Effects of methylated, organic, and inorganic substrates on microbial consumption of dimethyl sulfide in estuarine waters.

We examined the effects of a variety of amendments on the consumption of [U-C]dimethyl sulfide in a Georgia salt marsh. Methylated compounds, particularly those with dimethyl groups, significantly inhibited dimethyl sulfide consumption, while nonmethylated substrates had little effect. Dimethyl disulfide and dimethyl ether were the most effective inhibitors tested.