Carbon and hydrogen isotope fractionation associated with the aerobic microbial oxidation of methane, ethane, propane and butane

Kinnaman, Franklin S.; Valentine, David L.; Tyler, S. C.

doi:10.1016/j.gca.2006.09.007

Cited by 186 publications

(166 citation statements)

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“…The magnitude of enrichment factors obtained by chemical reactions (reported in ‰ according to e = (k 13 /k 12 À 1) * 1000) were decreasing from C 2 (À8.57‰) to C 8 (À2.13‰) (Anderson et al, 2004). Once transformed to AKIEs, the obtained values become independent of the chain length unlike the AKIE values determined in this study and calculated based on the study by Kinnaman et al (2007), which retain a chain length dependence (Table 2). This comparison emphasizes the indirect effect of transport and binding steps in biological processes on the observed isotope fractionation.…”

Section: N-alkane Isotope Analysismentioning

confidence: 43%

“…Works of Kinnaman et al (2007) also showed a similarity between enrichment factors measured during individual and gas mixture incubations for C 3 and C 4 . However, enrichment factors for C 3 and C 4 measured in this current study with unsaturated alluvial sand are significantly larger than those measured with marine sediments in Kinnaman et al (2007), probably due to a different microbial population adapted to saline water in their study. The magnitude of isotope fractionation decreased with increasing number of carbon atoms in the molecule (Fig.…”

Section: N-alkane Isotope Analysismentioning

confidence: 65%

“…Studies with whole cells and cell extracts for toluene (Morasch et al, 2001) and tetrachloroethene (Nijenhuis et al, 2005) degradation demonstrated that isotope fractionation tends to be somewhat larger when cell walls no longer limit the uptake of substrates. Kinnaman et al (2007) also suggest a transport-limitation effect to explain their results for biodegradation of n-alkanes (C 1 to C 4 ).…”

Section: N-alkane Isotope Analysismentioning

confidence: 92%

“…Although transport and binding steps are generally assumed not to be associated with significant carbon isotope fractionation, they influence the AKIE value indirectly. Table 2 Apparent kinetic isotope effect calculated for biodegradation of n-alkanes for this study as well as from Kinnaman et al (2007), and for chemical oxidation from Anderson et al (2004) Compound AKIE If the actual bond cleavage step is fast compared to the preceding transport steps, nearly each molecule that reaches the enzyme is transformed irrespective of its isotopic composition and no isotope fractionation is apparent. In contrast, if reversible transport and binding is fast compared to bond cleavage, the isotope discrimination associated with bond cleavage becomes fully apparent outside of the cell.…”

Section: N-alkane Isotope Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, the reported data in the latter two studies do not allow calculation of enrichment factors for individual compounds. Studies that quantify isotope fractionation of individual compounds have focussed on methane, on n-alkanes with chain lengths >C 13 (Mansuy et al, 1997;Mazeas et al, 2002) and recently on n-alkanes from C 1 to C 4 (Kinnaman et al, 2007). The isotope enrichment factors reported during aerobic oxidation of methane were found to be dependent on temperature (Coleman et al, 1981;King et al, 1989), soil water content (Tyler et al, 1994), partial pressure of CH 4 , cell numbers and type of methanotrophs (Templeton et al, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Carbon isotope fractionation during aerobic biodegradation of n-alkanes and aromatic compounds in unsaturated sand

Bouchard

Hunkeler

Höhener

2008

Organic Geochemistry

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Microcosm experiments were conducted to quantify carbon isotope fractionation during aerobic biodegradation of n-alkanes (from C 3 to C 10 ) and monoaromatic hydrocarbons in unsaturated alluvial sand. In single compound experiments with n-alkanes, the largest enrichment factor was obtained for propane (À10.8 ± 0.7‰). The magnitude of the enrichment factor decreased with increasing number of carbon atoms from propane to n-decane (À0.2 ± 0.1‰). This trend can partly be explained by the decreasing probability that a 13 C is located at the reacting site in the molecule with increasing chain length. After correcting for the presence of non-reacting positions, a chain length dependence of the calculated apparent isotope effect persisted. This observation suggests that transport and binding steps before the actual reaction step become increasingly rate limiting with increasing chain length. For aromatic compounds tested individually, the enrichment factor was the largest (À1.4 ± 0.1‰) for benzene (B), followed by toluene (T) (À0.8 ± 0.1‰) and m-xylene (X) (À0.6 ± 0.1‰). Enrichment factors for BTX were systematically smaller than for n-alkanes with equivalent number of carbons, which is likely related to different biodegradation mechanisms. The study demonstrates that significant carbon isotope fractionation occurs during aerobic biodegradation of n-alkanes and aromatic compounds under unsaturated conditions and that the magnitude of isotope enrichment is linked to molecule size and molecule structure.

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Section: N-alkane Isotope Analysismentioning

confidence: 43%

Section: N-alkane Isotope Analysismentioning

confidence: 65%

Section: N-alkane Isotope Analysismentioning

confidence: 92%

Section: N-alkane Isotope Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Carbon isotope fractionation during aerobic biodegradation of n-alkanes and aromatic compounds in unsaturated sand

Bouchard

Hunkeler

Höhener

2008

Organic Geochemistry

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Marine microbes rapidly adapt to consume ethane, propane, and butane within the dissolved hydrocarbon plume of a natural seep

et al. 2015

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Simple hydrocarbon gases containing two to four carbons (ethane, propane, and butane) are among the most abundant compounds present in petroleum reservoirs, and are introduced into the ocean through natural seepage and industrial discharge. Yet little is known about the bacterial consumption of these compounds in ocean waters. To assess the timing by which microbes metabolize these gases, we conducted a three-phase study that tested and applied a radiotracer-based method to quantify the oxidation rates of ethane, propane, and butane in fresh seawater samples. Phase 1 involved the synthesis of tritiated ethane, propane, and butane using Grignard reagents and tritiated water. Phase 2 was a systematic assessment of experimental conditions, wherein the indigenous microbial community was found to rapidly oxidize ethane, propane, and butane. Phase 3 was the application of this tritium method near the Coal Oil Point seeps, offshore California. Spatial and temporal patterns of ethane, propane, and butane oxidation down current from the hydrocarbon seeps demonstrated that >99% of these gases are metabolized within 1.3 days following initial exposure. The oxidation of ethane outpaced oxidation of propane and butane with patterns indicating the microbial community responded to these gases by rapid adaptation or growth. Methane oxidation responded the slowest in plume waters. Estimates based on the observed metabolic rates and carbon mass balance suggest that ethane, propane, and butane-consuming microorganisms may transiently account for a majority of the total microbial community in these impacted waters.

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Light hydrocarbon and noble gas migration as an analogue for potential CO₂ leakage: numerical simulations and field data from three hydrocarbon systems

Anderson¹,

Alfi²,

Hovorka

2019

Greenhouse Gases

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Sites where anthropogenic CO2 captured from industrial sources is stored in deep geological formations for climate change mitigation are required to show secure retention of the injected CO2. Monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) plans are needed to indicate that no CO2 release has occurred. We explored the degree to which direct comparison between a surface anomaly and reservoir geochemistry using various geochemical parameters can be used for attribution. We used data collected on light hydrocarbons and noble gases throughout the sedimentary column at three CO2 enhanced oil recovery (EOR) sites to understand the processes that may cause fluid evolution. Light hydrocarbon and noble gases were sampled from reservoirs, gas‐bearing intervals above reservoirs, and groundwater. Vertical profiles indicated that lighter components are relatively enriched during migration (i.e. chromatographic separation). Static and numerical models were designed to simulate episodic gas migration and geochemical alteration of these geochemical parameters from solubility and sorption. The effects of hydrocarbon solubility were minimal (Bernard ratio changes within 5.2%) although field data were within the range of expected alterations from sorption. Forward models of CO2 migration and noble gas interactions showed that CO2 stripping causes an enrichment of crustal noble gases. In areas where natural fluxes of CO2 from depth are non‐existent, the occurrence of crustal noble gas signature may distinguish fugitive CO2 from the reservoir from natural near‐surface sources, and could be considered to explain apparent fluid anomalies. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Carbon and hydrogen isotope fractionation associated with the aerobic microbial oxidation of methane, ethane, propane and butane

Cited by 186 publications

References 84 publications

Carbon isotope fractionation during aerobic biodegradation of n-alkanes and aromatic compounds in unsaturated sand

Carbon isotope fractionation during aerobic biodegradation of n-alkanes and aromatic compounds in unsaturated sand

Marine microbes rapidly adapt to consume ethane, propane, and butane within the dissolved hydrocarbon plume of a natural seep

Light hydrocarbon and noble gas migration as an analogue for potential CO₂ leakage: numerical simulations and field data from three hydrocarbon systems

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Carbon and hydrogen isotope fractionation associated with the aerobic microbial oxidation of methane, ethane, propane and butane

Cited by 186 publications

References 84 publications

Carbon isotope fractionation during aerobic biodegradation of n-alkanes and aromatic compounds in unsaturated sand

Carbon isotope fractionation during aerobic biodegradation of n-alkanes and aromatic compounds in unsaturated sand

Marine microbes rapidly adapt to consume ethane, propane, and butane within the dissolved hydrocarbon plume of a natural seep

Light hydrocarbon and noble gas migration as an analogue for potential CO2 leakage: numerical simulations and field data from three hydrocarbon systems

Contact Info

Product

Resources

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Light hydrocarbon and noble gas migration as an analogue for potential CO₂ leakage: numerical simulations and field data from three hydrocarbon systems