The dissolution of CO2, a greenhouse gas most responsible for global warming, in seawater lowers its pH and increases its ionic strength. Sulfurovum lithotrophicum42BKTT, a deep-sea chemolithotrophic bacterium, can fix high concentration CO2. In this study, we investigated the effect of pH and ionic strength variation of seawater on CO2fixation by this bacterium. For a stable and continuous fixation of high concentration CO2by S. lithotrophicum 42BKTT, the pH and ionic strength of the seawater-based medium should be 6.1–6.8 and <0.8 M, respectively. The deviation of pH and ionic strength from these ranges was indicated by the appearance of lengthened and fattened cells whose length and diameter increased by 70–90%. These results imply that the harmful effect of dissolved CO2 on marine ecosystem is due to the increase in ionic strength and decrease in pH of seawater.
Kwon H.-S., Park S., Lee C.-H. & Ahn I.-S., in press. CO2 fixation stability by Sulfurovum lithotrophicum 42BKTT depending on pH and ionic strength conditions. Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. Article (subscription required).
