demonstrated the significant role of colloidal microparticles or macromolecules in the biogeochemical cycling of trace metals in aquatic environments. In this study, the influences of different colloidal organic carbon (COC) concentrations, colloidal sizes and colloidal origins (estuarine vs coastal) on the bioavailability of two trace metals (Cr and Fe) to the green mussel Perna viridis and the clam Ruditapes philippinarum were examined under laboratory conditions. Natural colloids were isolated by cross-flow ultrafiltration and were radiclabeled with ⁵⁹Fe and ⁵¹Cr before being exposed to the mussels and clams. The uptake of colloid-bound Cr and Fe was compared with the uptake of low molecular weight complexed metals (<1 kDa). Both natural colloid-bound Cr and Fe were bioavailable to the green mussels and clams. The uptake of both colloidal Cr and Fe by the two bivalves was much higher than that of their counterparts in a low molecular weight fraction, implying that colloidal binding enhanced considerably the bioavailability of Cr and Fe to the bivalves. The magnitude to which Cr uptake was enhanced, due to its binding with colloids, was much greater than that of Fe. There was no significant difference in the measured dry weight concentration factor of the metals between the two COC concentrations. Similarly, the COC concentration did not influence metal uptake when all the experiments were considered together. There was generally no major difference in the metal bioavailability between the two different sizes of colloids isolated from the coastal waters (1–10 kDa and 10 kDa-0.2 μm), whereas metals bound with the larger size colloids isolated from the estuarine waters were more bioavailable than metals bound with the smaller size colloids. The bioavailability of Cr and Fe bound with the colloids from estuarine waters was generally lower than those bound with colloids from the coastal waters. This study demonstrated that the geochemical properties of colloids (origin) and the chemical properties of metals are critical in affecting the bioavailability of colloid-bound metals to marine bivalves. Published online: 21 June 2002     

贵阳市冬季PM_(2.5)中典型重金属元素的化学形态分析与健康风险评价

为了更准确地研究重金属的生物有效性和对环境与人体的潜在生态危害,采用改进BCR法分析了贵阳市冬季PM_(2.5)中Cu、Mn、Co、Cd、Pb这5种重金属元素的化学形态,并评价了它们的生物有效性和健康风险。结果表明:不同重金属元素形态分布存在差异,Cu主要是弱酸溶态,其次是可氧化态;Mn主要是弱酸溶态,其次是残渣态;Co没有检测出可还原态,而在其他3种形态分布比较平均;Pb和Cd绝大部分都是弱酸溶态。生物有效性系数(K)分析结果表明:重金属生物有效性强弱顺序为CdPbMnCuCo,其中Cd和Pb的K0.8,属于生物可利用性元素;Mn、Cu、Co的K值在0.4~0.7之间,属于潜在生物可利用性元素。健康风险评价表明:成人的致癌风险比儿童大,尤其Cd对成年人存在潜在的致癌风险,且成年男性高于成年女性;Mn存在潜在非致癌风险,且对儿童的风险最大。     

Determination of persistent organic pollutants in sediment and fish of the western coast of Alexandria,Egypt

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were recorded in sediment and fish samples collected from the western coast of Alexandria. Total hydrocarbons (aliphatic+PAHs ) in sediment ranged from 683.8 to 34670.1 ng g ^?1 with an average of 9286.9 ng g ^?1. The sum of C16–C34 of aliphatic fractions was<4000?ng g;^?1, indicating the presence of a fresh petroleum source. For all sediments, the anthracene/phenanthrene ratio was>0.1, suggesting the dominance of a pyrolytic source. Total aliphatics in different fish species ranged from 253 to 11?132 ng g;^?1, while total PAHs ranged from 3862 to 35?746 ng g;^?1 wet weight. Benzo[a]pyrene was the most dominant PAH fraction ranged from 1902.7 to 32 905.5 with an average of 9464.5?ng g;^?1 wet weight in all fish species. Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) ranged from 0.79 to 64.9?ng g;^?1 with an average 12.14?ng g;^?1 wet weight. The concentrations of organochlorines in fish species (Euthynnus alleferatus, Scomberomorus commerson, Sphyraena Sphyraena, Diplodus vulgaris, and Alepes djedaba) decreased following the order: PCBs>DDTs>HCHs>total cyclodienes. Concentrations of DDTs in fish tissues ranged from 4.89 to 36.37 ng g^?1 with an average of 16.4?ng g;^?1 wet weight. The concentrations of total HCHs ranged from 0.3 to 65.7?ng g;^?1 with an average of 16.35?ng g;^?1. The present study indicates: (1) fresh petroleum input where Pr/Ph>1; (2) PAHs in sediment<4000 ng g ^?1; (3) BaP concentration exceeded the permissible levels in Alepes djedaba species; (4) DDTs in sediment were below the effective range low level; (5) PCBs>effective range low and相似文献   

Biological production of nitrite in seawater

The relative importance of 3 different sources for biological production of nitrite in seawater was studied. Decomposition of fecal pellets of the copepod Calanus helgolandicus (at a concentration of approximately 12 g-at N/l), in seawater medium, released small amounts of ammonia over a 6 week period. It nitrifying bacteria were added to the fecal pellets nitrite was barely detectable over the same period. Decomposition of phytoplankton (present at a concentration of about 8 g-at particulate plant N/l) with added heterotrophic bacteria, released moderate amounts of ammonia over a 12 week period. If the ammonia-oxidizing bacterium Nitrosocystis oceanus was added to the decomposing algae, nitrite was produced at a rate of 0.2 g-at N/l/week. Heterotrophic nitrification was not observed when 7 open-ocean bacteria were tested for their ability to oxidize ammonia. The diatom Skeletonema costatum, either non-starved or starved of nitrogen, produced nitrite when growing with 150 or 50 g-at NO ₂ ^- -N/l at a light intensity of about 0.01 ly/min. When nitrate in the medium was exhausted, S. costatum assimilated nitrite. If starved of vitamin B₁₂, both non-N-starved and N-starved cells of S. costatum produced nitrite in the medium with 150 g-at NO ₃ ^- -N/l. Nitrate was not exhausted and cell densities reached 2x10⁵/ml due to vitamin B₁₂ deficiency. If light intensity was reduced to 0.003 ly/min under otherwise similar conditions, cells did not grow due to insufficient light, and nitrite was not produced. In the sea, it appears that, in certain micro-environments, decomposition of particulate matter releases ammonia with its subsequent oxidation to nitrite. The amounts of these nutrients and the rate at which they are produced are dependent upon the nature of the materials undergoing decomposition and the associated bacteria. In certain other areas of the sea, where phytoplankton standing stock is high and nitrate is non-limiting, excretion by these organisms is a major source of nitrite.     

Biokinetics of plutonium,americium and californium in the marine isopod Cirolana borealis,with observations on its feeding and molting behavior

In a series of laboratory experiments carried out during 1982, the biokinetics of ²³⁷Pu (IV), ²³⁷Pu (V), ²⁴¹Am (III), and ²⁵²Cf (III) were studied in the benthic marine isopod Cirolana borealis Lilljeb. Following a 3 wk exposure to labelled seawater, isopods reached non-equilibrium concentration factors of 52±15, 54±12, 176±14, and 185±53 for Pu (IV), Pu (V), Am and Cf, respectively. Uptake of these radionuclides occurred to a great extent by surface adsorption, with the major fraction of the accumulated radionuclides being associated with exoskeleton and lesser percentages located in gut, digestive gland, muscle and haemolymph. The pattern of radiotracer depuration was in all cases biphasic, with the long-lived retention compartment retaining the largest fraction of whole-body radioactivity. Biological half-lives for radionuclide turnover in the long-lived compartment were 60±3 d, 87±5 d, 261±12 d and 288±60 d for Pu (IV), Pu (V), Am and Cf, respectively. Examination of radionuclide distribution among tissues following longterm depuration showed that the radionuclides were eliminated from internal tissues more rapidly than from the exoskeleton. Uptake and depuration studies indicated that the biokinetics of americium and californium were similar to each other, but that they differed significantly from those of oxidized and reduced plutonium. In general, these experimental results support previous reports that americium and californium are more bioavailable than plutonium in the marine waters. The fraction americium and californium assimilated into tissue from food was very low and did not exceed 5%. Unassimilated labelled food was often retained in the gut for more than 2 mo and released only infrequently in a loosely bound condition. In the event of contamination, this particular feeding-digestion strategy in highly mobile, scavenging isopods could act as a potential biological mechanism for the widespread dispersion of radioactive wastes.     

不同补给水源的城市人工湖中异养菌耐药性及耐药菌种属分布研究

为了阐明不同补给水源的城市人工湖中异养菌耐药状况和耐药菌种属分布特征,选取分别以地表水和再生水为补水来源的XQ湖和FQ湖为代表进行研究。从2018年4—11月逐月采集水样,考察了各水样中对氨苄西林(AMP)、磺胺甲恶唑(SMZ)和四环素(TET)这3种不同种类抗生素具有耐药性的异养菌含量,并对分离菌株的耐药表型、耐药菌株的种属分布以及水质理化指标进行了分析。结果表明,2处人工湖中的AMP耐药菌和SMZ耐药菌含量约为10~2～10~4CFU·(100 m L)~(-1),而TET耐药菌含量则约10~1～10~3CFU·(100 m L)~(-1)。分离出的84株耐药菌归属于19个种,其中蜡状芽孢杆菌、大肠埃希氏菌、维氏气单胞菌、豚鼠气单胞菌和鸟氨酸拉乌尔菌为2个湖共有耐药菌。71.4%的耐药菌都是对AMP单一耐药,以蜡状芽孢杆菌为主。由于具有固有耐药性的细菌在分离出的耐药菌中占比很低,获得性耐药很可能在城市人工湖中异养菌耐药性的发展上发挥了主要贡献作用。地表水补水的XQ湖和再生水补水的FQ湖在总异养菌含量、耐药菌含量和检出率上均无显著差异。分离来源对16株耐药性气单胞菌的聚类无明显影响。     

Predator-prey interactions between the larvacean Oikopleura dioica and bacterioplankton in enclosed water columns

The larvacean Oikopleura dioica Fol was fed ³H-labeled natural assemblages of marine bacterioplankton. Grazing rates ranged from <1 to >100 ml day^-1 individual^-1 and were highly dependent onlarvacean body size. These rates were combined with estimates of abundance of O. dioica in large floating enclosures with semi-natural populations (Controlled Ecosystems Populations Experiment, CEPEX) to determine the impact of the larvacean on the bacterial populations and to estimate the amount of bacteria ingested by the larvaceans. Apparently, O. dioica has minimal influence on the population dynamics of the free-living bacteria, although bacteria may form a substantial portion of the larvacean's diet.     

Phytoplankton exudate release as an energy source for the growth of pelagic bacteria

The release of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from phytolankton during photosynthesis, and the utilization of this carbon by planktonic bacteria, was studied using ¹⁴CO₂ and selective filtration. Natural sea water samples from a coastal area of the Northern Baltic Sea were incubated in the laboratory for detailed studies, and in situ for estimation of annual dynamics. In a laboratory incubation (at +1°C) the concentration of ¹⁴C-labelled dissolved organic carbon increased for about 2 h and then reached a steady state, representing about 0. 1% of the total DOC. Labelled organic carbon in the phytoplankton and bacterial fractions continued to increase almost linearly. The continuous increase in the bacterial fraction is thought to represent almost instantaneous utilization of the DOC released from the phytoplankton during photosynthesis. As an annual average, in 4 h in situ incubations, about 65% of the labelled organic carbon was found in the phytoplankton fraction (>3 m), about 27% in the bacterial fraction (0.2 to 3 m) and the remaining 8% as DOC (<0.2 m). Large variations in these percentages were recorded. The measured annual primary production was 93 g C m^-2 (March to December), and the estimated bacterial production due to phytoplankton exudates 29 g C m^-2. This represents a release of DOC of about 45% of the corrected annual primary production of 110 g C m^-2 (assuming a bacterial growth efficiency of 0.6).