Engineering topics

Gelwicks, J. T.

Publications and source records attributed to Gelwicks, J. T..

3 records

NASA NTRS1994

Carbon isotope effects associated with aceticlastic methanogenesis

The carbon isotope effects associated with synthesis of methane from acetate have been determined for Methanosarcina barkeri 227 and for methanogenic archaea in sediments of Wintergreen Lake, Michigan. At 37 degrees C, the 13C isotope effect for the reaction acetate (methyl carbon) --> methane, as measured in replicate experiments with M. barkeri, was - 21.3% +/- 0.3%. The isotope effect at the carboxyl portion of acetate was essentially equal, indicating participation of both positions in the rate-determining step, as expected for reactions catalyzed by carbon monoxide dehydrogenase. A similar isotope effect, - 19.2% +/- 0.3% was found for this reaction in the natural community (temperature = 20 degrees C). Given these observations, it has been possible to model the flow of carbon to methane within lake sediment communities and to account for carbon isotope compositions of evolving methane. Extension of the model allows interpretation of seasonal fluctuations in 13C contents of methane in other systems.

NASA Discipline Exobiology↗

NASA NTRS1990

Carbon-isotopic analysis of dissolved acetate

Heating of dried, acetate-containing solids together with oxalic acid dihydrate conveniently releases acetic acid for purification by gas chromatography. For determination of the carbon-isotopic composition of total acetate, the acetate-containing zone of the chromatographic effluent can be routed directly to a combustion furnace coupled to a vacuum system allowing recovery, purification, and packaging of CO2 for mass-spectrometric analysis. For analysis of methyl carbon, acetic acid can be cryogenically trapped from the chromatographic effluent, then transferred to a tube containing excess NaOH. The tube is evacuated, sealed, and heated to 500 degrees C to produce methane by pyrolysis of sodium acetate. Subsequent combustion of the methane allows determination of the 13C content at the methyl position in the parent acetate. With typical blanks, the standard deviation of single analyses is less than 0.4% for acetate samples larger than 5 micromoles. A full treatment of uncertainties is outlined.

Non-NASA Center↗

NASA NTRS1989

Carbon isotope effects associated with autotrophic acetogenesis

The carbon kinetic isotope effects associated with synthesis of acetate from CO2 and H2 during autotrophic growth of Acetobacterium woodii at 30 degrees C have been measured by isotopic analyses of CO2, methyl-carbon, and total acetate. Closed systems allowing construction of complete mass balances at varying stages of growth were utilized, and the effects of the partitioning of carbon between CO2 and HCO3- were taken account. For the overall reaction, total carbonate --> total acetate, isotope effects measured in replicate experiments ranged from -59.0 +/- 0.9% to -57.2 +/- 2.3%. Taking into account all measurements, the weighted mean and standard deviation are -58.6 +/- 0.7%. There is no evidence for intramolecular ordering in the acetate. The carbon isotopic composition of sedimentary acetate, otherwise expected to be near that of sedimentary organic carbon, is likely to be depleted in environments in which autotrophic acetogenesis is occurring.

Non-NASA Center↗