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In situ mineralization of chlorinated phenols by pelagic bacteria in lakes of differing humic content
Author(s) -
Tranvik Lars,
Larsson Per,
Okla Lennart,
Regnell Olof
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.5620100207
Subject(s) - pentachlorophenol , mineralization (soil science) , environmental chemistry , chemistry , water column , phenols , phenol , pollutant , in situ , total organic carbon , ecology , organic chemistry , biology , nitrogen
The microbial mineralization of phenol and three chlorinated phenols (3,4‐dichlorophenol, 2,4,5‐trichlorophenol and pentachlorophenol) in the water column of 23 pristine, oligotrophic lakes of different humic content was investigated. During short‐term (∼2 d) in situ incubations of water samples amended with 14 C‐labeled phenolic compounds, the fraction of the added pollutant mineralized to 14 CO 2 was positively correlated with water color (an estimate of humic content) and the total organic carbon concentration of the water. The rate of mineralization per bacterial cell was not correlated with humic content, due to increased bacterial abundance with increasing humic content. Hence, the higher mineralization rate in humic lakes than in clear‐water lakes was probably a result of higher bacterial abundance rather than being an effect of bacterial cells having a higher potential for the degradation of such compounds.