Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Degradation in the Sea-Surface Microlayer at Coastal Antarctica
As much as 400 Tg of carbon from airborne semivolatile aromatic hydrocarbons is deposited to the oceans every year, the largest identified source of anthropogenic organic carbon to the ocean. Microbial degradation is a key sink of these pollutants in surface waters, but has received little attention...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:0834e92a1ea5457a8f48d684b69f5854 2023-05-15T13:53:52+02:00 Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Degradation in the Sea-Surface Microlayer at Coastal Antarctica Alícia Martinez-Varela Gemma Casas Naiara Berrojalbiz Benjamin Piña Jordi Dachs Maria Vila-Costa 2022-07-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.907265 https://doaj.org/article/0834e92a1ea5457a8f48d684b69f5854 EN eng Frontiers Media S.A. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2022.907265/full https://doaj.org/toc/1664-302X 1664-302X doi:10.3389/fmicb.2022.907265 https://doaj.org/article/0834e92a1ea5457a8f48d684b69f5854 Frontiers in Microbiology, Vol 13 (2022) PAH sea-surface microlayer hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria Alteromonadales PAH biodegradation coastal Antarctica Microbiology QR1-502 article 2022 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.907265 2022-12-31T01:16:13Z As much as 400 Tg of carbon from airborne semivolatile aromatic hydrocarbons is deposited to the oceans every year, the largest identified source of anthropogenic organic carbon to the ocean. Microbial degradation is a key sink of these pollutants in surface waters, but has received little attention in polar environments. We have challenged Antarctic microbial communities from the sea-surface microlayer (SML) and the subsurface layer (SSL) with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at environmentally relevant concentrations. PAH degradation rates and the microbial responses at both taxonomical and functional levels were assessed. Evidence for faster removal rates was observed in the SML, with rates 2.6-fold higher than in the SSL. In the SML, the highest removal rates were observed for the more hydrophobic and particle-bound PAHs. After 24 h of PAHs exposure, particle-associated bacteria in the SML showed the highest number of significant changes in their composition. These included significant enrichments of several hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria, especially the fast-growing genera Pseudoalteromonas, which increased their relative abundances by eightfold. Simultaneous metatranscriptomic analysis showed that the free-living fraction of SML was the most active fraction, especially for members of the order Alteromonadales, which includes Pseudoalteromonas. Their key role in PAHs biodegradation in polar environments should be elucidated in further studies. This study highlights the relevant role of bacterial populations inhabiting the sea-surface microlayer, especially the particle-associated habitat, as relevant bioreactors for the removal of aromatic hydrocarbons in the oceans. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Antarctic Frontiers in Microbiology 13 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
PAH sea-surface microlayer hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria Alteromonadales PAH biodegradation coastal Antarctica Microbiology QR1-502 |
spellingShingle |
PAH sea-surface microlayer hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria Alteromonadales PAH biodegradation coastal Antarctica Microbiology QR1-502 Alícia Martinez-Varela Gemma Casas Naiara Berrojalbiz Benjamin Piña Jordi Dachs Maria Vila-Costa Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Degradation in the Sea-Surface Microlayer at Coastal Antarctica |
topic_facet |
PAH sea-surface microlayer hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria Alteromonadales PAH biodegradation coastal Antarctica Microbiology QR1-502 |
description |
As much as 400 Tg of carbon from airborne semivolatile aromatic hydrocarbons is deposited to the oceans every year, the largest identified source of anthropogenic organic carbon to the ocean. Microbial degradation is a key sink of these pollutants in surface waters, but has received little attention in polar environments. We have challenged Antarctic microbial communities from the sea-surface microlayer (SML) and the subsurface layer (SSL) with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at environmentally relevant concentrations. PAH degradation rates and the microbial responses at both taxonomical and functional levels were assessed. Evidence for faster removal rates was observed in the SML, with rates 2.6-fold higher than in the SSL. In the SML, the highest removal rates were observed for the more hydrophobic and particle-bound PAHs. After 24 h of PAHs exposure, particle-associated bacteria in the SML showed the highest number of significant changes in their composition. These included significant enrichments of several hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria, especially the fast-growing genera Pseudoalteromonas, which increased their relative abundances by eightfold. Simultaneous metatranscriptomic analysis showed that the free-living fraction of SML was the most active fraction, especially for members of the order Alteromonadales, which includes Pseudoalteromonas. Their key role in PAHs biodegradation in polar environments should be elucidated in further studies. This study highlights the relevant role of bacterial populations inhabiting the sea-surface microlayer, especially the particle-associated habitat, as relevant bioreactors for the removal of aromatic hydrocarbons in the oceans. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Alícia Martinez-Varela Gemma Casas Naiara Berrojalbiz Benjamin Piña Jordi Dachs Maria Vila-Costa |
author_facet |
Alícia Martinez-Varela Gemma Casas Naiara Berrojalbiz Benjamin Piña Jordi Dachs Maria Vila-Costa |
author_sort |
Alícia Martinez-Varela |
title |
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Degradation in the Sea-Surface Microlayer at Coastal Antarctica |
title_short |
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Degradation in the Sea-Surface Microlayer at Coastal Antarctica |
title_full |
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Degradation in the Sea-Surface Microlayer at Coastal Antarctica |
title_fullStr |
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Degradation in the Sea-Surface Microlayer at Coastal Antarctica |
title_full_unstemmed |
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Degradation in the Sea-Surface Microlayer at Coastal Antarctica |
title_sort |
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon degradation in the sea-surface microlayer at coastal antarctica |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.907265 https://doaj.org/article/0834e92a1ea5457a8f48d684b69f5854 |
geographic |
Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica |
op_source |
Frontiers in Microbiology, Vol 13 (2022) |
op_relation |
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2022.907265/full https://doaj.org/toc/1664-302X 1664-302X doi:10.3389/fmicb.2022.907265 https://doaj.org/article/0834e92a1ea5457a8f48d684b69f5854 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.907265 |
container_title |
Frontiers in Microbiology |
container_volume |
13 |
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1766259332684447744 |