Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Dynamics of total culturable bacteria and its relationship with methylmercury in the soils of the water level fluctuation zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir

  • Article
  • Environmental Chemistry
  • Published:
Chinese Science Bulletin

Abstract

Field investigations were conducted to study the temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of total culturable bacteria (TCB) and its relationship with methylmercury (MeHg) in the soils of the water level fluctuation zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir. Different altitudes (170–180, 170–175, 165–170 and 160–165 m) in Zhenxi (Site 1), Shibaozhai (Site 2) and Tujing (Site 3), Chongqing, China were chosen as sampling sites. Results indicated that TCB did not have significant difference in the top (0–10 cm) and sub (10–20 cm) soil of the non-inundated area (175–180 m), but showing a significant difference in the water level fluctuation zone (<175 m, suggesting that water level fluctuation had an important effect on TCB. Moreover, TCB in soils of various altitudes of Site 1 and 2 had significant difference, while for Site 3, this difference was not significant. And the difference of TCB in Site 2 was much greater than that in Site 1. These results suggested that there were significant differences for TCB in soils of mainstream and tributaries. In addition, TCB in soils of 10–20 cm had significant or highly significant positive correlations with MeHg level (r ≥ 0.762, P ≤ 0.048), thus we assumed that there may be some aerobic microorganisms playing dominant roles in mercury methylation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hu YL, Wang SL, Yan SK (2006) Research advances on the factors influencing the activity and community structure of soil microorganism. Chin J Soil Sci 37:170–176 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Fan JH, Liu M, Hong YX et al (2002) Effect of different land use on diversity and activity of soil microorganisms. J Tarim Univ Agric Reclam 14:15–17 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Xu HF, Liu XT, Bai JH (2004) Dynamic change and environmental effects of soil microorganism in marsh soils from Carex Meyeriana Wet lands in Changbai Mountain. J Soil Water Conserv 18:115–122 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Lin CC, Yee N, Barkay T (2012) Microbial transformations in the mercury cycle. In: Liu GL, Cai Y, Driscoll NO (eds) Environment chemistry and toxicology of mercury. Wiley, Hoboken, pp 155–191

    Google Scholar 

  5. Chen L, Xu Z, Ding X et al (2012) Spatial trend and pollution assessment of total mercury and methylmercury pollution in the Pearl River Delta soil, South China. Chemosphere 88:612–619

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Ouddane B, Mikac N, Cundy AB et al (2008) A comparative study of mercury distribution and methylation in mudflats from two macrotidal estuaries: the Seine (France) and the Medway (United Kingdom). Appl Geochem 23:618–631

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Stoichev T, Amouroux D, Wasserman JC et al (2004) Dynamics of mercury species in surface sediments of a macrotidal estuarine-coastal system (Adour River, Bay of Biscay). Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 59:511–521

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Raposo JC, Ozamiz G, Etxebarria N et al (2008) Mercury biomethylation assessment in the estuary of Bilbao (North of Spain). Environ Pollut 156:482–488

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Gilmour CC, Henry EA, Mitchell R (1992) Sulfate stimulation of mercury methylation in freshwater sediments. Environ Sci Technol 26:2281–2287

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Fleming EJ, Mack EE, Green PG et al (2006) Mercury methylation from unexpected sources: molybdate-inhibited freshwater sediments and an iron-reducing bacterium. Appl Environ Microbiol 72:457–464

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. King JK, Kostka JE, Frischer ME et al (2001) A quantitative relationship that demonstrates mercury methylation rates in marine sediments are based on the community composition and activity of sulfate-reducing bacteria. Environ Sci Technol 35:2491–2496

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Macalady JL, Mack EE, Nelson DC et al (2000) Sediment microbial community structure and mercury methylation in mercury-polluted Clear Lake, California. Appl Environ Microbiol 66:1479–1488

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Korthals ET, Winfrey MR (1987) Seasonal and spatial variations in mercury methylation and demethylation in an oligotrophic lake. Appl Environ Microbiol 53:2397–2404

    Google Scholar 

  14. Tan S, Wang Y, Zhang Q (2008) Environmental challenges and countermeasures of the water-level-fluctuation zone (WLFZ) of the Three Gorges Reservoir. Resour Environ Yangtze Basin 17:101–105 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Harley JP (2004) Laboratory exercises in microbiology. McGraw-Hill Science/Engineering/Math, New York, pp 89–92

    Google Scholar 

  16. He TR, Feng XB, Dai QJ et al (2004) Determination of methyl mercury in sediments and soils by GC-CVAFS after aqueous phase ethylation. Earth Environ 32:83–86 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Zhao XM, Zhao DH (2007) Study on the bacterium in different environment in the Songnen Grassland. J Jilin Normal Univ (Nat Sci Ed) 2:28–30 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Zhang CX, Nan ZB (2010) Research progress of soil microbial biomass in China. Pratacult Sci 27:50–57 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Xiao GS, Hu TZ, Tang HL et al (2011) Distribution and identification of dominant soil microorganisms before and after inundation in theriparian zone of Three Gorges Reservoir. Agric Sci Jiangsu 39:493–496 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Li F, Zhang WL, Liu J et al (2013) Soil microbial activities in the water-level-fluctuating zone of Three Gorges Reservoir area during discharging period. Chin J Ecol 32:968–974 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Vonk JW, Sijpesteijn AK (1973) Studies on the methylation of mercuric chloride by pure cultures of bacteria and fungi. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek 39:505–513

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Hamdy MK, Noyes OR (1975) Formation of methyl mercury by bacteria. Appl Microbiol 30:424–432

    Google Scholar 

  23. Wu H (2009) Distribution of MeHg and microbial methylation of mercury in main mangroves of China. Dissertation, Xiamen University (in Chinese)

  24. Niu ZM, Xie MS (1998) Thoughts on development and utilization of water and soil resources in the Reservoir Changing region in the Three Gorges Reservoir area. Sci Technol Rev 4:61–62 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (2013CB430004), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41373113, 41173116) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (XDJK2014C104).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chongqing Key Laboratory of Soil Multi-scale Interfacial Process, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China

    Yuping Xiang, Hongxia Du, Hong Shen, Cheng Zhang & Dingyong Wang

  2. Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Agricultural Non-point Source Pollution Control in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, Chongqing, 400716, China

    Hongxia Du, Hong Shen, Cheng Zhang & Dingyong Wang

  3. Chongqing Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Chongqing, 400716, China

    Cheng Zhang & Dingyong Wang

Authors
  1. Yuping Xiang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hongxia Du
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hong Shen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Cheng Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Dingyong Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Yuping Xiang, Hong Shen or Dingyong Wang.

Additional information

H. Shen and D. Wang contributed equally to this work.

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Xiang, Y., Du, H., Shen, H. et al. Dynamics of total culturable bacteria and its relationship with methylmercury in the soils of the water level fluctuation zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir. Chin. Sci. Bull. 59, 2966–2972 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-014-0324-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-014-0324-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation