Sulphur Cycle

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Sulphur Cycle

Sulphur Cycle - Sulphur, like nitrogen is also present in organic and inorganic forms and can also be deficient in soils. Sulphate is the major forms assimilated by microbes and plants. This is reduced in the cell before incorporation into proteins and other organic compounds.

Mineralisation of these organic compounds results in the production of sulphate, or under anaerobic conditions H2S, H2S can also be formed anaerobically by dissimilatory reduction of sulphate.
This process is carried out by sulphate reducing bacteia -Desulphovibrio, Desulphomonas and Desulpho- maculum.

This process again exhibits the links between different nutrient cycles as sulphate reduction accounts for up to 50% of the carbon mineralised in marine sediments.

This process gives rise to the black odor to muds and sediments of estuaries, the color developing from precipitation of ferrous sulphide. Sulphide is believed to be involved in corrosion of mild steel.

Water is oxidised chemically to sulphate in the presence of oxygen but can be oxidised under aerobic and anaerobic conditions by microbes.
Anaerobic conversion is carried out by the photosynthetic purple sulphur and green sulphur bacteria, Chromatium and Chlorobium. Aerobic oxidation of sulphide and other inorganic forms such as thiosulphate, tetrathionate and elemental sulphur is carried out by sulphur oxidising bacteria-Beggiatoa and Thiobacillus .

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Growth of Microorganisms Part 2 Carbon Cycle Nitrogen Cycle Sulphur Cycle Chemical Composition of E.Coli Cell Carbon Requirement of Microorganisms Nitrogen & Sulphur Requirement of Microorganisms Microorganisms Classification Based on Oxygen Requirement Microorganisms Nutritional Classificatione Carbon & Energy Source Microorganisms Classification

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