title: Effect of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane on methylation of bismuth by Methanosarcina barkeri.
abstract: Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (OMCTS), a common constituent of household products, triggers the transformation of bismuth to the volatile toxic derivative trimethylbismuth by Methanosarcina barkeri, which is a representative member of the sewage sludge microflora. Comparative studies with the ionophores monensin and lasalocid, which induce effects similar to those observed for OMCTS, indicated that the stimulation of bismuth methylation is not specific for the siloxane and suggested that the stimulation observed is mainly due to facilitated membrane permeation of the metal ion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitaetsstr. 4, 45177 Essen, Germany. klaus.michalke@uni-essen.de
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Michalke
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hensel
mesh_terms: D001729:Bismuth / Q000378:metabolism*; D017021:Methanosarcina barkeri / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008745:Methylation / Q000187:drug effects*; D012833:Siloxanes / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D012833:Siloxanes; C024064:octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane; D001729:Bismuth