Will Archaea reduce hydrogen sulfide levels?
Archaea metabolism is sulfur dependent. Many Archaea are chemotrophs. They use reduced sulfur as an energy source and build their cell material from CO2. Others incorporate large amounts of sulfur into cysteine and other sulfur containing amino acids. Sulfur is also a co-factor in enzymatic reactions. There is laboratory work showing Archaea are capable of combining a number of small organic acids (lactic, malic, pyruvic, and butyric) with oxidized sulfur to produce reduced sulfur-carbon compounds and acetate.
