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Oxidation of sulfide by Spartina alterniflora roots
Author(s) -
Lee Raymond W.,
Kraus David W.,
Doeller Jeannette E.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
limnology and oceanography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.7
H-Index - 197
eISSN - 1939-5590
pISSN - 0024-3590
DOI - 10.4319/lo.1999.44.4.1155
Subject(s) - sulfide , spartina alterniflora , chemistry , environmental chemistry , hydrogen sulfide , spartina , sulfur , inorganic chemistry , marsh , ecology , organic chemistry , biology , wetland
Root tips from the marsh grass Spartina alterniflora , collected from areas of high and low pore‐water sulfide, exhibited a substantial capacity to catalyze sulfide oxidation, as determined by closed‐chamber respirometry. A large proportion of this catalysis was apparently nonenzymatic and was higher in roots of plants from the high‐sulfide versus the low‐sulfide site. Activity exhibiting characteristics of enzymatic sulfide oxidation was significantly higher in plants from the low‐sulfide site. Results from elemental analysis of root tissue were consistent with the theory that metals play a role in nonenzymatic catalysis. These results indicate that estuarine plants may detoxify environmental sulfide via sulfide oxidation.