Microbial methane production from calcium carbonate at moderately alkaline pH
Abstract Carbonate minerals are considered a metastable carbon reservoir under alkaline conditions. Here we demonstrate calcium carbonate as a sole inorganic carbon source at moderately alkaline pH for a methanogenic microbial community enriched from alkaline, saline wetland soil. In reactors amende...
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| Format: | Article |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Communications Earth & Environment |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02057-y |
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| author | Nicole A. Fiore Anthony J. Kohtz Daniel N. Miller Sanjay Antony-Babu Donald Pan Caitlin Lahey Xi Huang Yongfeng Lu Nicole R. Buan Karrie A. Weber |
| author_facet | Nicole A. Fiore Anthony J. Kohtz Daniel N. Miller Sanjay Antony-Babu Donald Pan Caitlin Lahey Xi Huang Yongfeng Lu Nicole R. Buan Karrie A. Weber |
| author_sort | Nicole A. Fiore |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Carbonate minerals are considered a metastable carbon reservoir under alkaline conditions. Here we demonstrate calcium carbonate as a sole inorganic carbon source at moderately alkaline pH for a methanogenic microbial community enriched from alkaline, saline wetland soil. In reactors amended with calcium carbonate as the sole source of inorganic carbon, concentrations of methane and aqueous calcium increased concurrent with headspace hydrogen depletion. Cells were observed in association with the carbonate mineral matrix via coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering and two-photon excitation fluorescence microscopy. Genome-resolved metagenomics of the enrichment community confirmed the presence of a methanogen (Methanobacterium sp.) with the metabolic potential for hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis in addition to five bacterial community members. These results demonstrate that carbonate minerals can serve as an inorganic carbon source for hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis, leading to mineral dissolution under stable alkaline conditions. As such, hydrogenotrophic methanogens may impact carbon biogeochemistry and carbonate mineral stability in environmental systems. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d143f0f576df46c1bfd70191c4eea802 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2662-4435 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Earth & Environment |
| spelling | doaj-art-d143f0f576df46c1bfd70191c4eea8022025-02-09T12:56:05ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Earth & Environment2662-44352025-02-016111310.1038/s43247-025-02057-yMicrobial methane production from calcium carbonate at moderately alkaline pHNicole A. Fiore0Anthony J. Kohtz1Daniel N. Miller2Sanjay Antony-Babu3Donald Pan4Caitlin Lahey5Xi Huang6Yongfeng Lu7Nicole R. Buan8Karrie A. Weber9School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska–LincolnSchool of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska–LincolnAgroecosystem Management Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of AgricultureSchool of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska–LincolnSchool of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska–LincolnSchool of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska–LincolnDepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Nebraska–LincolnDepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Nebraska–LincolnDepartment of Biochemistry, University of Nebraska–LincolnSchool of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska–LincolnAbstract Carbonate minerals are considered a metastable carbon reservoir under alkaline conditions. Here we demonstrate calcium carbonate as a sole inorganic carbon source at moderately alkaline pH for a methanogenic microbial community enriched from alkaline, saline wetland soil. In reactors amended with calcium carbonate as the sole source of inorganic carbon, concentrations of methane and aqueous calcium increased concurrent with headspace hydrogen depletion. Cells were observed in association with the carbonate mineral matrix via coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering and two-photon excitation fluorescence microscopy. Genome-resolved metagenomics of the enrichment community confirmed the presence of a methanogen (Methanobacterium sp.) with the metabolic potential for hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis in addition to five bacterial community members. These results demonstrate that carbonate minerals can serve as an inorganic carbon source for hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis, leading to mineral dissolution under stable alkaline conditions. As such, hydrogenotrophic methanogens may impact carbon biogeochemistry and carbonate mineral stability in environmental systems.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02057-y |
| spellingShingle | Nicole A. Fiore Anthony J. Kohtz Daniel N. Miller Sanjay Antony-Babu Donald Pan Caitlin Lahey Xi Huang Yongfeng Lu Nicole R. Buan Karrie A. Weber Microbial methane production from calcium carbonate at moderately alkaline pH Communications Earth & Environment |
| title | Microbial methane production from calcium carbonate at moderately alkaline pH |
| title_full | Microbial methane production from calcium carbonate at moderately alkaline pH |
| title_fullStr | Microbial methane production from calcium carbonate at moderately alkaline pH |
| title_full_unstemmed | Microbial methane production from calcium carbonate at moderately alkaline pH |
| title_short | Microbial methane production from calcium carbonate at moderately alkaline pH |
| title_sort | microbial methane production from calcium carbonate at moderately alkaline ph |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02057-y |
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