1. Where’s The Gas Going?: The Fate Of Natural Gas In Marine Sediments Peter R. Girguis, Harvard University, Cambridge MA
Background= Gigatons of natural gas are consumed in marine sediments each year. Anaerobic microbes –largely undescribed- are responsible for these processes, and use sulfate as an oxidant. Our understanding of this process, and the microbes responsible, is in its infancy.
The Approach:
Study microbial communities at in situ conditions (pressure, flow)
Test which alkanes have the greatest influence on sulfate reduction (and microbial growth)
Trace the fate of alkane carbon using labelled gasses in high-pressure reactors.
The Questions:
which microbes are involved in these processes?
Which alkanes are preferentially consumed?
What happens to the carbon from alkane oxidation?
How does sulfate influence the concentrations of alkanes in situ?
High=pressure sediment incubators
Model of methane oxidation and sulfate reduction (Courtesy E. DeLong) + =
Sulfate