Silver iodide burn complex and silver phosphate effects oh methanogenesis

Abstract

Weather modification nucleating agents may accumulate in anaerobic environments such as aquatic muds and anaerobic sewage treatment facilities. Silver iodide burn complex and silver phosphate effects on methanogenesis were investigated to assess the possible ecological impacts of these agents. Enriched cultures of methanogenic organisms did not significantly alter methanogenesis when seeding generator burn complexes of silver iodide‐ammonium iodide, silver iodide‐titanium dioxide, and silver iodide‐sodium iodide were present at 37 and 74,122 and 236 and 90 and 180 ng/ml respectively. Significant stimulation of methanogenesis, CO₂ incorporation into biomass, and the bacterial population, did occur when 32–64 ng/ml silver from dissolved silver phosphate was present in the culture medium. These data indicate that silver, if it were to accumulate in aquatic or sewage treatment plant environments at the above concentrations, would not be expected to cause detectable changes in methanogenesis. In contrast to the suggestions of earlier studies, it does not appear that anaerobic organisms have a greater susceptibility to weather modification agents than do aerobic organisms.

Key words:

• silver phosphate
• silver iodide burn complexes
• methanogenesis