Thiol methylation potential in anoxic, low-pH wetland sediments and its relationship with dimethylsulfide production and organic carbon cycling

Dimethylsulfide (CH3SCH3) is formed in anoxic freshwater sediments by biological methylation of methanethiol (CH3SH). We measured thiol methylation potential in low-pH, Sphagnum peat sediments from Alaska and Alabama by adding ethanethiol (CH3CH2SH) to peat slurries and quantifying the rate of ethylmethylsulfide (CH3CH2SCH3) formation. Thiol methylation potential ranged from 12 to 154 nM h(-1) and was significantly related to dimethylsulfide accumulation rates (P=0.0007; r(2) =0.48). Addition of methanol or syringic acid stimulated thiol methylation potential and dimethylsulfide accumulation rate, suggesting that these compounds could be methyl donors. Addition of acetate or its metabolic precursors (glucose or Sphagnum plant material) inhibited thiol methylation potential, but not carbon dioxide or methane production. Inhibition of methanogenesis with either 2-bromoethanesulfonic acid or KNO3 consistently inhibited thiol methylation potential and dimethylsulfide accumulation. These results suggest that methanogens play a role in thiol methylation and therefore dimethylsulfide formation. (C) 2003 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.