Geogenic Phosphorus Enrichment in Groundwater due to Anaerobic Methane Oxidation-Coupled Fe(III) Oxide Reduction
Yao Du, Yaojin Xiong, Yamin Deng, Yanqiu Tao, Hao Tian, Yanpeng Zhang, Qinghua Li, Yiqun Gan, Yanxin Wang
Abstract
Accumulation of geogenic phosphorus (P) in groundwater is an emerging environmental concern, which is closely linked to coupled processes involving FeOOH and organic matter under methanogenic conditions. However, it remains unclear how P enrichment is associated with methane cycling, particularly the anaerobic methane oxidation (AMO). This study conducted a comprehensive investigation of carbon isotopes in dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), CO 2, and CH 4, alongside Fe isotopes, microbial communities, and functions in quaternary aquifers of the central Yangtze River plain. The study found that P concentrations tended to increase with Fe(II) concentrations, δ 56 Fe, and δ 13 C-DIC, suggesting P accumulation due to the reductive dissolution of FeOOH under methanogenic conditions. The positive correlations of pmoA gene abundance versus δ 13 C–CH 4 and Fe concentrations versus δ 13 C–CH 4, and the prevalent presence of Candidatus_Methanoperedens, jointly demonstrated the potential significance of Fe(III)-mediated AMO process (Fe-AMO) alongside traditional methanogenesis. The increase of P concentration with δ 13 C–CH 4 value, pmoA gene abundance, and Fe concentration suggested that the Fe-AMO process facilitated P enrichment in groundwater. Redundancy analysis confirmed this assertion, identifying P concentration as the primary determinant and the cooperative influence of Fe-AMO microorganisms such as Candidatus_Methanoperedens and Geobacter on P enrichment. Our work provided new insights into P dynamics in subsurface environments.