Possible Missing Sources of Atmospheric Glyoxal Part II: Oxidation of Toluene Derived from the Primary Production of Marine Microorganisms

Background: Glyoxal has been implicated as a significant contributor to the formation of secondary organic aerosols, which play a key role in our ability to estimate the impact of aerosols on climate. Elevated concentrations of glyoxal over open ocean waters suggest that there exists an additional s...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Renee T. Williams, Annika Caspers-Brown, Jennifer Michaud, Natalie Stevens, Michael Meehan, Camille M. Sultana, Christopher Lee, Francesca Malfatti, Yanyan Zhou, Farooq Azam, Kimberly A. Prather, Pieter Dorrestein, Michael D. Burkart, Robert S. Pomeroy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Metabolites
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1989/14/11/631
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1846153039131443200
author Renee T. Williams
Annika Caspers-Brown
Jennifer Michaud
Natalie Stevens
Michael Meehan
Camille M. Sultana
Christopher Lee
Francesca Malfatti
Yanyan Zhou
Farooq Azam
Kimberly A. Prather
Pieter Dorrestein
Michael D. Burkart
Robert S. Pomeroy
author_facet Renee T. Williams
Annika Caspers-Brown
Jennifer Michaud
Natalie Stevens
Michael Meehan
Camille M. Sultana
Christopher Lee
Francesca Malfatti
Yanyan Zhou
Farooq Azam
Kimberly A. Prather
Pieter Dorrestein
Michael D. Burkart
Robert S. Pomeroy
author_sort Renee T. Williams
collection DOAJ
description Background: Glyoxal has been implicated as a significant contributor to the formation of secondary organic aerosols, which play a key role in our ability to estimate the impact of aerosols on climate. Elevated concentrations of glyoxal over open ocean waters suggest that there exists an additional source, different from urban and forest environments, which has yet to be identified. Methods: Based on mass spectrometric analyses of nascent sea spray aerosols (SSAs) and gas-phase molecules generated during the course of a controlled algal bloom, the work herein suggests that marine microorganisms are capable of excreting toluene in response to environmental stimuli. Additional culture flask experiments demonstrated that pathogenic attack could also serve as a trigger for toluene formation. Using solid-phase microextraction methods, the comparison of samples collected up-channel and over the breaking wave suggests it was transferred across the air–water interface primarily through SSA formation. Results: The presence and then absence of phenylacetic acid in the SSA days prior to the appearance of toluene support previous reports that proposed toluene is produced as a metabolite of phenylalanine through the Shikimate pathway. As a result, once in the atmosphere, toluene is susceptible to oxidation and subsequent degradation into glyoxal. Conclusions: This work adds to a minimal collection of literature that addresses the primary production of aromatic hydrocarbons from marine microorganisms and provides a potential missing source of glyoxal that should be considered when accounting for its origins in remote ocean regions.
format Article
id doaj-art-df22652e549441d295d5c3933cee05d0
institution Kabale University
issn 2218-1989
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Metabolites
spelling doaj-art-df22652e549441d295d5c3933cee05d02024-11-26T18:13:14ZengMDPI AGMetabolites2218-19892024-11-01141163110.3390/metabo14110631Possible Missing Sources of Atmospheric Glyoxal Part II: Oxidation of Toluene Derived from the Primary Production of Marine MicroorganismsRenee T. Williams0Annika Caspers-Brown1Jennifer Michaud2Natalie Stevens3Michael Meehan4Camille M. Sultana5Christopher Lee6Francesca Malfatti7Yanyan Zhou8Farooq Azam9Kimberly A. Prather10Pieter Dorrestein11Michael D. Burkart12Robert S. Pomeroy13Williams Biotech Consulting, San Bruno, CA 90466, USADepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92093, USADepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92093, USADepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92093, USASkaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92093, USADepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92093, USADepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92093, USANational Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics, 34100 Trieste, ItalyState Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science and Key Laboratory of the MOE for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, ChinaScripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92093, USADepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92093, USASkaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92093, USADepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92093, USADepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92093, USABackground: Glyoxal has been implicated as a significant contributor to the formation of secondary organic aerosols, which play a key role in our ability to estimate the impact of aerosols on climate. Elevated concentrations of glyoxal over open ocean waters suggest that there exists an additional source, different from urban and forest environments, which has yet to be identified. Methods: Based on mass spectrometric analyses of nascent sea spray aerosols (SSAs) and gas-phase molecules generated during the course of a controlled algal bloom, the work herein suggests that marine microorganisms are capable of excreting toluene in response to environmental stimuli. Additional culture flask experiments demonstrated that pathogenic attack could also serve as a trigger for toluene formation. Using solid-phase microextraction methods, the comparison of samples collected up-channel and over the breaking wave suggests it was transferred across the air–water interface primarily through SSA formation. Results: The presence and then absence of phenylacetic acid in the SSA days prior to the appearance of toluene support previous reports that proposed toluene is produced as a metabolite of phenylalanine through the Shikimate pathway. As a result, once in the atmosphere, toluene is susceptible to oxidation and subsequent degradation into glyoxal. Conclusions: This work adds to a minimal collection of literature that addresses the primary production of aromatic hydrocarbons from marine microorganisms and provides a potential missing source of glyoxal that should be considered when accounting for its origins in remote ocean regions.https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1989/14/11/631marine algaemarine bacteriagas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS)liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)sea spray aerosols (SSAs)
spellingShingle Renee T. Williams
Annika Caspers-Brown
Jennifer Michaud
Natalie Stevens
Michael Meehan
Camille M. Sultana
Christopher Lee
Francesca Malfatti
Yanyan Zhou
Farooq Azam
Kimberly A. Prather
Pieter Dorrestein
Michael D. Burkart
Robert S. Pomeroy
Possible Missing Sources of Atmospheric Glyoxal Part II: Oxidation of Toluene Derived from the Primary Production of Marine Microorganisms
Metabolites
marine algae
marine bacteria
gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS)
liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)
sea spray aerosols (SSAs)
title Possible Missing Sources of Atmospheric Glyoxal Part II: Oxidation of Toluene Derived from the Primary Production of Marine Microorganisms
title_full Possible Missing Sources of Atmospheric Glyoxal Part II: Oxidation of Toluene Derived from the Primary Production of Marine Microorganisms
title_fullStr Possible Missing Sources of Atmospheric Glyoxal Part II: Oxidation of Toluene Derived from the Primary Production of Marine Microorganisms
title_full_unstemmed Possible Missing Sources of Atmospheric Glyoxal Part II: Oxidation of Toluene Derived from the Primary Production of Marine Microorganisms
title_short Possible Missing Sources of Atmospheric Glyoxal Part II: Oxidation of Toluene Derived from the Primary Production of Marine Microorganisms
title_sort possible missing sources of atmospheric glyoxal part ii oxidation of toluene derived from the primary production of marine microorganisms
topic marine algae
marine bacteria
gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS)
liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)
sea spray aerosols (SSAs)
url https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1989/14/11/631
work_keys_str_mv AT reneetwilliams possiblemissingsourcesofatmosphericglyoxalpartiioxidationoftoluenederivedfromtheprimaryproductionofmarinemicroorganisms
AT annikacaspersbrown possiblemissingsourcesofatmosphericglyoxalpartiioxidationoftoluenederivedfromtheprimaryproductionofmarinemicroorganisms
AT jennifermichaud possiblemissingsourcesofatmosphericglyoxalpartiioxidationoftoluenederivedfromtheprimaryproductionofmarinemicroorganisms
AT nataliestevens possiblemissingsourcesofatmosphericglyoxalpartiioxidationoftoluenederivedfromtheprimaryproductionofmarinemicroorganisms
AT michaelmeehan possiblemissingsourcesofatmosphericglyoxalpartiioxidationoftoluenederivedfromtheprimaryproductionofmarinemicroorganisms
AT camillemsultana possiblemissingsourcesofatmosphericglyoxalpartiioxidationoftoluenederivedfromtheprimaryproductionofmarinemicroorganisms
AT christopherlee possiblemissingsourcesofatmosphericglyoxalpartiioxidationoftoluenederivedfromtheprimaryproductionofmarinemicroorganisms
AT francescamalfatti possiblemissingsourcesofatmosphericglyoxalpartiioxidationoftoluenederivedfromtheprimaryproductionofmarinemicroorganisms
AT yanyanzhou possiblemissingsourcesofatmosphericglyoxalpartiioxidationoftoluenederivedfromtheprimaryproductionofmarinemicroorganisms
AT farooqazam possiblemissingsourcesofatmosphericglyoxalpartiioxidationoftoluenederivedfromtheprimaryproductionofmarinemicroorganisms
AT kimberlyaprather possiblemissingsourcesofatmosphericglyoxalpartiioxidationoftoluenederivedfromtheprimaryproductionofmarinemicroorganisms
AT pieterdorrestein possiblemissingsourcesofatmosphericglyoxalpartiioxidationoftoluenederivedfromtheprimaryproductionofmarinemicroorganisms
AT michaeldburkart possiblemissingsourcesofatmosphericglyoxalpartiioxidationoftoluenederivedfromtheprimaryproductionofmarinemicroorganisms
AT robertspomeroy possiblemissingsourcesofatmosphericglyoxalpartiioxidationoftoluenederivedfromtheprimaryproductionofmarinemicroorganisms