Cited by 242Methane Hydrates and Related PhenomenaOrigins and Evolution of LifeGeochemistry and Elemental Analysis

Abiotic methane formation during experimental serpentinization of olivine

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McCollom, Thomas M.·2016·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Abstract

Significance: Abiotic methane discharged from serpentinizing rocks supplies metabolic energy to chemosynthetic microbial communities and may have done so since the earliest lifeforms evolved on Earth. Several recent reports have claimed observation of abiotic formation of methane during low-temperature serpentinization of olivine-rich rocks during laboratory experiments. However, using 13 C-labeled carbon sources, this study shows that the methane observed in such experiments is predominantly derived from background sources rather than abiotic synthesis. Conversely, more rapid production of methane is observed when an H 2 -rich vapor phase is present within the reaction vessel. Overall, the results indicate that in situ abiotic synthesis may contribute less methane to near-surface serpentinites than some recent studies have suggested.

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Crossref · 10.1073/pnas.1611843113

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41 of 41 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • When pressure is low enough for gas-phase reactions, abiotic CH4 production is high.

    “For example, when pressure is low enough for gas-phase reactions, abiotic CH4 production is high (53), but it is unlikely that gas-phase reactions would occur at great depth in the crust (44).”
  • High experimental methane production has been reported, but similar experiments with 13C-labeled carbon have shown that the methane produced is derived from background organic carbon contamination.

    “High experimental methane production has been reported (51, 52), but similar experiments with 13C-labeled carbon have shown that the methane produced is derived from background organic carbon contamination (53, 54).”

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Authors
McCollom, T. M.
Affiliations
University of Colorado Boulder (US)
Corresponding author
McCollom, Thomas M.
Venue
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Published
2016-11-07
Volume
113
Issue
49
Pages
13965-13970
ISSN
  • 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
  • 1091-6490
OpenAlex
W2551583048
Cited by
241
References
41
Citations by year
2026: 28 · 2025: 26 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 29 · 2020: 27 · 2019: 27 · 2018: 24 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 1
FWCI
15.24
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
NSF | Directorate for Geosciences (OCE 0927744)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Origins and Evolution of Life
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Geochemistry and Petrology › Geochemistry and Elemental Analysis
Keywords
abiotic methane, serpentinization, olivine, methane origin, early life, serpentinite

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