Hydroxylamine released by nitrifying microorganisms is a precursor for HONO emission from drying soils

• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20170-1
• Publication Date: 2018-01-24T12:15:32Z
• Authors: M. Ermel; T. Behrendt; R. Oswald; B. Derstroff; D. Wu; S. Hohlmann; C. Stönner; A. Pommerening-Röser; M. Könneke; J. Williams; F. X. Meixner; M. O. Andreae; I. Trebs; M. Sörgel
• Keywords: Hydroxylamine; Nitrifying Bacteria; Nitrous acid; Oxidizing agent

Abstract Nitrous acid (HONO) is an important precursor of the hydroxyl radical (OH), atmosphere´s primary oxidant. An unknown strong daytime source HONO required to explain measurements in ambient air. Emissions from soils are one potential sources. Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) have been identified as possible producers these soil emissions. However, mechanisms for production and release not fully understood. In this study, we used a dynamic soil-chamber system provide direct evidence that gaseous emissions nitrifying pure cultures contain hydroxylamine (NH 2 OH), which subsequently converted heterogeneous reaction with water vapor on glass bead surfaces. addition different AOB species, found also ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), suggesting globally abundant microbes may contribute formation atmospheric consequently OH. Since biogenic NH OH formed by diverse organisms, such AOB, AOA, methane-oxidizing bacteria, heterotrophic nitrifiers, fungi, argue emission restricted but promoted members domains Archaea Eukarya .