Description: Highlights • Naturally enriched AOM biomass was studied in high-pressure continuous incubation. • We report the first S- and O-isotope fractionation values by sulfate reduction coupled to AOM from culture studies. • There is a tight link between methane concentration and S- and O-isotope fractionation. • S- and O-isotope fractionation values indicate reversibility of energy limited microbial processes. • The wide range of environmental S- and O-isotope signatures can be explained. Abstract Isotope signatures of sulfur compounds are key tools for studying sulfur cycling in the modern environment and throughout earth's history. However, for meaningful interpretations, the isotope effects of the processes involved must be known. Sulfate reduction coupled to the anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM-SR) plays a pivotal role in sedimentary sulfur cycling and is the main process responsible for the consumption of methane in marine sediments − thereby efficiently limiting the escape of this potent greenhouse gas from the seabed to the overlying water column and atmosphere. In contrast to classical dissimilatory sulfate reduction (DSR), where sulfur and oxygen isotope effects have been measured in culture studies and a wide range of isotope effects has been observed, the sulfur and oxygen isotope effects by AOM-SR are unknown. This gap in knowledge severely hampers the interpretation of sulfur cycling in methane-bearing sediments, especially because, unlike DSR which is carried out by a single organism, AOM-SR is presumably catalyzed by consortia of archaea and bacteria that both contribute to the reduction of sulfate to sulfide. We studied sulfur and oxygen isotope effects by AOM-SR at various aqueous methane concentrations from 1.4±0.6 mM1.4±0.6 mM up to 58.8±10.5 mM58.8±10.5 mM in continuous incubation at steady state. Changes in the concentration of methane induced strong changes in sulfur isotope enrichment (View the MathML sourceεS34) and oxygen isotope exchange between water and sulfate relative to sulfate reduction (θOθO), as well as sulfate reduction rates (SRR). Smallest View the MathML sourceεS34 (21.9±1.9‰21.9±1.9‰) and θOθO (0.5±0.20.5±0.2) as well as highest SRR were observed for the highest methane concentration, whereas highest View the MathML sourceεS34 (67.3±26.1‰67.3±26.1‰) and θOθO (2.5±1.52.5±1.5) and lowest SRR were reached at low methane concentration. Our results show that View the MathML sourceεS34, θOθO and SRR during AOM-SR are very sensitive to methane concentration and thus also correlate with energy yield. In sulfate–methane transition zones, AOM-SR is likely to induce very large sulfur isotope fractionation between sulfate and sulfide (i.e. 〉60‰〉60‰) and will drive the oxygen isotope composition of sulfate towards the sulfate–water oxygen isotope equilibrium value. Sulfur isotope fractionation by AOM-SR at gas seeps, where methane fluxes are high, will be much smaller (i.e. 20 to 40‰).

Description: Collectively, marine sediments comprise the largest reservoir of methane on Earth. The flux of methane from the sea bed to the overlying water column is mitigated by the sulphate-dependent anaerobic oxidation of methane by marine microbes within a discrete sedimentary horizon termed the sulphate–methane transition zone. According to conventional isotope systematics, the biological consumption of methane leaves a residue of methane enriched in 13C (refs 1, 2, 3). However, in many instances the methane within sulphate–methane transition zones is depleted in 13C, consistent with the production of methane, and interpreted as evidence for the intertwined anaerobic oxidation and production of methane4, 5, 6. Here, we report results from experiments in which we incubated cultures of microbial methane consumers with methane and low levels of sulphate, and monitored the stable isotope composition of the methane and dissolved inorganic carbon pools over time. Residual methane became progressively enriched in 13C at sulphate concentrations above 0.5 mM, and progressively depleted in 13C below this threshold. We attribute the shift to 13C depletion during the anaerobic oxidation of methane at low sulphate concentrations to the microbially mediated carbon isotope equilibration between methane and carbon dioxide. We suggest that this isotopic effect could help to explain the 13C-depletion of methane in subseafloor sulphate–methane transition zones.

Description: The synthesis and characterization of selected nitrogen-rich salts based on 5-(1,2,4-triazol- C -yl)tetrazoles and their 1-hydroxy-tetrazole analogues is presented. The combination with guanidinium, triaminoguanidinium, and hydroxylammonium cations leads to enhanced performance and sensitivities. The main focus of this work is on the energetic properties of those ionic derivatives in comparison to the neutral compounds. Additionally, the positive influence of the introduction of N -oxides in energetic materials is shown. Structural characterization was accomplished by means of Raman, IR, and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy. The standard enthalpies of formation were calculated for selected compounds at the CBS-4M level of theory, the detonation parameters were calculated using the EXPLO5.05 program. Additionally, thermal stability was measured via DSC and sensitivities against impact, friction, and electrostatic discharge were determined.

Description: Author(s): Claire Donnelly, Manuel Guizar-Sicairos, Valerio Scagnoli, Mirko Holler, Thomas Huthwelker, Andreas Menzel, Ismo Vartiainen, Elisabeth Müller, Eugenie Kirk, Sebastian Gliga, Jörg Raabe, and Laura J. Heyderman Recent advances in fabrication techniques to create mesoscopic 3D structures have led to significant developments in a variety of fields including biology, photonics, and magnetism. Further progress in these areas benefits from their full quantitative and structural characterization. We present reso... [Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 115501] Published Mon Mar 16, 2015