Peat Bogs as Hotspots for Organoarsenical Formation and Persistence

Predicting natural arsenic enrichment in peat-bearing, alluvial and coastal depositional systems: A generalized model based on sequence stratigraphy

Hazardously high concentrations of arsenic exceeding the threshold limits for soils and drinking waters have been widely reported from Quaternary sedimentary successions and shallow aquifers of alluvial and coastal lowlands worldwide, raising public health concerns due to potential human exposure to arsenic. A combined sedimentological and geochemical analysis of subsurface deposits, 2.5-50 m deep, from the SE Po Plain (Italy) documents a systematic tendency for naturally-occurring arsenic to accumulate in peat-rich layers, with concentrations invariably greater than maximum permissible levels. A total of 366 bulk sediment samples from 40 cores that penetrated peat-bearing deposits were analysed by X-ray fluorescence. Arsenic concentrations associated with 7 peat-free lithofacies associations (fluvial-channel, levee/crevasse, floodplain, swamp, lagoon/bay, beach-barrier, and offshore/prodelta) exhibit background values invariably below threshold levels (<20 mg/kg). In contrast, total arsenic contents from peaty clay and peat showed 2-6 times larger As accumulation. A total of 204 near-surface (0-2.5 m) samples from modern alluvial and coastal depositional environments exhibit the same trends as their deeper counterparts, total arsenic peaking at peat horizons above the threshold values for contaminated soils. The arsenic-bearing, peat-rich Quaternary successions of the Po Plain accumulated under persisting reducing conditions in wetlands of backstepping estuarine and prograding deltaic depositional environments during the Early-Middle Holocene sea-level rise and subsequent stillstand. Contamination of the Holocene and underlying Pleistocene aquifer systems likely occurred through the release of As by microbially-mediated reductive dissolution. Using high-resolution sequence-stratigraphic concepts, we document that the Late Pleistocene-Holocene lithofacies architecture dictates the subsurface distribution of As. The "wetland trajectory", i.e. the path taken by the landward/seaward shift of peat-rich depositional environments during the Holocene, may help predict spatial patterns of natural As distribution, delineating the highest As-hazard zones and providing a realistic view of aquifer contamination even in unknown areas.

Seasonal Formation of Low-Sorbing Methylthiolated Arsenates Induces Arsenic Mobilization in a Minerotrophic Peatland

Peatlands are known sinks for arsenic (As). In the present study, seasonal As mobilization was observed in an acidic, minerotrophic peatland (called Lehstenbach) in late summer, accompanied by a peak in dissolved sulfide (S(-II)). Arsenic speciation revealed the lowest seasonal porewater concentrations of arsenite and arsenate, likely due to As(III)-S-bridging to natural organic matter. Arsenic mobilization was driven by the formation of arsenite-S(-II) colloids and formation of methylthiolated arsenates (up to 59% of the sum of As species) and to a minor extent also of inorganic thioarsenates (6%-30%) and oxymethylated arsenates (5%-24%). Sorption experiments using a purified model peat, the Lehstenbach peat, natural (to mimic winter conditions) and reacted with S(-II) (to mimic late summer conditions) at acidic and neutral pH confirmed low sorption of methylthiolated arsenates. At acidic pH and in the presence of S(-II), oxymethylated arsenates were completely thiolated. This methylthiolation decreased As sorption up to 10 and 20 times compared with oxymethylated arsenates and arsenite, respectively. At neutral pH, thiolation of monomethylated arsenates was incomplete, and As could be partially retained as oxymethylated arsenates. Dimethylated arsenate was still fully thiolated and highly mobile. Misidentification of methylthiolated arsenates as oxymethylated arsenates might explain previous contradictory reports of methylation decreasing or increasing As mobility.

Methanogens-Driven Arsenic Methylation Preceding Formation of Methylated Thioarsenates in Sulfide-Rich Hot Springs

Hot springs represent a major source of arsenic release into the environment. Speciation is typically reported to be dominated by arsenite, arsenate, and inorganic thiolated arsenates. Much less is known about the relevance and formation of methylated thioarsenates, a group with species of high mobility and toxicity. In hot spring samples taken from the Tengchong volcanic region in China, methylated thioarsenates contributed up to 13% to total arsenic. Enrichment cultures were obtained from the corresponding sediment samples and incubated to assess their capability to convert arsenite into methylated thioarsenates over time and in the presence of different microbial inhibitors. In contrast to observations in other environmental systems (e.g., paddy soils), there was no solid evidence, supporting that the sulfate-reducing bacteria contributed to the arsenic methylation. Methanosarcina, the sole genus of methanogens detected in the enrichment cultures, as well as Methanosarcina thermophila TM-1, a pure strain within the genus, did methylate arsenic. We propose that methylated thioarsenates in a typical sulfide-rich hot spring environment like Tengchong form via a combination of biotic arsenic methylation driven by thermophilic methanogens and arsenic thiolation with either geogenic sulfide or sulfide produced by sulfate-reducing bacteria.

The Pedosphere as a Sink, Source, and Record of Anthropogenic and Natural Arsenic Atmospheric Deposition

The Anthropocene has led to global-scale contamination of the biosphere through diffuse atmospheric dispersal of arsenic. This review considers the sources arsenic to soils and its subsequent fate, identifying key knowledge gaps. There is a particular focus on soil classification and stratigraphy, as this is central to the topic under consideration. For Europe and North America, peat core chrono-sequences record massive enhancement of arsenic depositional flux from the onset of the Industrial Revolution to the late 20th century, while modern mitigation efforts have led to a sharp decline in emissions. Recent arsenic wet and dry depositional flux measurements and modern ice core records suggest that it is South America and East Asia that are now primary global-scale polluters. Natural sources of arsenic to the atmosphere are primarily from volcanic emissions, aeolian soil dust entrainment, and microbial biomethylation. However, quantifying these natural inputs to the atmosphere, and subsequent redeposition to soils, is only starting to become better defined. The pedosphere acts as both a sink and source of deposited arsenic. Soil is highly heterogeneous in the natural arsenic already present, in the chemical and biological regulation of its mobility within soil horizons, and in interaction with climatic and geomorphological settings. Mineral soils tend to be an arsenic sink, while organic soils act as both a sink and a source. It is identified here that peatlands hold a considerable amount of Anthropocene released arsenic, and that this store can be potentially remobilized under climate change scenarios. Also, increased ambient temperature seems to cause enhanced arsine release from soils, and potentially also from the oceans, leading to enhanced rates of arsenic biogeochemical cycling through the atmosphere. With respect to agriculture, rice cultivation was identified as a particular concern in Southeast Asia due to the current high arsenic deposition rates to soil, the efficiency of arsenic assimilation by rice grain, and grain yield reduction through toxicity.

Potential of high pH and reduced sulfur for arsenic mobilization - Insights from a Finnish peatland treating mining waste water

Peatlands, used for purification of mining waste waters, have shown efficient solid-phase sequestration of contaminants such as arsenic (As). However, contaminant re-mobilization may occur related to management changes or chemical alteration of original peatland conditions. For a treatment peatland in Finnish Lapland, we here confirm efficient As retention in near-surface peat layers close to the mining waste water inflow, likely due to binding to Fe^III-phases. Seven years into operation of the treatment peatland, there appears to be further retention potential, as large areas downstream still had solid-phase As concentrations at background levels. However, via depth-resolved pore water analysis we observed a hotspot 170 m from the inflow at 10-50 cm depth, where As pore water concentrations exceeded input concentrations by a factor of 20, indicating substantial As re-mobilization. At the same spot, a peak of reduced sulfur (S) species was found. Arsenic species detected were arsenite and up to 26% methylated oxyarsenates, 15% methylated and 7.9% inorganic thioarsenates. We postulate that As mobilization is a result of short-term re-equilibration to a changed inflow chemistry after installation of a process water treatment plant and a long-term consequence of changing pore water pH from acidic to near-neutral, releasing reduced S and As. We infer that the co-occurrence of reduced S and As leads to formation of methylated and/or thiolated As species with known low sorption affinity, thereby further enhancing As mobility. Laboratory incubation studies with two peat cores confirmed a high S-induced As mobilization potential, especially when As-Fe-rich, oxic surface layers were incubated anoxically at near-neutral pH. Highest risk of As re-mobilization from this treatment peatland is expected in a scenario in which mining waste water inflow has stopped but the peatland remains flooded, and near-surface layers transition from oxic to anoxic conditions.

A review of arsenic interfacial geochemistry in groundwater and the role of organic matter

Recent discoveries on arsenic (As) biogeochemistry in aquifer-sediment system have strongly improved our understanding of As enrichment mechanisms in groundwater. We summarize here the research results since 2015 focusing on the As interfacial geochemistry including As speciation, transformation, and mobilization. We discuss the chemical extraction and speciation of As in environmental matrices, followed by As redox change and (im)mobilization in typical minerals and aquifer system. Then, the microbial-assisted reductive dissolution of Fe (hydr)oxides and As transformation and liberation are summarized from the aspects of bacterial isolates, microbial community and gene analysis by comparing As rich groundwater cases worldwide. Finally, the potential effect of organic matter on As interfacial geochemistry are addressed in the aspects of chemical interactions and microbial respiring activities for Fe and As reductive release.

Antimonite Binding to Natural Organic Matter: Spectroscopic Evidence from a Mine Water Impacted Peatland

Peatlands and other wetlands are sinks for antimony (Sb), and solid natural organic matter (NOM) may play an important role in controlling Sb binding. However, direct evidence of Sb sequestration in natural peat samples is lacking. Here, we analyzed solid phase Sb, iron (Fe), and sulfur (S) as well as aqueous Sb speciation in three profiles up to a depth of 80 cm in a mine water impacted peatland in northern Finland. Linear combination fittings of extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectra showed that Sb binding to Fe phases was of minor importance and observed only in the uppermost layers of the peatland. Instead, the dominant (to almost exclusive) sequestration mechanism was Sb(III) binding to oxygen-containing functional groups, and at greater depths, increasingly Sb(III) binding to thiol groups of NOM. Aqueous Sb speciation was dominated by antimonate, while antimonite concentrations were low, further supporting our findings of much higher reactivity of Sb(III) than Sb(V) toward peat surfaces. Insufficient residence time for efficient reduction of antimonate to antimonite currently hinders higher Sb removal in the studied peatland. Overall, our findings imply that Sb(III) binding to solid NOM acts as an important sequestration mechanism under reducing conditions in peatlands and other high-organic matter environments.

Evaluation of Arsenic Leaching Potential in Gold Mine Tailings Amended with Peat and Mine Drainage Treatment Sludge

Peat and mine drainage treatment sludge can be valorized as amendments on mine sites to stabilize gold mine tailings and reduce the potential leaching of contaminants in pore water. However, the influence of organic amendments on the mobility of metalloids and/or metals in the tailings must be validated, as the leached contaminants may vary according to their type, nature, and origin. The objective of the present study was to evaluate over time the effect of peat- and/or Fe-rich sludge amendments on the mobility of As and metallic cations in the drainage water of tailings potentially producing contaminated neutral drainage. Ten duplicated weathering cell experiments containing tailings alone or amended with peat and/or Fe-rich sludge (5-10% dry weight) were performed and monitored for 112 d. The results showed that as low as 5% peat amendment would promote As mobility in tailings' pore water, with As concentrations exceeding Quebec discharge criteria (>0.2 mg L). In addition, As(III), the most mobile and toxic form, was predominant with 10% peat, whereas organic species were negligible in all cells. The use of peat alone as organic amendment for the stabilization of tailing contaminants could increase the risk of generating As-rich contaminated neutral drainage. Conversely, the mix of only 5% Fe-rich sludge with or without peat decreased As concentrations in leachates by 65 to 80%. Further studies on the use of "peat" or "peat + Fe-rich sludge" as cover or amendment should be conducted with a focus on Fe/As and Ca/As ratios.

Methylated arsenic species throughout a 4-m deep core from a free-floating peat island

Arsenic (As) occurs in soils mostly in inorganic forms, whereas the organic forms usually occur only in trace amounts. Peatlands are waterlogged, generally anoxic, organic soils representing the first step in coal formation; the contribution of organic vs. inorganic As species in this environment has received little research attention. Here, 57 peat samples collected throughout a 4-m deep, free-floating mire were analysed for total As and for its organic species, including dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), methylarsonic acid (MA), trimethylarsine oxide (TMAO) and arsenobetaine (AB), by HPLC-ICPMS. Aqueous trifluoroacetic acid was used as extractant, resulting in an average extraction efficiency of almost 80%. Total As concentration throughout the profile ranged between 0.2 and 9.8mg/kg_peat (mean: 1.4±1.2mg/kg_peat). Organic As species (DMA+MA+TMAO+AB) accounted, on average, for 28±10% of total As (range: 6-51%), and for 37±13% of the extracted As (range: 7-64%). The relative abundance of organoarsenicals generally followed the order DMA>TMAO~MA≫AB. A positive correlation (p<0.001) was found among all organic As compounds, whereas their concentrations were negatively correlated with total sulfur content. The submerged zone (bottom 300cm) showed average and maximum concentrations of organoarsenic compounds that were almost twice those found in the top 100cm. This study shows that significant proportions of methylated As species occur even in peat samples characterized by low total As concentration (mostly <2mg/kg). Finally, this work provides the first evidence of organoarsenic species in free-floating mires, i.e., a globally distributed but scarcely investigated ecosystem.

Arsenic Methylation Dynamics in a Rice Paddy Soil Anaerobic Enrichment Culture

Methylated arsenic (As) species represent a significant fraction of the As accumulating in rice grains, and there are geographic patterns in the abundance of methylated arsenic in rice that are not understood. The microorganisms driving As biomethylation in paddy environments, and thus the soil conditions conducive to the accumulation of methylated arsenic, are unknown. We tested the hypothesis that sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are key drivers of arsenic methylation in metabolically versatile mixed anaerobic enrichments from a Mekong Delta paddy soil. We used molybdate and monofluorophosphate as inhibitors of sulfate reduction to evaluate the contribution of SRB to arsenic biomethylation, and developed degenerate primers for the amplification of arsM genes to identify methylating organisms. Enrichment cultures converted 63% of arsenite into methylated products, with dimethylarsinic acid as the major product. While molybdate inhibited As biomethylation, this effect was unrelated to its inhibition of sulfate reduction and instead inhibited the methylation pathway. Based on arsM sequences and the physiological response of cultures to media conditions, we propose that amino acid fermenting organisms are potential drivers of As methylation in the enrichments. The lack of a demethylating capacity may have contributed to the robust methylation efficiencies in this mixed culture.

Arsenic speciation in the lower Athabasca River watershed: A geochemical investigation of the dissolved and particulate phases

Human and ecosystem health concerns for arsenic (As) in the lower Athabasca River downstream of Athabasca Bituminous Sands (ABS) mining (Alberta, Canada) prompted an investigation to determine its forms in surface and groundwater upstream and downstream of industry. Dissolved As species, together with total and particulate As, were used to evaluate the potential bioavailability of As in water as well as to decipher inputs from natural geological processes and ABS mining and upgrading activities. Water samples were collected from the river in October at 13 locations in 2014 and 19 locations in 2015, spanning up to 125 km. Additional samples were collected from groundwater, tributaries and springs. "Dissolved" (<0.45 μm) As was consistently low in the Athabasca River (average 0.37 ± 0.01 and 0.34 ± 0.01 μg L^-1 in 2014 and 2015, respectively) as well as tributaries and springs (<1 μg L^-1), with As(V) as the predominant form. The average total As concentration was higher in 2014 (12.7 ± 2.8 μg L^-1) than 2015 (3.3 ± 0.65 μg L^-1) with nearly all As associated with suspended solids (>0.45 μm). In 2014, when total As concentrations were greater, a significant correlation (p < 0.05) was observed with thorium in particles > 0.45 μm, suggesting that mineral material is an important source of As. Naturally saline groundwater contained low dissolved As (<2 μg L^-1) and did not appear to be a significant source to the river. Arsenic in shallow groundwater near a tailings pond exceeded 50 μg L^-1 predominantly as As(III) warranting further investigation.

Understanding arsenic dynamics in agronomic systems to predict and prevent uptake by crop plants

This review is on arsenic in agronomic systems, and covers processes that influence the entry of arsenic into the human food supply. The scope is from sources of arsenic (natural and anthropogenic) in soils, biogeochemical and rhizosphere processes that control arsenic speciation and availability, through to mechanisms of uptake by crop plants and potential mitigation strategies. This review makes a case for taking steps to prevent or limit crop uptake of arsenic, wherever possible, and to work toward a long-term solution to the presence of arsenic in agronomic systems. The past two decades have seen important advances in our understanding of how biogeochemical and physiological processes influence human exposure to soil arsenic, and this must now prompt an informed reconsideration and unification of regulations to protect the quality of agricultural and residential soils.