Vents, undersea

Archaea or Archaebacteria, which live in sulphurous waters around undersea volcanic vents. An extraordinarily stable enzyme which functions even at 135 °C and survives at pH 3.2-12.7 has been identified [142]. This enzyme has been termed STABLE (stalk-associated archaebacterial endoprotease). It is suggested that such exceptional stability may be attributable to unusually large Mr and tight folding of the protein chain. Suggested uses include washing powders and detergents, as well as industrial catalysts. It is even proposed that such remarkable properties may have contributed to the early evolution of life on earth [142]. 

Rubisco of Bacterial Endosymbionts of Hydrothermal Vent Animals Undersea hydrothermal vents support remarkable ecosystems. At these extreme depths there is no light to support photosynthesis, yet thriving vent communities are found. Much of their primary productivity occurs through chemosynthesis carried out by bacterial symbionts that live in specialized organs (trophosomes) of... 

Carbon disulfide is widely found in coastal and ocean waters and extensive study has been done to determine levels over the different types of water bodies. The measurements of Carroll (1985) show that the ocean appears to be a source of carbon disulfide, possibly via anaerobic microorganisms. Concentrations of less than 10 nmol/L have been found in a sulfide-rich lake in Spain (Simo et al. 1993). Carbon disulfide has also been detected in the vent fluids and sediment surface waters of undersea hydrothermal sites (Marchand et al. 1994). 

Actually, any seawater, from well under the surface, will also do, especially if you are near an undersea vent. It is said that a skilled alchemist can even make the Stone repeatedly from the same bucket of water. 

Tube worms feeding at a hydrothermal vent (NOAA/ Department of Commerce, National Undersea Research Program Collection)... 

Chapter 8 briefly introduced the concept of supercritical fluids in the context of undersea thermal vents. The supercritical point for water occurs at a temperature of 705°F (374°C) and a pressure of 222.3 bar (atmosphere). Above this temperature, no pressure can condense water to its liquid state. For carbon dioxide (CO2), the critical temperature (88.0°F or 31.1°C) and critical pressure (73.8 bar) are much lower. Above the supercritical point, CO2 behaves as a liquidlike gas liquidlike densities, gaslike viscosities. The solubility properties of supercritical CO2 are mnable by varying temperature and/or pressure. Density and dielectric constant increase with increasing pressure and decreasing temperature. Water and ionic substances are insoluble in supercritical CO2. The ability of supercritical CO2 to dissolve and extract relatively non-polar substances has been known for decades. The range may be extended by adding polar solvents such as methanol or acetone. The addition of surfactants helps to disperse microscopic particles to form colloidal suspensions. Carbon dioxide is nonflammable, nontoxic, and inexpensive. 

Fig. 2.2 Black smoker at a mid-ocean ridge hydrothermal vent. Credit OAR/National Undersea Research Program (NURP) NOAA...

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