Volatilization of Selenium by Alternaria alternata

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Seleniferous water continues to be a serious problem to wildlife in the central valley of California. Water samples collected from Kesterson Reservoir, Peck Ranch, and Lost Hills evaporation pond facilities contained between 0.005 and 5 mg of Se per liter. The objective of this study was to isolate Se-methylating organisms in evaporation pond water and to assess, through enrichment and manipulation of their optimal growth parameters, the environmental factors which govern microbial Se methylation. Alternaria alternata was isolated as an active Se-methylating organism. The volatile product was identified as dimethylselenide. The effects of pH, temperature, Se substrates, and methyl donors on the ability of A. alternata to methylate Se were investigated in liquid medium containing 100 mg of Se per liter. The optimum pH and temperature for methylation were 6.5 and 30°C, respectively. Selenate and selenite were methylated more rapidly than selenium sulfide and various organic Se compounds (6-selenoguanosine, 6-selenoinosine, seleno-dl-methionine, and 6-selenopurine). l-Methionine and methyl cobalamine (0.1 μM) stimulated dimethylselenide production. This study demonstrates that Se-methylating organisms are present in evaporation pond water and are capable of liberating substantial quantities of Se in the volatile dimethylselenide form. By determining the optimum environmental conditions which stimulate volatilization, it may be possible to design a way to remove Se from seleniferous water in situ.

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