This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Jensen, K.
Right arrow Articles by Revsbech, N. P.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Jensen, K.
Right arrow Articles by Revsbech, N. P.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Jensen, K.
Right arrow Articles by Revsbech, N. P.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1994 June; 60(6): 2094-2100
Copyright © 1994, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Estimation of Nitrification and Denitrification from Microprofiles of Oxygen and Nitrate in Model Sediment Systems

Kim Jensen*, Niels P. Sloth, Nils Risgaard-Petersen, Søren Rysgaard{dagger} and Niels Peter Revsbech

Department of Microbial Ecology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Aarhus, Ny Munkegade, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark

ABSTRACT

The coupling between nitrification and denitrification and the regulation of these processes by oxygen were studied in freshwater sediment microcosms with O2 and NO3- microsensors. Depth profiles of nitrification (indicated as NO3- production), denitrification (indicated as NO3- consumption), and O2 consumption activities within the sediment were calculated from the measured concentration profiles. From the concentration profiles, it was furthermore possible to distinguish between the rate of denitrification based on the diffusional supply of NO3- from the overlying water and the rate based on NO3- supplied by benthic nitrification (Dw and Dn, respectively). An increase in O2 concentration caused a deeper O2 penetration while a decrease in Dw and an increase in Dn were observed. The relative importance for total denitrification of NO3- produced by nitrification thus increased compared with NO3- supplied from the water phase. The decrease in Dw at high oxygen was due to an increase in diffusion path for NO3- from the overlying water to the denitrifying layers in the anoxic sediment. At high O2 concentrations, nitrifying activity was restricted to the lower part of the oxic zone where there was a continuous diffusional supply of NH4+ from deeper mineralization processes, and the long diffusion path from the nitrification zone to the overlying water compared with the path to the denitrifying layers led to a stimulation in Dn.

FOOTNOTES

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Microbial Ecology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Aarhus, Building 540, Ny Munkegade, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. Phone: 45 86127188. Fax: 45 86127191.

{dagger} Present address: National Environmental Research Institute, DK-8600 Silkeborg, Denmark.

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1994 June; 60(6): 2094-2100
Copyright © 1994, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Laverman, A. M., Meile, C., Van Cappellen, P., Wieringa, E. B. A. (2007). Vertical Distribution of Denitrification in an Estuarine Sediment: Integrating Sediment Flowthrough Reactor Experiments and Microprofiling via Reactive Transport Modeling. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 40-47 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Risgaard-Petersen, N., Nicolaisen, M. H., Revsbech, N. P., Lomstein, B. A. (2004). Competition between Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria and Benthic Microalgae. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70: 5528-5537 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Bastviken, S. K., Eriksson, P. G., Martins, I., Neto, J. M., Leonardson, L., Tonderski, K. (2003). Potential Nitrification and Denitrification on Different Surfaces in a Constructed Treatment Wetland. J. Environ. Qual. 32: 2414-2420 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Okabe, S., Satoh, H., Watanabe, Y. (1999). In Situ Analysis of Nitrifying Biofilms as Determined by In Situ Hybridization and the Use of Microelectrodes. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 65: 3182-3191 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Lorenzen, J., Larsen, L. H., Kjær, T., Revsbech, N.-P. (1998). Biosensor Determination of the Microscale Distribution of Nitrate, Nitrate Assimilation, Nitrification, and Denitrification in a Diatom-Inhabited Freshwater Sediment. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 64: 3264-3269 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»