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Historical cultural heritage sites are valuable for all of mankind, as they reflect the material and spiritual wealth of by nations, countries, or specific groups during the development of human civilization. The types and functions of microorganisms that form biofilms on the surfaces of architectural heritage sites influence measures to preserve and protect these sites. These microorganisms contribute to the biocorrosion of architectural heritage structures through the cycling of chemical elements. The ancient city wall of Shou County is a famous architectural and cultural heritage site from China's Song Dynasty, and the protection and study of this site have substantial historical and cultural significance. In this study, we used metagenomics to study the microbial diversity and taxonomic composition of the Song Dynasty city wall in Shou County, a tangible example of Chinese cultural heritage. The study covered three main topics: (1) examining the distribution of bacteria in the biofilm on the surfaces of the Song Dynasty city wall in Shou County; (2) predicting the influence of bacteria involved in the C, N, and S cycles on the corrosion of the city wall via functional gene analysis; and (3) discussing cultural heritage site protection measures for biocorrosion-related bacteria to investigate the impact of biocorrosion on the Song Dynasty city wall in Shou County, a tangible example of Chinese cultural heritage. The study revealed that (1) the biofilm bacteria mainly belonged to Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes, which accounted for more than 70% of the total bacteria in the biofilms. The proportion of fungi in the microbial community of the well-preserved city wall was greater than that in the damaged city wall. The proportion of archaea was low—less than 1%. (2) According to the Shannon diversity index, the well-preserved portion of the ancient city wall had the highest diversity of bacteria, fungi, and archaea, and bacterial diversity on the good city wall was greater than that on the corroded city wall. (3) Bray–Curtis distances revealed that the genomes of the two good city walls were similar and that the genomes of the corroded city wall portions were similar. Researchers also detected human intestine-related bacteria in four locations on the city walls, with the proportion of these bacteria in the microbial community being greater on good city walls than on bad city walls. (4) KEGG functional analysis revealed that the energy metabolism and inorganic ion transport activities of the bacterial community on the corroded city wall were greater than those of the good city wall. (5) In the carbon cycle, the absence of active glycolysis, the ED pathway, and the TCA cycle played significant roles in the collapse of the east city wall. (6) The nitrogen cycling processes involved ammonia oxidation and nitrite reduction to nitrate. (7) In the sulfur cycle, researchers discovered a crucial differential functional gene, SoxY, which facilitates the conversion of thiosulfate to sulfate. This study suggests that, in the future, biological approaches can be used to help cultural heritage site protectors achieve targeted and precise protection of cultural relics through the use of microbial growth inhibition technology. The results of this study serve as a guide for the protection of cultural heritage sites in other parts of China and provide a useful supplement to research on the protection of world cultural heritage or architectural heritage sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mine environments in boreal and sub-boreal zones are expected to experience extreme weather events, increases in temperature, and shifts in precipitation patterns. Climate change impacts on geochemical stability of tailings contaminants and reclamation structures have been identified as important climate-related challenges to Canadian mining sector. Adapting current reclamation strategies for climate change will improve long-term efficiency and viability of mine tailings remediation/restoration strategies under a changing climate. Accordingly, mesocosm experiments were conducted to investigate associations of climate-driven shifts in microbial communities and functions with changes in the geochemistry of organic covers and underlying tailings. Our results show that warming appears to significantly reduce C:N of organic cover and promote infiltration of nitrogen into deeper, unoxidized strata of underlying tailings. We also observed an increase in the abundance of some nitrate reducers and sulfide oxidizers in microbial communities in underlying tailings. These results raise the concern that warming might trigger oxidation of sulfide minerals (linked to nitrate reduction) in deeper unoxidized strata where the oxygen has been eliminated. Therefore, it would be necessary to have monitoring programs to track functionality of covers in response to climate change conditions. These findings have implications for development of climate resilient mine tailings remediation/restoration strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • NiFe-LDH/FeNi 2 S 4 heterostructured nanoarrays are facily fabricated. • The resultant electrode exhibits excellent SOR and HER activity in alkaline seawater medium. • The chlorine-free hydrogen production is realized in SOR-hybrid seawater electrolysis. • The energy-saving hydrogen production in seawater is demonstrated by the ultralow electricity. Electrochemical seawater splitting is a sustainable pathway towards hydrogen production independent of scarce freshwater resources. However, the high energy consumption and harmful chlorine-chemistry interference still pose major technological challenges. Herein, thermodynamically more favorable sulfion oxidation reaction (SOR) is explored to replace energy-intensive oxygen evolution reaction (OER), enabling the dramatically reduced energy consumption and the avoidance of corrosive chlorine species in electrocatalytic systems of NiFe layered double hydroxide (LDH)/FeNi 2 S 4 grown on iron foam (IF) substrate. The resulting NiFe-LDH/FeNi 2 S 4 /IF with superwettable surfaces and favorable heterointerfaces can effectively catalyze SOR and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), which greatly reduces the operational voltage by 1.05 V at 50 mA cm−2 compared to pure seawater splitting and achieves impressively low electricity consumption of 2.33 kW h per cubic meter of H 2 at 100 mA cm−2. Significantly, benefitting from the repulsive effect of surface sulfate anions to Cl−, the NiFe-LDH/FeNi 2 S 4 /IF exhibits outstanding long-term stability for SOR-coupled chlorine-free hydrogen production with sulfion upcycling into elemental sulfur. The present study uncovers the "killing two birds with one stone" effect of SOR for energy-efficient hydrogen generation and value-added elemental sulfur recovery in seawater electrolysis without detrimental chlorine chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terrestrial mud volcanoes represent surface features of channels for subsurface methane transport and, therefore, constitute an important source of methane emission from natural environments. How microbial processes regulate methane emissions in terrestrial mud volcanoes has yet to be fully addressed. This study demonstrated the geochemical characteristics and microbial communities of four mud volcano and seep sites in two geological settings of Sicily, Italy. At sites within the accretionary wedge that exhibited higher methane and sulfate concentrations, the communities were dominated by members capable of catalyzing methane and sulfate metabolisms and organic degradation. In particular, both anaerobic and aerobic methanotrophs were abundant and their abundance distribution coincided with the geochemical transition. In contrast, the sites near Mount Etna were characterized by high fluid salinity, CO2, and low methane and sulfate concentrations, with communities consisting of halophilic organic degraders and sulfur metabolizers, along with a minor presence of aerobic methanotrophs. Substantial variations in community composition and geochemistry across spatial and vertical redox gradients suggest that physicochemical contexts imposed by the geology, fluid path, and source characteristics play a vital role in shaping community composition and cycling of methane, sulfur and organic carbon in Sicily mud volcanoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molybdoenzymes are essential in global nitrogen, carbon, and sulfur cycling. To date, the only known bioavailable source of molybdenum (Mo) is molybdate. However, in the sulfidic and anoxic (euxinic) habitats that predominate in modern subsurface environments and that were pervasive prior to Earth's widespread oxygenation, Mo occurs as soluble tetrathiomolybdate ion and molybdenite mineral that is not known to be bioavailable. This presents a paradox for how organisms obtain Mo to support molybdoenzymes in these environments. Here, we show that tetrathiomolybdate and molybdenite sustain the high Mo demand of a model anaerobic methanogen, Methanococcus maripaludis, grown via Mo-dependent formate dehydrogenase, formylmethanofuran dehydrogenase, and nitrogenase. Cells grown with tetrathiomolybdate and molybdenite have similar growth kinetics, Mo content, and transcript levels of proteins involved in Mo transport and cofactor biosynthesis when compared to those grown with molybdate, implying similar mechanisms of transport and cofactor biosynthesis. These results help to reconcile the paradox of how Mo is acquired in modern and ancient anaerobes and provide new insight into how molybdoenzymes could have evolved prior to Earth's oxygenation. The nitrogen-fixing anaerobic methanogen, Methanococcus maripaludis, can utilize tetrathiomolybdate and molybdenite, previously considered non-bioavailable, as sources of molybdenum for enzymes involved in nitrogen fixation and anaerobic metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hunga volcano violently erupted on 15 January 2022, producing the largest perturbation of the stratospheric aerosol layer since Pinatubo 1991, despite the initially estimated modest injection of SO2. This study presents novel SO2 and sulfate aerosol (SA) co‐retrievals from the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer, and uses them to quantify the initial progression of the Hunga plume. These observations are consistent with rapid conversion of SO2 (e‐folding time: 17.1 ± 4.3 days) to SA, with an injected burden of >1.0 Tg SO2. This points at larger SO2 injections than previously thought. A long‐lasting SA plume was observed, with two separate build‐up phases, and with a meridional dispersion of marked anomalies from the tropics to the higher southern hemispheric latitudes. A limited (∼20%) SA removal was observed after 1‐year dispersion. The total injected SA mass burden was estimated at 1.6 ± 0.5 Tg in the total atmospheric column, with a build‐up e‐folding time of about 2 months. Plain Language Summary: The eruption of the submarine Hunga volcano in January 2022 polluted the global stratosphere with a large amount of water vapor and significantly perturbed the stratospheric aerosol layer. In this paper, we present a 1‐year long aftermath study of the stratospheric sulfur pollution from this volcanic eruption using observations from the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) satellite‐borne instrument. Gaseous and aerosol sulfur emissions are observed simultaneously using the specific potential of this sensor. These observations provide unique capabilities to characterize the aerosol type in the Hunga plume and the sulfur cycle associated with the volcanic emissions. An extremely rapid conversion of gaseous sulfur emissions to aerosols is observed, leading to larger than expected and persistent anomalies of the stratospheric aerosol layer (compared with a consistent long‐term climatology), still noticeable in the Southern Hemisphere after 1 year. The total mass of the emitted sulfur in gas and aerosol state is also simultaneously estimated, for the first time. Key Points: Novel co‐retrieval of SO2 and sulfate aerosol from Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) used to study the dispersion of the Hunga plume over the entire year 2022Rapid conversion of SO2 (2 weeks e‐folding time) and long‐lasting sulfate aerosol observedLarger SO2 injected mass burden (>1.0 Tg) than previously thought and a large sulfate aerosol total burden (1.6 Tg) estimated [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the slow redox kinetics of sulfur species and shuttling issues of soluble intermediates induced from the multiphase sulfur redox reactions are crucial factors for developing the next‐generation high‐energy‐density lithium‐sulfur (Li−S) batteries. In this study, we successfully constructed a novel molecular electrocatalyst through in situ polymerization of bis(3,4‐dibromobenzene)‐18‐crown‐6 (BD18C6) with polysulfide anions on the cathode interface. The crown ether (CE)‐based polymer acts as a spatial "fence" to precisely control the unique redox characteristics of sulfur species, which could confine sulfur substance within its interior and interact with lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) to optimize the reaction barrier of sulfur species. The "fence" structure and the double‐sided Li+ penetrability of the CE molecule may also prevent the CE catalytic sites from being covered by sulfur during cycling. This new fence‐type electrocatalyst mitigates the "shuttle effect", enhances the redox activity of sulfur species, and promotes the formation of three‐dimensional stacked lithium sulfide (Li2S) simultaneously. It thus enables lithium‐sulfur batteries to exhibit superior rate performance and cycle stability, which may also inspire development facing analogous multiphase electrochemical energy‐efficient conversion process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey for bacteria of the genus Thiothrix indicated that they inhabited the area where the water of the Zmeiny geothermal spring (northern basin of Lake Baikal, Russia) mixed with the lake water. In the coastal zone of the lake oxygen (8.25 g/L) and hydrogen sulfide (up to 1 mg/L) were simultaneously present at sites of massive growth of these particular Thiothrix bacteria. Based on the analysis of the morphological characteristics and sequence of individual genes (16S rRNA, rpoB and tilS), we could not attribute the Thiothrix from Lake Baikal to any of the known species of this genus. To determine metabolic capabilities and phylogenetic position of the Thiothrix sp. from Lake Baikal, we analyzed their whole genome. Like all members of this genus, the bacteria from Lake Baikal were capable of organo-heterotrophic, chemolithoheterotrophic, and chemolithoautotrophic growth and differed from its closest relatives in the spectrum of nitrogen and sulfur cycle genes as well as in the indices of average nucleotide identity (ANI < 75–94%), amino acid identity (AAI < 94%) and in silico DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH < 17–57%), which were below the boundary of interspecies differences, allowing us to identify them as novel candidate species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) is a plentiful organic sulfur metabolite and the primary precursor for dimethyl sulfide (DMS), which plays a crucial role in global sulfur cycling, the formation of clouds, and cooling the warming earth. The origin and fate of DMSP are intricately linked to marine microorganisms, making the variation of the microorganism community crucial for DMSP dynamics. Nonetheless, the impact of pervasive marine microplastics on microorganisms and processes related to DMSP synthesis and degradation remains insufficiently investigated. To bridge this gap, a 14‐d deck‐based microcosm experiment was conducted, revealing that microplastics significantly altered the composition of microorganism communities and dramatically inhibited the release of DMS and DMSP. Furthermore, multivariate analysis demonstrated that the variations both in environmental variables and microorganism communities caused by microplastics were forcing factors in reducing DMS and DMSP release. In addition, the predicted function of the bacterial community showed a significant reduction in the presence of dddP and dmdA genes when exposed to microplastics, which directly disrupted both the demethylation and cleavage pathways of DMSP. These results indicate that the release of DMS and DMSP in marine ecosystems can be significantly affected by microplastics through influencing microorganisms. Thus, it is imperative to conduct research on controlling the synthesis and degradation of DMSP in the ocean, particularly in response to these environmental pollution issues. Such research can help discern new patterns from specific phenomena and identify crucial processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stable isotope compositions of sulphur (δ34S) and oxygen (δ18O) in barite are frequently used as proxies for microbial sulphate reduction (MSR) in diverse environments, such as in relation to anaerobic oxidation of methane in marine cold seeps. There, isotopically heavy barite is used as a marker for MSR from a sulphate pool that has undergone semi-closed system conditions. Closed-system MSR is also a commonly observed feature in igneous rock hosted fracture aquifers, as shown by extremely 34S-enriched pyrite. What is less well-constrained is whether δ34S in barite can be used as a proxy for MSR in such systems. Here we explore the microscale heterogeneity of δ34S and δ18O via secondary ion mass spectrometry and the trace element Sr via LA-ICP-MS maps in barite precipitated in granite-hosted boreholes during a 17-year experiment, at Äspö, Sweden. We compare it with δ18Osulfate, δ34Ssulfate, and δ34Ssulfide of the fracture fluids and with paragenetic pyrite with δ34S values reflecting closed system MSR. The δ18O values in barite (+9.4 to +16.9 ‰) represent two generations of barite, one with low values and one with high values. The latter are likely impacted by sulphur disproportionating or -oxidizing bacteria. The barite reflects a much smaller span in δ34S (+14.5 to +28.6 ‰) than the pyrite (−47.2 to +53.3 ‰). This lack of extremely high δ34Sbarite values is proposed to be due to that barite saturation only occurred in the early parts of the Rayleigh cycle. Additionally, fluid migration has affected the δ34S values to lower values, accompanied by higher Sr concentrations. Taken together, barite δ34S values cannot be regarded as a reliable independent proxy for MSR in deep sulphate-poor igneous rock hosted aquifers. However, the relation between the δ34S values of coeval barite and pyrite is regarded as a useful proxy for MSR-related fractionation during early stages of MSR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are frequently encountered in anoxic-to-oxic transition zones, where they are transiently exposed to microoxic or even oxic conditions on a regular basis. This can be marine tidal sediments, microbial mats, and freshwater wetlands like peatlands. In the latter, a cryptic but highly active sulfur cycle supports their anaerobic activity. Here, we aimed for a better understanding of how SRB responds to periodically fluctuating redox regimes. Results: To mimic these fluctuating redox conditions, a bioreactor was inoculated with peat soil supporting cryptic sulfur cycling and consecutively exposed to oxic (one week) and anoxic (four weeks) phases over a period of > 200 days. SRB affiliated to the genus Desulfosporosinus (Bacillota) and the families Syntrophobacteraceae, Desulfomonilaceae, Desulfocapsaceae, and Desulfovibrionaceae (Desulfobacterota) successively established growing populations (up to 2.9% relative abundance) despite weekly periods of oxygen exposures at 133 µM (50% air saturation). Adaptation mechanisms were analyzed by genome-centric metatranscriptomics. Despite a global drop in gene expression during oxic phases, the perpetuation of gene expression for energy metabolism was observed for all SRBs. The transcriptional response pattern for oxygen resistance was differentiated across individual SRBs, indicating different adaptation strategies. Most SRB transcribed differing sets of genes for oxygen consumption, reactive oxygen species detoxification, and repair of oxidized proteins as a response to the periodical redox switch from anoxic to oxic conditions. Noteworthy, a Desulfosporosinus, a Desulfovibrionaceaea, and a Desulfocapsaceaea representative maintained high transcript levels of genes encoding oxygen defense proteins even under anoxic conditions, while representing dominant SRB populations after half a year of bioreactor operation. Conclusions: In situ-relevant peatland SRB established large populations despite periodic one-week oxygen levels that are one order of magnitude higher than known to be tolerated by pure cultures of SRB. The observed decrease in gene expression regulation may be key to withstand periodically occurring changes in redox regimes in these otherwise strictly anaerobic microorganisms. Our study provides important insights into the stress response of SRB that drives sulfur cycling at oxic-anoxic interphases. 1UtHR5dBbf2f8WaGLBYUtH Video Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acidophilic sulphate‐reducing bacteria (aSRB) are widespread anaerobic microorganisms that perform dissimilatory sulphate reduction and have key adaptations to tolerate acidic environments (pH <5.0), such as proton impermeability and Donnan potential. This diverse prokaryotic group is of interest from physiological, ecological, and applicational viewpoints. In this review, we summarize the interactions between aSRB and other microbial guilds, such as syntrophy, and their roles in the biogeochemical cycling of sulphur, iron, carbon, and other elements. We discuss the biotechnological applications of aSRB in treating acid mine drainage (AMD, pH <3), focusing on their ability to produce biogenic sulphide and precipitate metals, particularly in the context of utilizing microbial consortia instead of pure isolates. Metal sulphide nanoparticles recovered after AMD treatment have multiple potential technological uses, including in electronics and biomedicine, contributing to a cost‐effective circular economy. The products of aSRB metabolisms, such as biominerals and isotopes, could also serve as biosignatures to understand ancient and extant microbial life in the universe. Overall, aSRB are active components of the sulphur and carbon cycles under acidic conditions, with potential natural and technological implications for the world around us. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulphate‐reducing microorganisms, or SRMs, are crucial to organic decomposition, the sulphur cycle, and the formation of pyrite. Despite their low energy‐yielding metabolism and intense competition with other microorganisms, their ability to thrive in natural habitats often lacking sufficient substrates remains an enigma. This study delves into how Desulfovibrio desulfuricans G20, a representative SRM, utilizes photoelectrons from extracellular sphalerite (ZnS), a semiconducting mineral that often coexists with SRMs, for its metabolism and energy production. Batch experiments with sphalerite reveal that the initial rate and extent of sulphate reduction by G20 increased by 3.6 and 3.2 times respectively under light conditions compared to darkness, when lactate was not added. Analyses of microbial photoelectrochemical, transcriptomic, and metabolomic data suggest that in the absence of lactate, G20 extracts photoelectrons from extracellular sphalerite through cytochromes, nanowires, and electron shuttles. Genes encoding movement and biofilm formation are upregulated, suggesting that G20 might sense redox potential gradients and migrate towards sphalerite to acquire photoelectrons. This process enhances the intracellular electron transfer activity, sulphur metabolism, and ATP production of G20, which becomes dominant under conditions of carbon starvation and extends cell viability in such environments. This mechanism could be a vital strategy for SRMs to survive in energy‐limited environments and contribute to sulphur cycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries promise high theoretical energy density and cost‐effectiveness but grapple with challenges like the polysulfide shuttle effect and sluggish kinetics. Metal–organic framework (MOF) catalysts emerge as a leading solution, despite limited conductivity and high steric hindrance. This study employs undercoordination chemistry to modify Zn–Co bimetallic MOFs (D‐ZIF L), removing organic ligands from active centers. This process mitigates spatial hindrance, thereby promoting comprehensive contact between sulfur species and metal active centers, consequently enhancing the catalytic efficiency of MOFs. Moreover, undercoordination treatment of the metal active centers induces electron redistribution, augmenting electron density at the Fermi level of the metal elements, thereby ameliorating the intrinsic conductivity. Leveraging these advantages, fabricated Li–S batteries employing D‐ZIF L catalysts exhibited markedly mitigated shuttling effects and accelerated sulfur species conversion kinetics. Notably, a substantial reverse areal capacity of 5.0 mAh cm⁻2 is achieved after 100 cycles with an evaluated sulfur loading of 5.5 mg cm⁻2. Furthermore, a practical pouch cell demonstrated an initial capacity of 1.8 Ah at 85.8 mA with stable cycling for 50 cycles. This study underscores the potential of undercoordination chemistry in the development of highly conductive MOF catalysts with minimized steric hindrance, thereby advancing the prospects of Li–S battery technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microbial processes occurring in constructed wetlands (CWs) are difficult to understand owing to the complex interactions occurring between a variety of substrates, microorganisms, and plants under the given physicochemical conditions. This frequently leads to very large unexplained nitrogen losses in these systems. In continuation of our findings on Anammox contributions, our research on full-scale field CWs has suggested the significant involvement of the sulfur cycle in the conventional C–N cycle occurring in wetlands, which might closely explain the nitrogen losses in these systems. This paper explored the possibility of the sulfur-driven autotrophic denitrification (SDAD) pathway in different types of CWs, shallow and deep and passive and aerated systems, by analyzing the metagenomic bacterial communities present within these CWs. The results indicate a higher abundance of SDAD bacteria (Paracoccus and Arcobacter) in deep passive systems compared to shallow systems and presence of a large number of SDAD genera (Paracoccus, Thiobacillus, Beggiatoa, Sulfurimonas, Arcobacter, and Sulfuricurvum) in aerated CWs. The bacteria belonging to the functional category of dark oxidation of sulfur compounds were found to be enriched in deep and aerated CWs hinting at the possible role of the SDAD pathway in total nitrogen removal in these systems. As a case study, the percentage nitrogen removal through SDAD pathway was calculated to be 15–20% in aerated wetlands. The presence of autotrophic pathways for nitrogen removal can prove highly beneficial in terms of reducing sludge generation and hence reducing clogging, making aerated CWs a sustainable wastewater treatment solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbonate‐associated sulfate (CAS) δ34S values (δ34SCAS) are generally assumed to reflect S isotopic composition of paleo‐seawater and have been extensively used to reconstruct secular variations in seawater sulfate concentrations during the geological past. However, it has often been documented that δ34SCAS records are incompatible with seawater sulfur isotopes (20.9 ± 0.1%, 2σ) determined from other archives, such as sulfate evaporites and barite (both of which may also display inconsistencies). A possible explanation for this discrepancy is that δ34SCAS values can be easily altered by atmospheric sulfate and sulfide re‐oxidation. However, the specific influence of biological factors (vital effects, common in biogenic carbonates) on CAS S isotopic composition remains unresolved, particularly at microscale levels. To elucidate these effects on δ34SCAS, S isotopic profiles were analyzed across two skeletal transects of two modern deep‐sea corals (gorgonia) using a novel secondary‐ion mass spectrometry method. Strong S isotopic fractionation was observed in calcitic skeletons from the most 34S‐depleted center (δ34S = ∼19‰), increasing outward to a relatively constant 22.5‰ in gorgonia sp. coral and 21.6‰ in bamboo coral, suggesting that vital effects are much larger than previous estimated (∼±1‰ fractionation from seawater). Oxygen isotopic and Mg, S, O elemental compositions, and Raman spectral and crystal morphological features indicate that processes such as pH control, Rayleigh fractionation, and organic effects are precluded as causes of such fractionation. Instead, vital effects associated with kinetic processes related to surface entrapment seem plausible as controls on S isotopic fractionations in the coral. This novel method is significant for gaining insights into vital effects, assessing the reliability of biogenic carbonates as high‐resolution environmental archives of S isotopes, and understanding the fundamental mechanisms governing biomineralization. Plain Language Summary: The δ34S values of carbonate‐associated sulfate (CAS) serve as crucial indicators of past environmental conditions, providing insights into historical variations in seawater sulfate and atmospheric oxygen levels. It is commonly assumed that δ34SCAS closely reflects seawater sulfate, except for severely altered samples. However, analysis of S isotopic profiles across two skeletal transects of modern calcitic deep‐sea corals (gorgonia sp. coral and bamboo coral) using a newly developed in situ method based on secondary‐ion mass spectrometry, reveals significant isotopic fractionation. The most 34S‐depleted center (δ34S = ∼19‰) increases outward to a relatively constant value of 22.5‰ for gorgonia sp. coral and 21.6‰ for bamboo coral. These findings suggest that vital effects play a notable role in δ34SCAS fractionation, challenging the previous consensus of ∼±1‰. Further investigation, incorporating multiple indices and skeletal δ18O, indicates that vital effects associated with kinetic processes related to surface entrapment contribute to this fractionation. These insights shed light on the processes driving S–O isotopic fractionation in biogenic carbonates, bolstering their utility in reconstructing paleo‐oceanographic conditions. Key Points: Development of in situ carbonate S isotopic analysis using secondary‐ion mass spectrometryCommonly observed anomalous low δ34S and δ18O values in the axial skeleton of deep‐sea gorgonia coralsContribution of kinetic‐associated vital effects to significant Carbonate‐associated sulfate sulfur isotopic fractionation, supported by multiple geochemical indices [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep subsurface microorganisms constitute over 80 % of Earth's prokaryotic biomass and play an important role in global biogeochemical cycles. Geochemical processes driven by geothermal heating are key factors influencing their biomass and activities, yet their full breadth remains uncaptured. Here, we investigated the microbial community composition and metabolism in microbial-natural-gas-bearing aquifers at temperatures ranging from 38 to 81 °C , situated above nonmicrobial-gas- and oil-bearing sediments at temperatures exceeding 90 °C. Cultivation-based and molecular gene analyses, including radiotracer measurements, of formation water indicated variations in predominant methanogenic pathways across different temperature regimes of upper aquifers: high potential for hydrogenotrophic–methylotrophic, hydrogenotrophic, and acetoclastic methanogenesis at temperatures of 38, 51–65, and 73–81 °C , respectively. The potential for acetoclastic methanogenesis correlated with elevated acetate concentrations with increasing depth, possibly due to the decomposition of sedimentary organic matter. In addition to acetoclastic methanogenesis, in aquifers at temperatures as high as or higher than 65 °C , acetate is potentially utilized by microorganisms responsible for the dissimilatory reduction of sulfur compounds other than sulfate because of their high relative abundance at greater depths. The stable sulfur isotopic analysis of sulfur compounds in water and oil samples suggested that hydrogen sulfide, generated through the thermal decomposition of sulfur compounds in oil, migrates upward and is subsequently oxidized with iron oxides present in sediments, yielding elemental sulfur and thiosulfate. These compounds are consumed by sulfur-reducing microorganisms, possibly reflecting elevated microbial populations in aquifers at temperatures as high as or higher than 73 °C. These findings reveal previously overlooked geothermal-heat-driven geochemical and microbiological processes involved in carbon and sulfur cycling in the deep sedimentary biosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased difference in the sulfur isotopic compositions of sedimentary sulfate (carbonate‐associated sulfate: CAS) and sulfide (chromium‐reducible sulfur: CRS) during the Ediacaran Shuram excursion is attributed to increased oceanic sulfate concentration in association with the oxidation of the global ocean and atmosphere. However, recent studies on the isotopic composition of pyrites have revealed that CRS in sediments has diverse origins of pyrites. These pyrites are formed either in the water column/shallow sediments, where the system is open with respect to sulfate, or in deep sediments, where the system is closed with respect to sulfate. The δ34S value of sulfate in the open system is equal to that of seawater; on the contrary, the δ34S value of sulfate in the closed system is higher than that of seawater. Therefore, obtaining the isotopic composition of pyrites formed in an open system, which most likely retain microbial sulfur isotope fractionation, is essential to reconstruct the paleo‐oceanic sulfur cycle. In this study, we carried out multiple sulfur isotope analyses of CRS and mechanically separated pyrite grains (>100 μm) using a fluorination method, in addition to secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) analyses of in situ δ34S values of pyrite grains in drill core samples of Member 3 of the Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation in the Three Gorges area, South China. The isotope fractionation of microbial sulfate reduction (MSR) in the limestone layers of the upper part of Member 3 was calculated to be 34ε = 55.7‰ and 33λ = 0.5129 from the δ34S and Δ33S' values of medium‐sized pyrite grains ranging from 100 to 300 μm and the average δ34S and Δ33S' values of CAS. Model calculations revealed that the influence of sulfur disproportionation on the δ34S values of these medium‐sized pyrite grains was insignificant. In contrast, within the dolostone layers of the middle part of Member 3, isotope fractionation was determined to be 34ε = 47.5‰. The 34ε value in the middle part of Member 3 was calculated from the average δ34S values of the rim of medium‐sized pyrite grains and the average δ34S values of CAS. This observation revealed an increase in microbial sulfur isotope fractionation during the Shuram excursion at the drill core site. Furthermore, our investigation revealed correlations between δ34SCRS values and CRS concentrations and between CRS and TOC concentrations, implying that organic matter load to sediments controlled the δ34SCRS values rather than oceanic sulfate concentrations. However, these CRS and TOC concentrations are local parameters that can change only at the kilometer scale with local redox conditions and the intensity of primary production. Therefore, the decreasing δ34SCRS values likely resulted from local redox conditions and not from a global increase in the oceanic sulfate concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large leakage accidents of heavy metals from industrial facilities pose a serious environmental problem; however, not enough studies have been conducted to assess the long-term ecological risk associated with such accidents. This study evaluated changes in the bacterial communities within river sediment and identified the key functional microorganisms responding to the 2012 cadmium contamination incident in the Long River, Guangxi Province, China. Results revealed that after a prolonged period of pollution accidents, cadmium pollution still had a discernible effect on the bacterial communities of the river sediment. In comparison to the control site (S1), the bacterial α-diversity in sediments from the accident area (S3) and its downstream (S5) showed a significant increase following the incident. In the control site, Burkholderiaceae was dominant, while in S3 and S5, Pedosphaeraceae, Nitrosomonadaceae, Nitrospiraceae and Geobacteraceae were significantly increased. Sulfur bacteria were found to be more responsive to this cadmium contamination than other bacteria. At site S3, the abundances of Sulfuricurvum, Sulfurifustis, Thioalkalispira, Desulfobacteraceae and Desulfarculaceae were hundreds of times higher than at site S1, indicating an intensification of sulfur cycling processes. The functional prediction implied that cadmium pollution may promote methane oxidation coupled with sulfate reduction reactions and altered the processes of nitrification and denitrification. Environmental factors influencing the microbial community included the levels of metals (cadmium, arsenic, iron) in sediment, as well as other sediment characteristics like temperature and electrical conductivity. These findings contribute to our understanding of the long-term ecological consequences of environmental pollution in river ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hongnipo deposit, a newly discovered large copper deposit in the Kangdian Fe-Cu metallogenic belt of southwest China, is hosted in the Paleoproterozoic metavolcanic and metasedimentary rocks of the Hekou group. The deposit comprises five strata-bound ore bodies and is associated with sporadically distributed gabbroic intrusions. Four stages of mineralization and alteration have been identified: sodic alteration (I), banded sulfide (II), magnetite (III), and sulfide vein/stockwork (IV). Extensive sodic alteration of stage I is confirmed by the composition of feldspars. Trace element analysis of magnetite suggests a formation temperature of 400 ± 50 °C and has a characteristic of IOCG deposits, while high δ18O values (8.3–11.0‰) of fluids from stage III indicate a magmatic water origin. Sulfide δ34SVCDT values from stages II and IV range from −2.6 to 10.9‰ and −1.5 to 9.9‰, respectively, suggesting a mixed sulfur source from magmatic H2S and reduced seawater sulfate. Chalcopyrite from Hongnipo shows a narrow δ65Cu range of −0.135 to 0.587‰, indicating formation at high temperatures. The lack of correlation between δ65Cu and δ34SVCDT values suggests distinct geochemical behaviors in mineralization. In summary, the Hongnipo deposit is classified as a Cu-rich section of a typical IOCG deposit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep biospheric anaerobic microbial sulfate reduction and oxidative sulfur cycling have been studied in long sediment cores mainly acquired as part of IODP explorations. The most remarkable observation in many of these studies is the existence of an active sulfur cycle in the deep subsurface sediments that have very low organic carbon content and are presumably refractory. Here, we investigate the interstitial sulfate concentrations and sulfur isotope ratios in a 290 m-long sediment core collected from the eastern Arabian Sea at a water depth of 2663 m. Continuous decrease in porewater-sulfate concentrations with depth (up to 75 mbsf) coupled with enrichment in δ34SSO4 values suggests organoclastic sulfate reduction (OSR) processes attributed to the activity of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and retention of labile organic substrates amenable to the SRBs. Below a depth of 75 mbsf, the absence of further reduction in sulfate concentration indicates insufficient labile substrate to drive sulfate-reduction activity. An increase in sulfate concentrations at the deeper subsurface (below 128.5 mbsf) coupled with decreasing δ34SSO4 values may be attributed to the oxidation of Fe-sulfide to sulfate. The increase in porewater alkalinity in the lower part of the core has been linked to the silicate degradation process by CO2 produced via the dissolution of CaCO3. Compilation of previous studies from this core, along with our investigation, intrigues future research on organic matter reactivity and microbiological activity in deeper subsurface under oligotrophic depositional regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are frequently encountered in anoxic-to-oxic transition zones, where they are transiently exposed to microoxic or even oxic conditions on a regular basis. This can be marine tidal sediments, microbial mats, and freshwater wetlands like peatlands. In the latter, a cryptic but highly active sulfur cycle supports their anaerobic activity. Here, we aimed for a better understanding of how SRB responds to periodically fluctuating redox regimes. Results To mimic these fluctuating redox conditions, a bioreactor was inoculated with peat soil supporting cryptic sulfur cycling and consecutively exposed to oxic (one week) and anoxic (four weeks) phases over a period of > 200 days. SRB affiliated to the genus Desulfosporosinus (Bacillota) and the families Syntrophobacteraceae, Desulfomonilaceae, Desulfocapsaceae, and Desulfovibrionaceae (Desulfobacterota) successively established growing populations (up to 2.9% relative abundance) despite weekly periods of oxygen exposures at 133 µM (50% air saturation). Adaptation mechanisms were analyzed by genome-centric metatranscriptomics. Despite a global drop in gene expression during oxic phases, the perpetuation of gene expression for energy metabolism was observed for all SRBs. The transcriptional response pattern for oxygen resistance was differentiated across individual SRBs, indicating different adaptation strategies. Most SRB transcribed differing sets of genes for oxygen consumption, reactive oxygen species detoxification, and repair of oxidized proteins as a response to the periodical redox switch from anoxic to oxic conditions. Noteworthy, a Desulfosporosinus, a Desulfovibrionaceaea, and a Desulfocapsaceaea representative maintained high transcript levels of genes encoding oxygen defense proteins even under anoxic conditions, while representing dominant SRB populations after half a year of bioreactor operation. Conclusions In situ-relevant peatland SRB established large populations despite periodic one-week oxygen levels that are one order of magnitude higher than known to be tolerated by pure cultures of SRB. The observed decrease in gene expression regulation may be key to withstand periodically occurring changes in redox regimes in these otherwise strictly anaerobic microorganisms. Our study provides important insights into the stress response of SRB that drives sulfur cycling at oxic-anoxic interphases. Video Abstract

• Cycloaddition reaction of H 2 S to SO 3 is feasible with the effect of catalysts. • The product (SH)(OH)TSA is sufficiently stable against gas phase hydrolysis. • Isomerization of (SH)(OH)TSA to (OH)(OH)TSA is endothermic and unfavorable. • (SH)(OH)TSA has potential to participate in atmospheric new particle formation (NPF). • The present mechanism contributes to a better understanding of sulfur cycle in NPF. The chemistry of sulfur cycle contributes significantly to the atmospheric nucleation process, which is the first step of new particle formation (NPF). In the present study, cycloaddition reaction mechanism of sulfur trioxide (SO 3) to hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) which is a typical air pollutant and toxic gas detrimental to the environment were comprehensively investigate through theoretical calculations and Atmospheric Cluster Dynamic Code simulations. Gas-phase stability and nucleation potential of the product thiosulfuric acid (H 2 S 2 O 3 , TSA) were further analyzed to evaluate its atmospheric impact. Without any catalysts, the H 2 S + SO 3 reaction is infeasible with a barrier of 24.2 kcal/mol. Atmospheric nucleation precursors formic acid (FA), sulfuric acid (SA), and water (H 2 O) could effectively lower the reaction barriers as catalysts, even to a barrierless reaction with the efficiency of cis-SA > trans-FA > trans-SA > H 2 O. Subsequently, the gas-phase stability of TSA was investigated. A hydrolysis reaction barrier of up to 61.4 kcal/mol alone with an endothermic isomerization reaction barrier of 5.1 kcal/mol under the catalytic effect of SA demonstrates the sufficient stability of TSA. Furthermore, topological and kinetic analysis were conducted to determine the nucleation potential of TSA. Atmospheric clusters formed by TSA and atmospheric nucleation precursors (SA, ammonia NH 3 , and dimethylamine DMA) were thermodynamically stable. Moreover, the gradually decreasing evaporation coefficients for TSA-base clusters, particularly for TSA-DMA, suggests that TSA may participate in NPF where the concentration of base molecules are relatively higher. The present new reaction mechanism may contributes to a better understanding of atmospheric sulfur cycle and NPF. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Oxidative dissolution pathway of stibnite was studied by sulfate oxygen and sulfur isotope compositions. • The relative percentage of water-derived oxygen incorporation into sulfate increase from 5 % to 52 % with longer reaction duration. • A conceptual model of stibnite oxidative dissolution pathway under the aerobic abiotic conditions was proposed. The environmental threat posed by stibnite is an important geoenvironmental issue of current concern. To better understand stibnite oxidation pathways, aerobic abiotic batch experiments were conducted in aqueous solution with varying δ18O H2O value at initial neutral pH for different lengths of time (15-300 days). The sulfate oxygen and sulfur isotope compositions as well as concentrations of sulfur and antimony species were determined. The sulfur isotope fractionation factor (Δ34S SO4-stibnite) values decreased from 0.8‰ to -2.1‰ during the first 90 days, and increased to 2.6‰ at the 180 days, indicating the dominated intermediate sulfur species such as S 2 O 3 2−, S0, and H 2 S (g) involved in Sb 2 S 3 oxidation processes. The incorporation of O into sulfate derived from O 2 (∼100%) indicated that the dissociated O 2 was only directly adsorbed on the stibnite-S sites in the initial stage (0-90 days). The proportion of O incorporation into sulfate from water (27%-52%) increased in the late stage (90-300 days), which suggested the oxidation mechanism changed to hydroxyl attack on stibnite-S sites promoted by nearby adsorbed O 2 on stibnite-Sb sites. The exchange of oxygen between sulfite and water may also contributed to the increase of water derived O into SO 4 2−. The new insight of stibnite oxidation pathway contributes to the understanding of sulfide oxidation mechanism and helps to interpret field data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Members of the genus Shewanella are known for their versatile electron accepting routes, which allow them to couple decomposition of organic matter to reduction of various terminal electron acceptors for heterotrophic growth in diverse environments. Here, we report autotrophic growth of Shewanella oneidensis MR‐1 with photoelectrons provided by illuminated biogenic CdS nanoparticles. This hybrid system enables photosynthetic oscillatory acetate production from CO2 for over five months, far exceeding other inorganic‐biological hybrid system that can only sustain for hours or days. Biochemical, electrochemical and transcriptomic analyses reveal that the efficient electron uptake of S. oneidensis MR‐1 from illuminated CdS nanoparticles supplies sufficient energy to stimulate the previously overlooked reductive glycine pathway for CO2 fixation. The continuous solar‐to‐chemical conversion is achieved by photon induced electric recycling in sulfur species. Overall, our findings demonstrate that this mineral‐assisted photosynthesis, as a widely existing and unique model of light energy conversion, could support the sustained photoautotrophic growth of non‐photosynthetic microorganisms in nutrient‐lean environments and mediate the reversal of coupled carbon and sulfur cycling, consequently resulting in previously unknown environmental effects. In addition, the hybrid system provides a sustainable and flexible platform to develop a variety of solar products for carbon neutrality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inevitable shuttling and slow redox kinetics of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) as well as the uncontrolled growth of Li dendrites have strongly limited the practical applications of lithium‐sulfur batteries (LSBs). To address these issues, we have innovatively constructed the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) encapsulated Co nanoparticles in situ grown on TiN‐MXene nanosheets, denoted as TiN‐MXene‐Co@CNTs, which could serve simultaneously as both sulfur/Li host to kill "three birds with one stone" to (1) efficiently capture soluble LiPSs and expedite their redox conversion, (2) accelerate nucleation/decomposition of solid Li2S, and (3) induce homogeneous Li deposition. Benefiting from the synergistic effects, the TiN‐MXene‐Co@CNTs/S cathode with a sulfur loading of 2.5 mg cm−2 could show a high reversible specific capacity of 1129.1 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at 0.1 C, and ultralong cycle life over 1000 cycles at 1.0 C. More importantly, it even achieves a high areal capacity of 6.3 mAh cm−2 after 50 cycles under a sulfur loading as high as 8.9 mg cm−2 and a low E/S ratio of 5.0 μL mg−1. Besides, TiN‐MXene‐Co@CNTs as Li host could deliver a stable Li plating/striping behavior over 1000 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: At lower concentrations copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and nickel (Ni) are trace metals essential for some bacterial enzymes. At higher concentrations they might alter and inhibit microbial functioning in a bioreactor treating wastewater. We investigated the effect of incremental concentrations of Cu, Zn and Ni on the bacterial community structure and their metabolic functions by shotgun metagenomics. Metal concentrations reported in previous studies to inhibit bacterial metabolism were investigated. Results: At 31.5 μM Cu, 112.4 μM Ni and 122.3 μM Zn, the most abundant bacteria were Achromobacter and Agrobacterium. When the metal concentration increased 2 or fivefold their abundance decreased and members of Delftia, Stenotrophomonas and Sphingomonas dominated. Although the heterotrophic metabolic functions based on the gene profile was not affected when the metal concentration increased, changes in the sulfur biogeochemical cycle were detected. Despite the large variations in the bacterial community structure when concentrations of Cu, Zn and Ni increased in the bioreactor, functional changes in carbon metabolism were small. Conclusions: Community richness and diversity replacement indexes decreased significantly with increased metal concentration. Delftia antagonized Pseudomonas and members of Xanthomonadaceae. The relative abundance of most bacterial genes remained unchanged despite a five-fold increase in the metal concentration, but that of some EPS genes required for exopolysaccharide synthesis, and those related to the reduction of nitrite to nitrous oxide decreased which may alter the bioreactor functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of sediment oxygen demand (SOD) in causing dissolved oxygen (DO) depletion is widely acknowledged, with previous studies mainly focusing on chemical and biological SOD separately. However, the relationship between the putative functions of sediment microbes and SOD, and their impact on DO depletion in overlying water, remains unclear. In this study, DO depletion was observed in the downstream of the Gan River during the summer. Sediments were sampled from three downstream sites (YZ, Down1, and Down2) and one upstream site (CK) as a control. Aquatic physicochemical parameters and SOD levels were measured, and microbial functions were inferred from taxonomic genes through analyses of the 16S rRNA gene. The results showed that DO depletion sites exhibited a higher SOD rate compared to CK. The microbial community structure was influenced by the spatial variation of Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Bacteroidota, with total organic carbon (TOC) content acting as a significant environmental driver. A negative correlation was observed between microbial diversity and DO concentration (p < 0.05). Aerobic microbes were more abundant in DO depletion sites, particularly Proteobacteria. Microbes involved in various biogeochemical cycles, such as carbon (methane oxidation, methanotrophs, and methylotrophs), nitrogen (nitrification and denitrification), sulfur (sulfide and sulfur compound oxidation), and manganese cycles (manganese oxidation), exhibited higher abundance in DO depletion sites, except for the iron cycle (iron oxidation). These processes were negatively correlated with DO concentration and positively with SOD (p < 0.05). Overall, the results highlight that aerobic bacteria's metabolic processes consume oxygen, increasing the SOD rate and contributing to DO depletion in the overlying water. Additionally, the study underscores the importance of targeting the removal of in situ microbial molecular mechanisms associated with toxic H2S and CH4 to support reoxygenation efforts in rehabilitating DO depletion sites in the Gan River, aiding in identifying factors controlling DO consumption and offering practical value for the river's restoration and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The release of pollutants from lead-zinc mining areas poses a significant threat to the environment, making pollution tracing crucial for environmental protection. However, the complexity of carbonate mining areas makes tracing these pollutants challenging. This study used δ34SSO4 and δ18OSO4 isotopes combined with the Stable Isotope Mixing Models in R (SIMMR) to assess anthropogenic sulfate sources in the Daliangzi mining area. The river water types were mainly Ca2+-Mg2+-HCO3−, and SO42−, which are significantly influenced by dolomite dissolution. The δ34SSO4 values ranged from 6.47‰ to 17.96‰ and the δ18OSO4 values ranged from −5.66‰ to 13.98‰. The SIMMR results showed that evaporite dissolution in tributaries, driven by gypsum, contributed 31% of sulfate, while sulfide oxidation, sewage, and atmospheric deposition contributed 19%, 18%, and 24%, respectively. The tailings pond near Xincha Creek has a higher sulfate release potential than the processing plant near Cha Creek. In the mainstream, sulfide oxidation contributed 25%, primarily from mine drainage. Anthropogenic sources, including sulfide oxidation, fertilizers, and sewage, made up about 50% of the total sulfate, with sulfide oxidation accounting for half of this input. The strong correlation between the Zn and SO42− concentrations (R2 = 0.82) and between the Zn and the contribution from the sulfide oxidation (R2 = 0.67) indicates their co-release during sulfide oxidation, making SO42− a proxy for tracing Zn sources. This study highlights the utility of δ34SSO4 and δ18OSO4 with SIMMR in tracing anthropogenic inputs and underscores the significant impact of mining on river systems and the sulfur cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces a novel mathematical approach rooted in X-ray spectroscopy principles to evaluate the oxidation state of sulfur, which is then applied in concrete and cementitious materials. Unlike previous studies that relied on an empirical quadratic relationship based on the ratios of characteristic X-ray lines (SKα, SKβ, and SKβ') for sulfur oxidation state determination, unique linear relationships between the intensities of the three X-ray lines for each oxidation state and total sulfur were utilized. Rational equations are then derived by combining these linear relationships for each species. Two independent rational calibration curves are constructed using the SKβ/SKα and SKβ'/SKβ ratios for samples containing sulfide-sulfate mixtures, irrespective of total sulfur concentration within the range of 0.3% to 2.0% by weight of concrete. These equations demonstrated interchangeability across three simulated matrices (Portland cement, concrete, and silica) and two sulfide species (pyrrhotite and pyrite). Absolute quantification of sulfide and sulfate species in concrete is achieved by independently measuring total sulfur. Compared to previous quadratic and linear equations, this approach is shown to minimize the difference between the experimental and calculated ratios of the calibration samples. Agreement was also observed between the sulfate ratio calculated through the rational approach and gravimetric analysis for concrete samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the role of microbial sulfate reduction (MSR) in carbon sequestration within marine sediments. It examines how MSR contributes to the formation of authigenic carbonates, enhances organic carbon retention through organic sulfur formation, and influences overall carbon burial efficiency. It highlights its significance in long-term carbon storage and climate regulation, particularly in the context of expanding anoxic zones due to climate change.

Widespread marine microbiomes exhibit compositional and functional differentiation as a result of adaptation driven by environmental characteristics. We investigated the microbial communities in both seawater and sediments on the slope (7–9 km) and the bottom (9–11 km) of the Challenger Deep of the Mariana Trench to explore community differentiation. Both metagenome‐assembled genomes (MAGs) and 16S rRNA amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) showed that the microbial composition in the seawater was similar to that of sediment on the slope, while distinct from that of sediment in the bottom. This scenario suggested a potentially stronger community interaction between seawater and sediment on the slope, which was further confirmed by community assembly and population movement analyses. The metagenomic analysis also indicates a specific stronger potential of nitrate reduction and sulphate assimilation in the bottom seawater, while more versatile nitrogen and sulphur cycling pathways occur on the slope, reflecting functional differentiations among communities in conjunction with environmental features. This work implies that microbial community differentiation occurred in the different hadal niches, and was likely an outcome of microbial adaptation to the extreme hadal trench environment, especially the associated hydrological and geological conditions, which should be considered and measured in situ in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of detailed mineralogical and geochemical studies of precious metals from ultrabasic rocks of the Ariadnoe massif (Sikhote-Alin orogenic belt) are presented. The presence of several varieties of gold with different ratios of Ag, Cu, and Hg has been revealed. Isoferroplatinum predominates among platinum minerals. The isotopic composition of ultrabasite sulfides corresponds to the mantle source, while basites are characterized by isotope–light sulfur, indicating the possibility of participation in the oreogenesis of crustal rocks. Isotope-carbon analysis of igneous rocks indicates that they contain derivatives of deep fluids and isotope-light biogenic matter of sedimentary rocks. The presented data show that mantle and crustal processes were involved in the formation of ore-bearing intrusions of ultrabasic–basic rocks. The association of ilmenite, gold, and platinum in ultrabasites and basites, a derivative of these processes, can serve as a search criterion for the detection of industrially promising sources of strategic metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfur oxidizing bacteria (SOB) play a key role in sulfur cycling in mine tailings impoundment (TI) waters, where sulfur concentrations are typically high. However, our understanding of SOB sulfur cycling via potential S oxidation pathways (sox, rdsr, and S4I) in these globally ubiquitous contexts, remains limited. Here, we identified TI water column SOB community composition, metagenomics derived metabolic repertoires, physicochemistry, and aqueous sulfur concentration and speciation in four Canadian base metal mine, circumneutral-alkaline TIs over four years (2016 - 2019). Identification and examination of genomes from nine SOB genera occurring in these TI waters revealed two pH partitioned, metabolically distinct groups, which differentially influenced acid generation and sulfur speciation. Complete sox (csox) dominant SOB (e.g., Halothiobacillus spp., Thiomonas spp.) drove acidity generation and S2O32- consumption via the csox pathway at lower pH (pH ~5 to ~6.5). At circumneutral pH conditions (pH ~6.5 to ~8.5), the presence of non-csox dominant SOB (hosting the incomplete sox, rdsr, and/or other S oxidation reactions; e.g. Thiobacillus spp., Sulfuriferula spp.) were associated with higher [S2O32-] and limited acidity generation. The S4I pathway part 1 (tsdA; S2O32- to S4O62-), was not constrained by pH, while S4I pathway part 2 (S4O62- disproportionation via tetH) was limited to Thiobacillus spp. and thus circumneutral pH values. Comparative analysis of low, natural (e.g., hydrothermal vents and sulfur hot springs) and high (e.g., Zn, Cu, Pb/Zn, and Ni tailings) sulfur systems literature data with these TI results, reveals a distinct TI SOB mining microbiome, characterized by elevated abundances of csox dominant SOB, likely sustained by continuous replenishment of sulfur species through tailings or mining impacted water additions. Our results indicate that under the primarily oxic conditions in these systems, S2O32- availability plays a key role in determining the dominant sulfur oxidation pathways and associated geochemical and physicochemical outcomes, highlighting the potential for biological management of mining impacted waters via pH and [S2O32-] manipulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium‐sulfur batteries (LSBs) are seriously impeded by poor reaction kinetics and the polysulfides shuttling, leading to low utilization of sulfur and poor cycling performance. Herein, amorphous MoS2/MoO3 nanosheets are prepared by a one‐step formamide (FA)‐assisted strategy. Due to the merits of high adsorption capability and good catalytic activity of MoS2, relatively high electronic conductivity and strong polarity of MoO3, and abundant active sites of amorphous nanosheet structure, the LSBs based on amorphous MoS2/MoO3‐2 nanosheets coated separator exhibit an outstanding specific capacity (1420.2 mA h g−1 at 0.1 C), excellent rate capacity (505.4 mA h g−1 at 5 C), and long cycle life (a negligible decay rate of 0.063 % per cycle at 0.5 C). This work provides an idea for designing efficient amorphous catalytic materials in LSBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seafloor massive sulfides form in various marine hydrothermal settings, particularly within volcanic arcs, where magmatic fluids may contribute to the metal budget of the hydrothermal system. In this study, we focus on the Kolumbo volcano, a submarine volcanic edifice in the central Hellenic Volcanic Arc hosting an active hydrothermal system. Diffuse sulfate-sulfide chimneys form a Zn-Pb massive sulfide mineralization with elevated As, Ag, Au, Hg, Sb, and Tl contents. These elements have similar behavior during magmatic degassing and are common in arc-related hydrothermal systems. Trace-element data of igneous magnetite, combined with whole rock geochemistry and numerical modelling, highlights the behavior of chalcophile and siderophile elements during magmatic differentiation. We report that, despite early magmatic sulfide saturation, chalcophile element contents in the magma do not decrease until water saturation and degassing has occurred. The conservation of chalcophile elements in the magma during magmatic differentiation suggests that most of the magmatic sulfides do not fractionate. By contrast, upon degassing, As, Ag, Au, Cu, Hg, Sb, Sn, Pb, and Zn become depleted in the magma, likely partitioning into the volatile phase, either from the melt or during sulfide oxidation by volatiles. After degassing, the residual chalcophile elements in the melt are incorporated into magnetite. Trace-element data of magnetite enables identifying sulfide saturation during magmatic differentiation and discrimination between pre- and post-degassing magnetite. Our study highlights how magmatic degassing contributes to the metal budget in magmatic-hydrothermal systems that form seafloor massive sulfides and shows that igneous magnetite geochemistry is a powerful tool for tracking metal-mobilizing processes during magmatic differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The littoral zones of lakes are potential hotspots for local algal blooms and biogeochemical cycles; however, the microbial communities within the littoral sediments of eutrophic plateau lakes remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated the taxonomic composition, co-occurrence networks, and potential functional roles of both abundant and rare taxa within bacterial and archaeal communities, as well as physicochemical parameters, in littoral sediments from Erhai Lake, a mesotrophic lake transitioning towards eutrophy located in the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau. 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that bacterial communities were dominated by Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Chloroflexi, while Euryarchaeota was the main archaeal phylum. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed that keystone taxa mainly belonged to rare species in the bacterial domain, but in the archaeal domain, over half of keystone taxa were abundant species, demonstrating their fundamental roles in network persistence. The rare bacterial taxa contributed substantially to the overall abundance (81.52%), whereas a smaller subset of abundant archaeal taxa accounted for up to 82.70% of the overall abundance. Functional predictions highlighted a divergence in metabolic potentials, with abundant bacterial sub-communities enriched in pathways for nitrogen cycling, sulfur cycling, and chlorate reduction, while rare bacterial sub-communities were linked to carbon cycling processes such as methanotrophy. Abundant archaeal sub-communities exhibited a high potential for methanogenesis, chemoheterotrophy, and dark hydrogen oxidation. Spearman correlation analysis showed that genera such as Candidatus competibacter, Geobacter, Syntrophobacter, Methanocella, and Methanosarcina may serve as potential indicators of eutrophication. Overall, this study provides insight into the distinct roles that rare and abundant taxa play in the littoral sediments of mesotrophic plateau lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel Gram-stain-negative, facultatively anaerobic, and mixotrophic bacterium, designated as strain LZ166T, was isolated from the bathypelagic seawater in the western Pacific Ocean. The cells were short rod-shaped, oxidase- and catalase-positive, and motile by means of lateral flagella. The growth of strain LZ166T was observed at 10–45 °C (optimum 34–37 °C), at pH 5–10 (optimum 6–8), and in the presence of 0–5% NaCl (optimum 1–3%). A phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene showed that strain LZ166T shared the highest similarity (98.58%) with Aquibium oceanicum B7T and formed a distinct branch within the Aquibium genus. The genomic characterization, including average nucleotide identity (ANI, 90.73–76.79%), average amino identity (AAI, 88.50–79.03%), and digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH, 36.1–22.2%) values between LZ166T and other species within the Aquibium genus, further substantiated its novelty. The genome of strain LZ166T was 6,119,659 bp in size with a 64.7 mol% DNA G+C content. The predominant fatty acid was summed feature 8 (C18:1ω7c and/or C18:1ω6c). The major polar lipids identified were diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), glycolipid (GL), and phosphatidylglycerol (PG), with ubiquinone-10 (Q-10) as the predominant respiratory quinone. The genomic annotation indicated the presence of genes for a diverse metabolic profile, including pathways for carbon fixation via the Calvin–Benson–Bassham cycle and inorganic sulfur oxidation. Based on the polyphasic taxonomic results, strain LZ166T represented a novel species of the genus Aquibium, for which the name Aquibium pacificus sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain LZ166T (=MCCC M28807T = KACC 23148T = KCTC 82889T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The popularity of e-cigarettes (vaping) has soared, creating a public health crisis among teens and young adults. Chronic vaping can induce gut inflammation and reduce intestinal barrier function through the production of the proinflammatory molecule hydrogen sulfide (H2S). This is particularly concerning for people with HIV (PWH) as they already face impaired immune function and are at a higher risk for metabolic dysregulation, diabetes, and chronic liver disease. Furthermore, PWH experience unhealthy behaviors, making it crucial to understand the systemic metabolic dysregulation and pathophysiological mechanisms associated with vaping in this population. Here, we employed liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based metabolomics to investigate the upper respiratory, circulation, and gut metabolic profiles of PWH who vape (n = 7) and smoke combustible tobacco/marijuana (n = 6) compared to control participants who did not vape or smoke (n = 10). This hypothesis-generating exploratory study revealed systemic alterations in purine, neurotransmitter, and vitamin B metabolisms and tissue-specific changes in inflammatory pathways and cryptic sulfur cycling associated with vaping and combustible tobacco/marijuana smoking in PWH. In addition, this study provides the first link between microbial-derived metabolite 2,3-dihydroxypropane-1-sulfonate (DHPS) and vaping/smoking (tobacco and marijuana)-induced metabolic dyshomeostasis in the gut. These findings highlight the importance of identifying the full biological and clinical significance of the physiological changes and risks associated with vaping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This corrigendum addresses an error in the default seawater dimethylsulfide (DMS) climatology used in a study on the influence of coral-reef-derived DMS on the atmosphere of the Great Barrier Reef. The correction states that the correct climatology should be Kettle et al. (1999) instead of Lana et al. (2011). However, this correction does not impact the study's results, and no new seawater DMS measurements for the Great Barrier Reef region have been included in newer climatologies. The document also references three scientific articles that may be relevant to library patrons researching climate and oceanic processes. [Extracted from the article]

Hydrogen production from seawater remains challenging due to the deactivation of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrode under high current density. To overcome the activity-stability trade-offs in transition-metal sulfides, we propose a strategy to engineer sulfur migration by constructing a nickel-cobalt sulfides heterostructure with nitrogen-doped carbon shell encapsulation (CN@NiCoS) electrocatalyst. State-of-the-art ex situ/in situ characterizations and density functional theory calculations reveal the restructuring of the CN@NiCoS interface, clearly identifying dynamic sulfur migration. The NiCoS heterostructure stimulates sulfur migration by creating sulfur vacancies at the Ni3S2-Co9S8 heterointerface, while the migrated sulfur atoms are subsequently captured by the CN shell via strong C-S bond, preventing sulfide dissolution into alkaline electrolyte. Remarkably, the dynamically formed sulfur-doped CN shell and sulfur vacancies pairing sites significantly enhances HER activity by altering the d-band center near Fermi level, resulting in a low overpotential of 4.6 and 8 mV at 10 mA cm−2 in alkaline freshwater and seawater media, and long-term stability up to 1000 h. This work thus provides a guidance for the design of high-performance HER electrocatalyst by engineering interfacial atomic migration. Stable and efficient hydrogen production from seawater remains challenging. Here the authors engineer sulfur migration in NiCoS electrocatalyst via N-doped carbon encapsulation, generating S vacancies and S doped CN active sites at the interface that improves electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity and durability in both alkaline freshwater and seawater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sub-arc mantle oxidation is often attributed to sulfates from seawater transported in aqueous fluids derived from slab dehydration, but sulfur speciation and origin(s) in high-pressure fluids remain weakly constrained. Here, we use the four sulfur stable isotopes (32S, 33S, 34S, 36S) to decipher processes, e.g. mixing of two end-member reservoirs and open-system reaction occurring during sulfur devolatilization, and deduce the nature and origin of sulfur species in aqueous slab-derived fluids. We analyzed high pressure metamorphic rocks from the Monviso massif Lower Shear Zone (LSZ; Western Alps), recording evidence of an interface-parallel, channelized fluid flow near peak burial metamorphic conditions (∼550 °C and 2.7 GPa). We sampled variably metasomatized Fe-Ti metagabbros, hybrid (talc) schists and serpentinites containing sulfides supposed to preserve the aqueous fluid composition, as well as other alpine metagabbro, metabasalt and serpentinites from greenschist to eclogite-facies devoid of the studied metasomatic overprint. The millimeter to centimeter-sized sulfide crystals found in abundance within LSZ lithologies are mainly pyrites containing inclusions of the peak burial mineral assemblage (e.g. garnet, omphacite, rutile) indicating their crystallization at peak conditions or during incipient exhumation. The sulfides in the non-metasomatic metagabbros and metabasalts cover a narrow range in δ'34S of 0.89 ± 0.63 ‰ and Δ'33S of 0.017 ± 0.01 (n = 6) that could be inherited from hydrothermal sulfides formed on the seafloor. In contrast, the LSZ sulfides from the Fe-Ti metagabbros, serpentinites and hybrid schists (n = 24) are enriched in 34S and 33S (bulk δ'34S from 4.91 to 21.32 ‰ and Δ'33S from 0.02 to 0.06 ‰) compared to the sulfides from the non-metasomatic rocks. Mixing between reduced sulfur species cannot explain all the data without requiring an end-member composition as high as δ34S ∼ 22 ‰ and Δ33S ∼ 0.06 ‰, i.e. values rarely recorded by sulfides in the literature. Instead, we propose that this 33S-34S-enrichment results from open-system sulfate reduction to sulfides in aqueous fluids at 550°C, with an initial δ34S ∼ 12 ± 3 ‰ and Δ33S ∼ 0.025 ± 0.010 ‰. Because this signature is different from seawater sulfate, we suggest that sulfate was produced by hydrothermal sulfide oxidation during antigorite breakdown at 650°C, in agreement with Mg, Ni and Cr enrichments in the metasomatized HP mafic lithologies. This model is consistent with relatively oxidized 34S-enriched arc lavas and can potentially explain recycled sulfur with positive δ34S signature recorded by ocean island basalts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the energy revolution and the proposal of "double carbon" background, hydrogen energy with rich reserves, clean and low carbon and broad application prospects has gradually become a global hot spot. The combination of seawater hydrogen production and offshore wind power is undoubtedly the focus of research in this field. However, this new research field is not yet mature and is still in its infancy, so in order to reduce unnecessary losses, it is crucial to identify the key risks and prevent them. Secondly, the adaptability of a single model is no longer reliable for the risk assessment of this emerging field, especially the conversion from offshore wind to electric energy to hydrogen energy. Based on the above, this paper first considers the ambiguity and uncertainty of information, as well as the risk attitude of decision makers in the evaluation process, and develops a novel evaluation model. The reliability and optimization of the model are verified by sensitivity analysis and comparative analysis, and a case is introduced for practical analysis. The final results show that the key risks of hydrogen production from offshore wind power are seawater electrolysis technology, hydrogen energy storage technology and high-quality wind energy resources. The overall risk is 0.4198, which is medium risk. Decision-making managers can make targeted risk prevention to reduce losses and promote the stable operation of offshore wind power hydrogen production. [Display omitted] • Offshore wind power combined with seawater hydrogen production. • An improved model based on spherical fuzzy theory and cumulative prospect theory. • Taking China 's first large-scale offshore wind power hydrogen production project as a case study. • Key risks: seawater electrolysis technology, hydrogen storage technology and wind energy resources. • The quantitative result of the overall risk assessment was 0.4198. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greenhouse gas emission was effectively reduced and the energy crisis was alleviated by decomposing seawater into hydrogen energy. Producing hydrogen from seawater through electrolysis poses particular challenges, such as competition between oxygen and chlorine evolution reactions on the anode and low conductivity of seawater, and therefore, researchers are actively working towards finding innovative solutions to overcome these obstacles. An in-depth overview of the principles and progress of seawater electrolysis for hydrogen energy production was provided in this paper. Various design strategies for electrocatalysts (such as transition metal nitrides, transition metal sulfides and transition metal phosphates), electrocatalysts performance evaluation index and the electrolysis mechanism were summarized. Finally, prospects and challenges of using seawater electrolysis for hydrogen energy production in future were proposed. • A comprehensive overview for transition metal-based electrocatalysts for hydrogen production from seawater. • Various design strategies for electrocatalysts, performance evaluation index and the electrolysis mechanism were summarized. • Prospects and challenges of seawater electrolysis for hydrogen production were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfurized polyacrylonitrile (SPAN) is a promising cathode material for lithium-sulfur batteries owing to its reversible solid–solid conversion for high-energy-density batteries. However, the sluggish reaction kinetics of SPAN cathodes significantly limit their output capacity, especially at high cycling rates. Herein, a CNT-interpenetrating hierarchically porous SPAN electrode is developed by a simple phase-separation method. Flexible self-supporting SPAN cathodes with fast electron/ion pathways are synthesized without additional binders, and exceptional high-rate cycling performances are obtained even with substantial sulfur loading. For batteries assembled with this special cathode, an impressive initial discharge capacity of 1090 mAh g−1 and a retained capacity of 800 mAh g−1 are obtained after 1000 cycles at 1 C with a sulfur loading of 1.5 mg cm−2. Furthermore, by incorporating V2O5 anchored carbon fiber as an interlayer with adsorption and catalysis function, a high initial capacity of 614.8 mAh g−1 and a notable sustained capacity of 500 mAh g−1 after 500 cycles at 5 C are achieved, with an ultralow decay rate of 0.037% per cycle with a sulfur loading of 1.5 mg cm−2. The feasible construction of flexible SPAN electrodes with enhanced cycling performance enlists the current processing as a promising strategy for novel high-rate lithium-sulfur batteries and other emerging battery electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methane (CH4) emissions from wetland ecosystems are controlled by redox conditions in the soil, which are currently underrepresented in Earth system models. Plant-mediated radial oxygen loss (ROL) can increase soil O2 availability, affect local redox conditions, and cause heterogeneous distribution of redox-sensitive chemical species at the root scale, which would affect CH4 emissions integrated over larger scales. In this study, we used a subsurface geochemical simulator (PFLOTRAN) to quantify the effects of incorporating either spatially homogeneous ROL or more complex heterogeneous ROL on model predictions of porewater solute concentration depth profiles (dissolved organic carbon, methane, sulfate, sulfide) and column integrated CH4 fluxes for a tidal coastal wetland. From the heterogeneous ROL simulation, we obtained 18% higher column averaged CH4 concentration at the rooting zone but 5% lower total CH4 flux compared to simulations of the homogeneous ROL or without ROL. This difference is because lower CH4 concentrations occurred in the same rhizosphere volume that was directly connected with plant-mediated transport of CH4 from the rooting zone to the atmosphere. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the impacts of heterogeneous ROL on model predictions of porewater oxygen and sulfide concentrations will be more important under conditions of higher ROL fluxes or more heterogeneous root distribution (lower root densities). Despite the small impact on predicted CH4 emissions, the simulated ROL drastically reduced porewater concentrations of sulfide, an effective phytotoxin, indicating that incorporating ROL combined with sulfur cycling into ecosystem models could potentially improve predictions of plant productivity in coastal wetland ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfur, with its highly varying stable isotope ratio and involvement in numerous biogeochemical processes, is one of the most widely used elements as an isotopic paleoenvironmental proxy, yet the sulfur isotope ratios of ice‐wedges and their insoluble fraction remain unexplored. This study first presents the sulfur isotopic compositions of soluble sulfate, particulate organic matter (POM), and lithic particles recovered from East Siberian ice‐wedges. Soluble sulfate, primarily representing atmospheric sulfate deposition, shows comparable sulfur isotope ranges in Zyryanka and Batagay, while in Central Yakutia, ice‐wedge sulfate is more enriched in 34S, consistent with the orogenic and cratonic terranes in East Siberia. Given the wedge growth during the inland winter, it is likely that sulfate aerosols were derived mainly from erosion and weathering of regional basement rocks rather than from sea salt spray or biogenic emissions. Within individual ice‐wedges, however, the sulfur isotopic composition of soluble sulfate varies by as much as 7‰, possibly reflecting changes in the relative contributions of sulfur‐isotopically distinct source regions. Beyond the origin of sulfate, greater sulfur isotope fractionations between POM and sulfate during the last glaciation suggest that sulfate may have been anaerobically reduced to sulfide and vice versa in the adjacent root zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The western Pacific continental sea significantly influences the regulation of climate‐active gases budget and the burden of sulfate aerosols. An underway shipboard measurement device was used to determine the dimethyl sulfide (DMS) in the surface seawater and overlying atmosphere in the East China Continental Sea. The average concentration of DMS in atmosphere and seawater was 122.8 ± 86.2pptv and 6.47 ± 3.58 nmol L−1, respectively. The variation trend of surface water DMS in the western Pacific continental sea was influenced by the abundance and composition of phytoplankton under different ocean current systems, with a significant impact from eddies on DMS production in the South China Sea. By eliminating the influence of terrestrial sources and limiting air mass transport within the marine boundary layer, strong correlations were established between atmospheric DMS and air mass exposure to chlorophyll (Echl), as well as between aerosol methanesulfonic acid (MSA) and Echl. During the aerosol sampling period, the atmospheric DMS levels (1,057 ± 371 ng/m3) were significantly higher than MSA levels (46.3 ± 59.8 ng/m3) in the East China Sea, where the conversion of DMS to MSA was not affected by changes in DMS concentration. The sea‐to‐air fluxes of DMS varied over a wide range, from 0.02 to 156.0 μmol m−2 d−1, with an average of 14.35 ± 18.58 μmol m−2 d−1. Marine DMS emissions play a critical role in the formation of sulfur aerosols on the western Pacific continental shelf, accounting for 24.6 ± 7.6% (14.8%–37.8%) of the total sulfate aerosols. Plain Language Summary: The western Pacific continental sea plays a crucial role in controlling climate‐active gas budgets and sulfate aerosol loads. We investigated the distribution, sources, and control factors of dimethyl sulfide in surface seawater and the overlying atmosphere using underway observations in the western Pacific continental sea. By removing the influence of land sources and limiting air mass transport within the marine boundary layer, we discovered strong correlations between atmospheric dimethyl sulfide and air mass exposure to chlorophyll, as well as between aerosol methanesulfonic acid and air mass exposure to chlorophyll. Marine dimethyl sulfide emissions are vital for sulfur aerosol formation on the western Pacific continental shelf. This study provides valuable insights into understanding dimethyl sulfide dynamics in the western Pacific continental sea while highlighting its role in sulfur cycling and aerosol formation. Key Points: Phytoplankton and eddies influenced dimethyl sulfide (DMS) distribution in the western Pacific continental seaThe atmospheric DMS and Echl exhibit a strong positive correlation, as well as MSA and EchlMarine DMS emissions accounted for 25% of total sulfate aerosols in the East China Sea [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mangroves are complex and dynamic coastal ecosystems under frequent fluctuations in physicochemical conditions related to the tidal regime. The frequent variation in organic matter concentration, nutrients, and oxygen availability, among other factors, drives the microbial community composition, favoring syntrophic populations harboring a rich and diverse, stress-driven metabolism. Mangroves are known for their carbon sequestration capability, and their complex and integrated metabolic activity is essential to global biogeochemical cycling. Here, we present a metabolic reconstruction based on the genomic functional capability and flux profile between sympatric MAGs co-assembled from a tropical restored mangrove. Results: Eleven MAGs were assigned to six Bacteria phyla, all distantly related to the available reference genomes. The metabolic reconstruction showed several potential coupling points and shortcuts between complementary routes and predicted syntrophic interactions. Two metabolic scenarios were drawn: a heterotrophic scenario with plenty of carbon sources and an autotrophic scenario with limited carbon sources or under inhibitory conditions. The sulfur cycle was dominant over methane and the major pathways identified were acetate oxidation coupled to sulfate reduction, heterotrophic acetogenesis coupled to carbohydrate catabolism, ethanol production and carbon fixation. Interestingly, several gene sets and metabolic routes similar to those described for wastewater and organic effluent treatment processes were identified. Conclusion: The mangrove microbial community metabolic reconstruction reflected the flexibility required to survive in fluctuating environments as the microhabitats created by the tidal regime in mangrove sediments. The metabolic components related to wastewater and organic effluent treatment processes identified strongly suggest that mangrove microbial communities could represent a resourceful microbial model for biotechnological applications that occur naturally in the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Salinization damages soil system health and influences microbial communities structure and function. The response of microbial functions involved in the nutrient cycle to soil salinization is a valuable scientific question. However, our knowledge of the microbial metabolism functions in salinized soil and their response to salinity in arid desert environments is inadequate. Methods: Here, we applied metagenomics technology to investigate the response of microbial carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S) cycling and the key genes to salinity, and discuss the effects of edaphic variables on microbial functions. Results: We found that carbon fixation dominated the carbon cycle. Nitrogen fixation, denitrification, assimilatory nitrate reduction (ANRA), and nitrogen degradation were commonly identified as the most abundant processes in the nitrogen cycle. Organic phosphorus dissolution and phosphorus absorption/transport were the most enriched P metabolic functions, while sulfur metabolism was dominated by assimilatory sulfate reduction (ASR), organic sulfur transformation, and linkages between inorganic and organic sulfur transformation. Increasing salinity inhibited carbon degradation, nitrogen fixation, nitrogen degradation, anammox, ANRA, phosphorus absorption and transport, and the majority of processes in sulfur metabolism. However, some of the metabolic pathway and key genes showed a positive response to salinization, such as carbon fixation (facA, pccA, korAB), denitrification (narG, nirK, norBC, nosZ), ANRA (nasA, nirA), and organic phosphorus dissolution processes (pstABCS, phnCD, ugpAB). High salinity reduced the network complexity in the soil communities. Even so, the saline microbial community presented highly cooperative interactions. The soil water content had significantly correlations with C metabolic genes. The SOC, N, and P contents were significantly correlated with C, N, P, and S network complexity and functional genes. AP, NH4+, and NO3- directly promote carbon fixation, denitrification, nitrogen degradation, organic P solubilization and mineralization, P uptake and transport, ASR, and organic sulfur transformation processes. Conclusion: Soil salinity in arid region inhibited multiple metabolic functions, but prompted the function of carbon fixation, denitrification, ANRA, and organic phosphorus dissolution. Soil salinity was the most important factor driving microbial functions, and nutrient availability also played important roles in regulating nutrient cycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]