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. 1986 Oct;52(4):802–806. doi: 10.1128/aem.52.4.802-806.1986

Acetylene Metabolism and Stimulation of Denitrification in an Agricultural Soil

Edward Topp 2,*, Jean-Claude Germon 2
PMCID: PMC239117  PMID: 16347172

Abstract

The effects of C2H2 metabolism on N2O production were examined in soil slurries. Enrichment of C2H2 consumption activity occurred only in aerobic incubations. Rapid disappearance of subsequent C2H2 additions, stimulation of CO2 production, and most-probable-number enumerations of C2H2 utilizers indicated enrichment of the population responsible. During C2H2 consumption in slurries incubated statically under air, maximal rates of N2O evolution were 19 times higher than those in anaerobic incubations. After 20 days of enrichment with C2H2, the production of N2O by slurries supplemented with C2H2 and nitrate was 10 times higher than that in the unenriched controls. A Nocardia- or Arthrobacter-like bacterium was isolated that grew on C2H2 but did not denitrify. The behavior of soil inoculated with this bacterium became similar to that of C2H2-enriched soil incubated aerobically. Ethanol, acetate, and acetaldehyde were identified in enrichment experiments, and denitrification in soil slurries was stimulated by addition of the supernatant from a pure culture grown on mineral medium with C2H2. These results indicate that denitrification can be stimulated by the actions of an aerobic, nondenitrifying C2H2-metabolizing population. Utilization of intermediate metabolites by denitrifiers and enhanced O2 consumption are two possible mechanisms for this stimulation.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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