<i>Technical Note:</i> Influence of Experimental Conditions on the Outcome of Laboratory Investigations Using Natural Coastal Seawaters

Abstract

Methods for handling and storing natural coastal seawater, particularly methods for deaeration over time, influenced the chemistry and microflora. Bubbling nitrogen into natural seawater to achieve an anaerobic condition was not conducive to the growth of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). Despite a higher initial dissolved sulfate concentration and higher total organic carbon in Persian Gulf seawater, higher dissolved sulfide concentrations and SRB populations were measured in Key West, Florida, seawater under all exposure conditions.