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Hassan Z, Westerhoff HV. Arsenic Contamination of Groundwater Is Determined by Complex Interactions between Various Chemical and Biological Processes. TOXICS 2024; 12:89. [PMID: 38276724 PMCID: PMC11154318 DOI: 10.3390/toxics12010089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
At a great many locations worldwide, the safety of drinking water is not assured due to pollution with arsenic. Arsenic toxicity is a matter of both systems chemistry and systems biology: it is determined by complex and intertwined networks of chemical reactions in the inanimate environment, in microbes in that environment, and in the human body. We here review what is known about these networks and their interconnections. We then discuss how consideration of the systems aspects of arsenic levels in groundwater may open up new avenues towards the realization of safer drinking water. Along such avenues, both geochemical and microbiological conditions can optimize groundwater microbial ecology vis-à-vis reduced arsenic toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahid Hassan
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, A-Life, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Jagannath University, Dhaka 1100, Bangladesh
| | - Hans V. Westerhoff
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, A-Life, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
- Synthetic Systems Biology and Nuclear Organization, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Stellenbosch Institute of Advanced Studies (STIAS), Wallenberg Research Centre at Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
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2
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Zhou W, Zhu H, Hu S, Zhang B, Gao K, Dang Z, Liu C. Dynamic coupling of ferrihydrite transformation and associated arsenic desorption/redistribution mediated by sulfate-reducing bacteria. J Environ Sci (China) 2024; 135:39-50. [PMID: 37778813 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2022.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Sulfate-reducing bacteria play an important role in the geochemistry of iron (oxyhydr)oxide and arsenic (As) in natural environments; however, the associated reaction processes are yet to be fully understood. In this study, batch experiments coupled with geochemical, spectroscopic, microscopic, and thermodynamic analyses were conducted to investigate the dynamic coupling of ferrihydrite transformation and the associated As desorption/redistribution mediated by Desulfovibrio vulgaris (D. vulgaris). The results indicated that D. vulgaris could induce ferrihydrite transformation via S2--driven and direct reduction processes. In the absence of SO42-, D. vulgaris directly reduced ferrihydrite, and As desorption and re-sorption occurred simultaneously during the partial transformation of ferrihydrite to magnetite. The increase in SO42- loading promoted the S2--driven reduction of ferrihydrite and accelerated the subsequent mineralogical transformation. In the low and medium SO42- treatments, ferrihydrite was completely transformed to a mixture of magnetite and mackinawite, which increased the fraction of As in the residual phase and stabilized As. In the high SO42- treatment, although the replacement of ferrihydrite by only mackinawite also increased the fraction of As in the residual phase, 22.1% of the total As was released into the solution due to the poor adsorption affinity of As to mackinawite and the conversion of As5+ to As3+. The mechanisms of ferrihydrite reduction, mineralogy transformation, and As mobilization and redistribution mediated by sulfate-reducing bacteria are closely related to the surrounding SO42- loadings. These results advance our understanding of the biogeochemical behavior of Fe, S, and As, and are helpful for the risk assessment and remediation of As contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Zhou
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Huiyan Zhu
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Shiwen Hu
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Bowei Zhang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Kun Gao
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Zhi Dang
- The Key Lab of Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, Ministry of Education, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Chongxuan Liu
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
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3
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Diba F, Hoque MN, Rahman MS, Haque F, Rahman KMJ, Moniruzzaman M, Khan M, Hossain MA, Sultana M. Metagenomic and culture-dependent approaches unveil active microbial community and novel functional genes involved in arsenic mobilization and detoxification in groundwater. BMC Microbiol 2023; 23:241. [PMID: 37648982 PMCID: PMC10466822 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-023-02980-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Arsenic (As) and its species are major pollutants in ecological bodied including groundwater in Bangladesh rendering serious public health concern. Bacteria with arsenotrophic genes have been found in the aquifer, converting toxic arsenite [As (III)] to less toxic arsenate [As (V)] that is easily removed using chemical and biological trappers. In this study, genomic and metagenomic approaches parallel to culture-based assay (Graphical abstract) have made it possible to decipher phylogenetic diversity of groundwater arsenotrophic microbiomes along with elucidation of their genetic determinants. RESULTS Seventy-two isolates were retrieved from six As-contaminated (average As concentration of 0.23 mg/L) groundwater samples from Munshiganj and Chandpur districts of Bangladesh. Twenty-three isolates harbored arsenite efflux pump (arsB) gene with high abundance, and ten isolates possessing arsenite oxidase (aioA) gene, with a wide range of minimum inhibitory concentration, MICAs (2 to 32 mM), confirming their role in arsenite metabolism. There was considerable heterogeneity in species richness and microbial community structure. Microbial taxa from Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Acidobacteria dominated these diversities. Through these combinatorial approaches, we have identified potential candidates such as, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Stenotrophomonas, Achromobacter, Paraburkholderia, Comamonas and Klebsiella and associated functional genes (arsB, acr3, arsD, arsH, arsR) that could significantly contribute to arsenite detoxification, accumulation, and immobilization. CONCLUSIONS Culture-dependent and -independent shotgun metagenomic investigation elucidated arsenotrophic microbiomes and their functions in As biogeochemical transformation. These findings laid a foundation for further large-scale researches on the arsenotrophic microbiomes and their concurrent functions in As biogeochemical transformation in As-contaminated areas of Bangladesh and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farzana Diba
- Department of Microbiology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh
- Institute of Tissue Banking and Biomaterial Research, Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Savar, Dhaka, 1349, Bangladesh
| | - M Nazmul Hoque
- Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Reproductive Health, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur, 1706, Bangladesh
| | - M Shaminur Rahman
- Department of Microbiology, Jashore University of Science and Technology, Jashore, 7408, Bangladesh
| | - Farhana Haque
- Department of Microbiology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh
| | | | - Md Moniruzzaman
- Bangladesh Reference Institute for Chemical Measurements (BRiCM), Dr. Qudrat-E-Khuda Road, Dhanmondi, Dhaka, 1205, Bangladesh
| | - Mala Khan
- Bangladesh Reference Institute for Chemical Measurements (BRiCM), Dr. Qudrat-E-Khuda Road, Dhanmondi, Dhaka, 1205, Bangladesh
| | - M Anwar Hossain
- Department of Microbiology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh
- Present address: Jashore University of Science and Technology, Jashore, 7408, Bangladesh
| | - Munawar Sultana
- Department of Microbiology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh.
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Ivy N, Mukherjee T, Bhattacharya S, Ghosh A, Sharma P. Arsenic contamination in groundwater and food chain with mitigation options in Bengal delta with special reference to Bangladesh. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2023; 45:1261-1287. [PMID: 35841495 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-022-01330-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Bangladesh, situated in Bengal delta, is one of the worst affected countries by arsenic contamination in groundwater. Most of the people in the country are dependent on groundwater for domestic and irrigation purposes. Currently, 61 districts out of 64 districts of Bangladesh are affected by arsenic contamination. Drinking arsenic contaminated groundwater is the main pathway of arsenic exposure in the population. Additionally, the use of arsenic-contaminated groundwater for irrigation purpose in crop fields in Bangladesh has elevated arsenic concentration in surface soil and in the plants. In many arsenic-affected countries, including Bangladesh, rice is reported to be one of the significant sources of arsenic contamination. This review discussed scenario of groundwater arsenic contamination and transmission of arsenic through food chain in Bangladesh. The study further highlighted the human health perspectives of arsenic exposure in Bangladesh with possible mitigation and remediation options employed in the country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nishita Ivy
- School of Ecology and Environment Studies, Nalanda University, Rajgir, Nalanda, Bihar, India
| | | | - Sayan Bhattacharya
- School of Ecology and Environment Studies, Nalanda University, Rajgir, Nalanda, Bihar, India
| | - Abhrajyoti Ghosh
- Department of Biochemistry, Bose Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Prabhakar Sharma
- School of Ecology and Environment Studies, Nalanda University, Rajgir, Nalanda, Bihar, India.
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Saha A, Gupta A, Sar P. Metagenome based analysis of groundwater from arsenic contaminated sites of West Bengal revealed community diversity and their metabolic potential. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH. PART A, TOXIC/HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING 2023; 58:91-106. [PMID: 36852697 DOI: 10.1080/10934529.2023.2173919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The study of microbial community in groundwater systems is considered to be essential to improve our understanding of arsenic (As) biogeochemical cycling in aquifers, mainly as it relates to the fate and transport of As. The present study was conducted to determine the microbial community composition and its functional potential using As-contaminated groundwater from part of the Bengal Delta Plain (BDP) in West Bengal, India. Geochemical analyses indicated low to moderate dissolved oxygen (0.42-3.02 mg/L), varying As (2.5-311 µg/L) and Fe (0.19-1.2 mg/L) content, while low concentrations of total organic carbon (TOC), total inorganic carbon (TIC), nitrate, and sulfate were detected. Proteobacteria was the most abundant phylum, while the indiscriminate presence of an array of archaeal phyla, Euryarchaeota, Crenarchaeota, Nanoarchaeota, etc., was noteworthy. The core community members were affiliated to Sideroxydans, Acidovorax, Pseudoxanthomonas, Brevundimonas, etc. However, diversity assessed over multiple seasons indicated a shift from Sideroxydans to Pseudomonas or Brevundimonas dominant community, suggestive of microbial response to seasonally fluctuating geochemical stimuli. Taxonomy-based functional potential showed prospects for As biotransformation, methanogenesis, sulfate respiration, denitrification, etc. Thus, this study strengthened existing reports from this region by capturing the less abundant or difficult-to-culture taxa collectively forming a major fraction of the microbial community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anumeha Saha
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India
| | - Abhishek Gupta
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India
| | - Pinaki Sar
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India
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6
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Ke T, Zhang D, Guo H, Xiu W, Zhao Y. Geogenic arsenic and arsenotrophic microbiome in groundwater from the Hetao Basin. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 852:158549. [PMID: 36075436 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
High arsenic (As) in groundwater is an environmental issue of global concern, which is closely related to microbe-mediated As biogeochemical cycling. However, the distribution of genes related to As cycling and underlying microbial As biogeochemical processes in high As groundwater remain elusive. Hence, we profiled the As cycling genes (arsC, arrA, and aioA genes) and indigenous microbial communities in groundwater from a typical high As area, the Hetao Basin from China, using amplicon sequencing and qPCR techniques. Here, we revealed the significant difference in microbial community structure between low As groundwater samples (LG) and high As groundwater samples (HG). Acinetobacter, Thiovirga, Hydrogenophaga, and Sulfurimonas were dominant in LG, while Aquabcterium, Acinetobacter, Sphingomonas, Pseudomonas, Desulfomicrobium, Hydrogenophaga, and Nitrospira were predominant in HG. Shannon and Chao indices of the microbial communities in HG were significantly higher than those of in LG. Alpha diversity and abundance of arsC and arrA genes were higher than those of aioA genes. The significant positive correlation was uncovered between the abundances of arsC and aioA genes, suggesting the cooccurrence of As functional genes in groundwater. Sphingopyxis, Agrobacterium, Klebsiella, Hoeflea, and Aeromonas represented the dominant taxa within the As (V) reducers communities. Distance-based redundancy analysis showed that ORP, pH, Astot, Mn, and DOC were the key factors shaping the diverse microbial populations, while ORP, S2-, As(III), Fe(II), NH4+, pH, Mn, SO42-, As(V), temperature, and P as the main drivers affecting arsenotrophic microbiota. This work provides an insight into microbial communities linked to As biogeochemical processes in high As groundwater, playing a fundamental role in groundwater As cycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiantian Ke
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Groundwater Circulation and Environmental Evolution, School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, China; State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, China
| | - Di Zhang
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Groundwater Circulation and Environmental Evolution, School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, China; State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, China
| | - Huaming Guo
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Groundwater Circulation and Environmental Evolution, School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, China; State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, China.
| | - Wei Xiu
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, China
| | - Yi Zhao
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Groundwater Circulation and Environmental Evolution, School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, China
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Saha A, Mohapatra B, Kazy SK, Sar P. Variable response of arsenic contaminated groundwater microbial community to electron acceptor regime revealed by microcosm based high-throughput sequencing approach. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH. PART A, TOXIC/HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING 2021; 56:804-817. [PMID: 34284694 DOI: 10.1080/10934529.2021.1930448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Arsenic (As) mobilization in alluvial aquifers is facilitated by microbially catalyzed redox transformations that depend on the availability of electron acceptors (EAs). In this study, the response of an As-contaminated groundwater microbial community from West Bengal, India towards varied EAs was elucidated through microcosm based 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Acinetobacter, Deinococcus, Nocardioides, etc., and several unclassified bacteria (Ignavibacteria) and archaea (Bathyarchaeia, Micrarchaeia) previously not reported from As-contaminated groundwater of West Bengal, characterized the groundwater community. Distinct shifts in community composition were observed in response to various EAs. Enrichment of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) affiliated to Denitratisoma (NO3-), Spirochaetaceae (Mn4+), Deinococcus (As5+), Ruminiclostridium (Fe3+), Macellibacteroides (SO42-), Holophagae-Subgroup 7 (HCO3-), Dechloromonas and Geobacter (EA mixture) was noted. Alternatively, As3+ amendment as electron donor allowed predominance of Rhizobium. Taxonomy based functional profiling highlighted the role of chemoorganoheterotrophs capable of concurrent reduction of NO3-, Fe3+, SO42-, and As biotransformation in As-contaminated groundwater of West Bengal. Our analysis revealed two major aspects of the community, (a) taxa selective toward responding to the EAs, and (b) multifaceted nature of taxa appearing in abundance in response to multiple substrates. Thus, the results emphasized the potential of microbial community members to influence the biogeochemical cycling of As and other dominant anions/cations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anumeha Saha
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India
| | - Balaram Mohapatra
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India
| | - Sufia Khannam Kazy
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Durgapur, Durgapur, West Bengal, India
| | - Pinaki Sar
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India
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8
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Sonthiphand P, Kraidech S, Polart S, Chotpantarat S, Kusonmano K, Uthaipaisanwong P, Rangsiwutisak C, Luepromchai E. Arsenic speciation, the abundance of arsenite-oxidizing bacteria and microbial community structures in groundwater, surface water, and soil from a gold mine. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH. PART A, TOXIC/HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING 2021; 56:769-785. [PMID: 34038319 DOI: 10.1080/10934529.2021.1927421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The arsenic speciation, the abundance of arsenite-oxidizing bacteria, and microbial community structures in the groundwater, surface water, and soil from a gold mining area were explored using the PHREEQC model, cloning-ddPCR of the aioA gene, and high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, respectively. The analysis of the aioA gene showed that arsenite-oxidizing bacteria retrieved from groundwater, surface water, and soil were associated with Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, and Gammaproteobacteria. In groundwaters from the mining area, there were relatively high ratios of aioA/total 16S rRNA gene copies and the dominance of As5+, which suggested the presence and activity of arsenite-oxidizing bacteria. Metagenomic analysis revealed that the majority of the soil and surface water microbiomes were Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Chloroflexi, whereas the groundwater microbiomes were dominated exclusively by Betaproteobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria. Geochemical factors influencing the microbial structure in the groundwater were As, residence time, and groundwater flowrate, while those showing a positive correlation to the microbial structure in the surface water were TOC, ORP, and DO. This study provides insights into the groundwater, surface water, and soil microbiomes from a gold mine and expands the current understanding of the diversity and abundance of arsenite-oxidizing bacteria, playing a vital role in global As cycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prinpida Sonthiphand
- Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Ratchathewi, Thailand
| | - Supeerapat Kraidech
- International Postgraduate Program in Hazardous Substance and Environmental Management, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Saowarod Polart
- Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Ratchathewi, Thailand
| | - Srilert Chotpantarat
- Faculty of Science, Department of Geology, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
- Research Program on Controls of Hazardous Contaminants in Raw Water Resources for Water Scarcity Resilience, Center of Excellence on Hazardous Substance Management (HSM), Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
- Research Unit of Site Remediation on Metals Management from Industry and Mining (Site Rem), Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Kanthida Kusonmano
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Program, School of Bioresources and Technology, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand
- Systems Biology and Bioinformatics Research Laboratory, Pilot Plant Development and Training Institute, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Pichahpuk Uthaipaisanwong
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Program, School of Bioresources and Technology, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Chalida Rangsiwutisak
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Program, School of Bioresources and Technology, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Ekawan Luepromchai
- Research Program on Remediation Technologies for Petroleum Contamination, Center of Excellence on Hazardous Substance Management (HSM), Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Microbial Technology for Marine Pollution Treatment Research Unit, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
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9
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Castaño A, Prosenkov A, Baragaño D, Otaegui N, Sastre H, Rodríguez-Valdés E, Gallego JLR, Peláez AI. Effects of in situ Remediation With Nanoscale Zero Valence Iron on the Physicochemical Conditions and Bacterial Communities of Groundwater Contaminated With Arsenic. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:643589. [PMID: 33815330 PMCID: PMC8010140 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.643589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron (nZVI) is a cost-effective nanomaterial that is widely used to remove a broad range of metal(loid)s and organic contaminants from soil and groundwater. In some cases, this material alters the taxonomic and functional composition of the bacterial communities present in these matrices; however, there is no conclusive data that can be generalized to all scenarios. Here we studied the effect of nZVI application in situ on groundwater from the site of an abandoned fertilizer factory in Asturias, Spain, mainly polluted with arsenic (As). The geochemical characteristics of the water correspond to a microaerophilic and oligotrophic environment. Physico-chemical and microbiological (cultured and total bacterial diversity) parameters were monitored before and after nZVI application over six months. nZVI treatment led to a marked increase in Fe(II) concentration and a notable fall in the oxidation-reduction potential during the first month of treatment. A substantial decrease in the concentration of As during the first days of treatment was observed, although strong fluctuations were subsequently detected in most of the wells throughout the six-month experiment. The possible toxic effects of nZVI on groundwater bacteria could not be clearly determined from direct observation of those bacteria after staining with viability dyes. The number of cultured bacteria increased during the first two weeks of the treatment, although this was followed by a continuous decrease for the following two weeks, reaching levels moderately below the initial number at the end of sampling, and by changes in their taxonomic composition. Most bacteria were tolerant to high As(V) concentrations and showed the presence of diverse As resistance genes. A more complete study of the structure and diversity of the bacterial community in the groundwater using automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA) and sequencing of the 16S rRNA amplicons by Illumina confirmed significant alterations in its composition, with a reduction in richness and diversity (the latter evidenced by Illumina data) after treatment with nZVI. The anaerobic conditions stimulated by treatment favored the development of sulfate-reducing bacteria, thereby opening up the possibility to achieve more efficient removal of As.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Castaño
- Area of Microbiology, Department of Functional Biology and Environmental Biogeochemistry and Raw Materials Group, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Alexander Prosenkov
- Area of Microbiology, Department of Functional Biology and Environmental Biogeochemistry and Raw Materials Group, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Diego Baragaño
- INDUROT and Environmental Biogeochemistry and Raw Materials Group, Campus of Mieres, University of Oviedo, Mieres, Spain
| | - Nerea Otaegui
- TECNALIA, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Parque Tecnológico de Bizkaia, Derio, Spain
| | - Herminio Sastre
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering and Environmental Biogeochemistry and Raw Materials Group, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Eduardo Rodríguez-Valdés
- INDUROT and Environmental Biogeochemistry and Raw Materials Group, Campus of Mieres, University of Oviedo, Mieres, Spain
| | - José Luis R Gallego
- INDUROT and Environmental Biogeochemistry and Raw Materials Group, Campus of Mieres, University of Oviedo, Mieres, Spain
| | - Ana Isabel Peláez
- Area of Microbiology, Department of Functional Biology and Environmental Biogeochemistry and Raw Materials Group, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain.,University Institute of Biotechnology of Asturias (IUBA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
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10
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Pipattanajaroenkul P, Chotpantarat S, Termsaithong T, Sonthiphand P. Effects of Arsenic and Iron on the Community and Abundance of Arsenite-Oxidizing Bacteria in an Arsenic-Affected Groundwater Aquifer. Curr Microbiol 2021; 78:1324-1334. [PMID: 33638670 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-021-02418-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Arsenic (As) contamination of groundwater aquifers is a global environmental problem, especially in South and Southeast Asian regions, and poses a risk to human health. Arsenite-oxidizing bacteria that transform As(III) to less toxic As(V) can be potentially used as a groundwater As remediation strategy. This study aimed to examine the community and abundance of arsenite-oxidizing bacteria in groundwater with various As concentrations from Rayong Province, Thailand using PCR-cloning-sequencing and quantitative PCR (qPCR) of catalytic subunit of arsenite oxidase gene (aioA). Key factors influencing their community and abundance were also identified. The results demonstrated that arsenite-oxidizing bacteria retrieved from groundwater were phylogenetically related to Betaproteobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria. The aioA gene abundances ranged from 8.6 × 101 to 1.1 × 104 copies per ng of genomic DNA, accounting for 0.16-1.37% of the total 16S rRNA bacterial gene copies. Although the abundance of arsenite-oxidizing bacteria in groundwater was low, groundwater with As(III) dominance likely promoted their abundance which possibly played an important role in chemolithoautotrophic oxidation of As(III) to As(V). Fe and As(III) were the major environmental factors influencing the community and abundance of arsenite-oxidizing bacteria. The knowledge gained from this study can be used to further contribute to the development of bioremediation strategies for As removal from groundwater resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phurinat Pipattanajaroenkul
- International Postgraduate Program in Hazardous Substance and Environmental Management, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Srilert Chotpantarat
- Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Research Program on Controls of Hazardous Contaminants in Raw Water Resources for Water Scarcity Resilience, Center of Excellence On Hazardous Substance Management (HSM), Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Research Unit of Green Mining (GMM), Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Teerasit Termsaithong
- Learning Institute, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand.,Theoretical and Computational Science Center (TaCS), King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Prinpida Sonthiphand
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, 272 Rama VI Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
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11
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Sonthiphand P, Rattanaroongrot P, Mek-Yong K, Kusonmano K, Rangsiwutisak C, Uthaipaisanwong P, Chotpantarat S, Termsaithong T. Microbial community structure in aquifers associated with arsenic: analysis of 16S rRNA and arsenite oxidase genes. PeerJ 2021; 9:e10653. [PMID: 33510973 PMCID: PMC7798605 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The microbiomes of deep and shallow aquifers located in an agricultural area, impacted by an old tin mine, were explored to understand spatial variation in microbial community structures and identify environmental factors influencing microbial distribution patterns through the analysis of 16S rRNA and aioA genes. Although Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Actinobacteria, Patescibacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Epsilonbacteraeota were widespread across the analyzed aquifers, the dominant taxa found in each aquifer were unique. The co-dominance of Burkholderiaceae and Gallionellaceae potentially controlled arsenic immobilization in the aquifers. Analysis of the aioA gene suggested that arsenite-oxidizing bacteria phylogenetically associated with Alpha-, Beta-, and Gamma proteobacteria were present at low abundance (0.85 to 37.13%) and were more prevalent in shallow aquifers and surface water. The concentrations of dissolved oxygen and total phosphorus significantly governed the microbiomes analyzed in this study, while the combination of NO3 --N concentration and oxidation-reduction potential significantly influenced the diversity and abundance of arsenite-oxidizing bacteria in the aquifers. The knowledge of microbial community structures and functions in relation to deep and shallow aquifers is required for further development of sustainable aquifer management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prinpida Sonthiphand
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Kasarnchon Mek-Yong
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Kanthida Kusonmano
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Program, School of Bioresources and Technology, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand.,Systems Biology and Bioinformatics Research Laboratory, Pilot Plant Development and Training Institute, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Chalida Rangsiwutisak
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Program, School of Bioresources and Technology, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Pichahpuk Uthaipaisanwong
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Program, School of Bioresources and Technology, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Srilert Chotpantarat
- Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Research Program on Controls of Hazardous Contaminants in Raw Water Resources for Water Scarcity Resilience, Center of Excellence on Hazardous Substance Management (HSM), Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Research Unit of Green Mining (GMM), Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Teerasit Termsaithong
- Learning Institute, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand.,Theoretical and Computational Science Center (TaCS), King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand
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12
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Xiu W, Lloyd J, Guo H, Dai W, Nixon S, Bassil NM, Ren C, Zhang C, Ke T, Polya D. Linking microbial community composition to hydrogeochemistry in the western Hetao Basin: Potential importance of ammonium as an electron donor during arsenic mobilization. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 136:105489. [PMID: 31991235 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Revised: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Various functional groups of microorganisms and related biogeochemical processes are likely to control arsenic (As) mobilization in groundwater systems. However, spatially-dependent correlations between microbial community composition and geochemical zonation along groundwater flow paths are not fully understood, especially with respect to arsenic mobility. The western Hetao Basin was selected as the study area to address this limitation, where groundwater flows from a proximal fan (geochemical-group I: low As, oxidizing), through a transition area (geochemical-group II: moderate As, moderately-reducing) and then to a flat plain (geochemical-group III: high As, reducing). High-throughput Illumina 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that the microbial community structure in the proximal fan included bacteria affiliated with organic carbon degradation and nitrate-reduction or even nitrate-dependant Fe(II)-oxidation, mainly resulting in As immobilization. In contrast, for the flat plain, high As groundwater contained Fe(III)- and As(V)-reducing bacteria, consistent with current models on As mobilization driven via reductive dissolution of Fe(III)/As(V) mineral assemblages. However, Spearman correlations between hydrogeochemical data and microbial community compositions indicated that ammonium as a possible electron donor induced reduction of Fe oxide minerals, suggesting a wider range of metabolic pathways (including ammonium oxidation coupled with Fe(III) reduction) driving As mobilization in high As groundwater systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Xiu
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, PR China; Institute of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, PR China; School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, PR China
| | - Jonathan Lloyd
- Williamson Research Centre for Molecular Environmental Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, the University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Huaming Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, PR China; School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, PR China.
| | - Wei Dai
- School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, PR China
| | - Sophie Nixon
- Williamson Research Centre for Molecular Environmental Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, the University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Naji M Bassil
- Williamson Research Centre for Molecular Environmental Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, the University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Cui Ren
- School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, PR China
| | - Chaoran Zhang
- School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, PR China
| | - Tiantian Ke
- School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, PR China
| | - David Polya
- Williamson Research Centre for Molecular Environmental Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, the University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
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13
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Chen X, Zeng XC, Kawa YK, Wu W, Zhu X, Ullah Z, Wang Y. Microbial reactions and environmental factors affecting the dissolution and release of arsenic in the severely contaminated soils under anaerobic or aerobic conditions. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2020; 189:109946. [PMID: 31759742 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.109946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/10/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The soils near the abandoned Shimen Realgar Mine are characterized by containing extremely high contents of total and soluble arsenic. To determine the microbial reactions and environmental factors affecting the mobilization and release of arsenic from soils phase into pore water, we collected 24 soil samples from the representative points around the abandoned Shimen Realgar Mine. They contained 8310.84 mg/kg total arsenic and 703.21 mg/kg soluble arsenic in average. The soluble arsenic in the soils shows significant positive and negative correlations with environmental SO42-/TOC/pH/PO43-, and Fe/Mn, respectively. We found that diverse dissimilatory As(V)-respiring prokaryotes (DARPs) and As(III)-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) exist in all the examined soil samples. The activities of DARPs led to 65-1275% increase of soluble As(III) in the examined soils after 21.0 days of anaerobic incubation, and the microbial dissolution and releases of arsenic show significant positive and negative correlations with the environmental pH/TN and NH4+/PO43-, respectively. In comparison, the activities of AOB led to 24-346% inhibition of the dissolved oxygen-mediated dissolution of arsenic in the soils, and the AOB-mediated releases of As(V) show significant positive and negative correlations with the environmental SO42- and pH/NH4+, respectively. The microbial communities of 24 samples contain 54 phyla of bacteria that show extremely high diversities. Total arsenic, TOC, NO3- and pH are the key environmental factors that indirectly controlled the mobilization and release of arsenic via influencing the structures of the microbial communities in the soils. This work gained new insights into the mechanism for how microbial communities catalyze the dissolution and releases of arsenic from the soils with extremely high contents of arsenic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoming Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Xian-Chun Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yahaya Kudush Kawa
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Weiwei Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Xianbin Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Zahid Ullah
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanxin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology & School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, People's Republic of China
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14
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Chakraborty A, DasGupta CK, Bhadury P. Diversity of Betaproteobacteria revealed by novel primers suggests their role in arsenic cycling. Heliyon 2020; 6:e03089. [PMID: 31922045 PMCID: PMC6948241 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e03089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2019] [Revised: 12/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
High arsenic concentration in groundwater is a severe environmental problem affecting human health, particularly in countries of South and South-East Asia. The Bengal Delta Plain (BDP) distributed within India and Bangladesh is a major arsenic-affected region where groundwater is the primary source of drinking water. Previous studies have indicated that members of the bacterial class Betaproteobacteria constitute a major fraction of the microbial community in many of the aquifers within this region. Bacteria belonging to this class are known to be involved in redox cycling of arsenic as well as other metals such iron and manganese, thereby impacting arsenic mobilization and immobilization. While microbial diversity in arsenic-contaminated environments is generally assessed using universal 16S rRNA gene primers, targeted evaluation of Betaproteobacteria diversity remains poorly constrained. In this study, bacterial diversity was investigated in the groundwater from two shallow aquifers (West Bengal, India) based on 16S rRNA gene clone libraries and sequencing using a custom-designed pair of primers specific to Betaproteobacteria. Specificity of the primers was confirmed in silico as well as by the absence of PCR amplification of other bacterial classes. Four major families (Burkholderiaceae, Comamonadaceae, Gallionellaceae and Rhodocyclaceae) were detected among which members of Burkholderiaceae represented 59% and 71% of the total community in each aquifer. The four OTUs (operational taxonomic units; 97% sequence identity) within Burkholderiaceae were close phylogenetic relatives of bacteria within the genus Burkholderia known to solubilize phosphate minerals. Additionally, the OTUs belonging to Gallionellaceae were closely related to the members of the genera Gallionella and Sideroxydans, known to oxidize iron under microaerophilic conditions. These results suggest that members of Betaproteobacteria can potentially influence iron and phosphorus cycling which can influence biogeochemistry in arsenic-contaminated aquifers of the BDP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anirban Chakraborty
- Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, 700032, West Bengal, India
| | - Chanchal K DasGupta
- Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, 700032, West Bengal, India
| | - Punyasloke Bhadury
- Integrative Taxonomy and Microbial Ecology Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences and Centre for Climate and Environmental Studies, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur, Nadia, 741246, West Bengal, India
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15
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Ample Arsenite Bio-Oxidation Activity in Bangladesh Drinking Water Wells: A Bonanza for Bioremediation? Microorganisms 2019; 7:microorganisms7080246. [PMID: 31398879 PMCID: PMC6723331 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms7080246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Revised: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Millions of people worldwide are at risk of arsenic poisoning from their drinking water. In Bangladesh the problem extends to rural drinking water wells, where non-biological solutions are not feasible. In serial enrichment cultures of water from various Bangladesh drinking water wells, we found transfer-persistent arsenite oxidation activity under four conditions (aerobic/anaerobic; heterotrophic/autotrophic). This suggests that biological decontamination may help ameliorate the problem. The enriched microbial communities were phylogenetically at least as diverse as the unenriched communities: they contained a bonanza of 16S rRNA gene sequences. These related to Hydrogenophaga, Acinetobacter, Dechloromonas, Comamonas, and Rhizobium/Agrobacterium species. In addition, the enriched microbiomes contained genes highly similar to the arsenite oxidase (aioA) gene of chemolithoautotrophic (e.g., Paracoccus sp. SY) and heterotrophic arsenite-oxidizing strains. The enriched cultures also contained aioA phylotypes not detected in the previous survey of uncultivated samples from the same wells. Anaerobic enrichments disclosed a wider diversity of arsenite oxidizing aioA phylotypes than did aerobic enrichments. The cultivatable chemolithoautotrophic and heterotrophic arsenite oxidizers are of great interest for future in or ex-situ arsenic bioremediation technologies for the detoxification of drinking water by oxidizing arsenite to arsenate that should then precipitates with iron oxides. The microbial activities required for such a technology seem present, amplifiable, diverse and hence robust.
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16
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Xiu W, Yu X, Guo H, Yuan W, Ke T, Liu G, Tao J, Hou W, Dong H. Facilitated arsenic immobilization by biogenic ferrihydrite-goethite biphasic Fe(III) minerals (Fh-Gt Bio-bi-minerals). CHEMOSPHERE 2019; 225:755-764. [PMID: 30903849 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.02.098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Biogenic iron(III) minerals (BIM) widely occur in aquatic systems. However, characteristics and mechanisms of As sequestration by biogenic biphasic Fe(III) minerals (Bio-bi-minerals) are not clearly understood. We investigated characteristics of Bio-bi-minerals induced by Pseudogulbenkiania sp. strain 2002 and explored their As sequestration mechanisms by monitoring particle morphology, mineralogical composition, and As binding properties. Results showed that Fe(II) oxidation (about 3 mM) by Pseudogulbenkiania sp. strain 2002 under growth condition produced biogenic ferrihydrite-goethite biphasic Fe(III) minerals (Fh-Gt Bio-bi-minerals), which showed better performance in As immobilization compared to corresponding biogenic monophasic Fe(III) minerals (Bio-mono-minerals). Decreased particle size, increased abundance of ferrihydrite and occurrence of bidentate mononuclear edge-sharing (2E) and monodentate mononuclear edge-sharing As complexes (1V) contributed to enhanced As immobilization by Fh-Gt Bio-bi-minerals. We suggest that the Bio-bi-minerals have the potential to illuminate As biogeochemical cycles in aquatic systems and to remediate As and nitrate co-contaminated groundwater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Xiu
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, PR China; Institute of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, PR China
| | - Xiaonuo Yu
- School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, PR China
| | - Huaming Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, PR China; School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, PR China.
| | - Wenjie Yuan
- School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, PR China
| | - Tiantian Ke
- School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, PR China
| | - Guangyao Liu
- Institute of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, PR China
| | - Jing Tao
- School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, PR China; Department of Chemistry and Life Science, Anshan Normal College, Anshan 114016, PR China
| | - Weiguo Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, PR China; Institute of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, PR China
| | - Hailiang Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, PR China
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17
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Leiva E, Leiva-Aravena E, Rodríguez C, Serrano J, Vargas I. Arsenic removal mediated by acidic pH neutralization and iron precipitation in microbial fuel cells. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 645:471-481. [PMID: 30029122 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.06.378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2018] [Revised: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/29/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Leiva
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Facultad de Química, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, 7820436, Santiago, Chile; Departamento de Ingeniería Hidráulica y Ambiental, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, 7820436, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Enzo Leiva-Aravena
- Departamento de Ingeniería Hidráulica y Ambiental, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, 7820436, Santiago, Chile; CEDEUS, Centro de Desarrollo Urbano Sustentable, El Comendador 1916, Providencia, Santiago 7520245, Chile
| | - Carolina Rodríguez
- Departamento de Ingeniería Hidráulica y Ambiental, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, 7820436, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jennyfer Serrano
- Escuela de Biotecnología, Universidad Mayor, Camino La Pirámide 5750, Huechuraba, 8580745, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ignacio Vargas
- Departamento de Ingeniería Hidráulica y Ambiental, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, 7820436, Santiago, Chile; CEDEUS, Centro de Desarrollo Urbano Sustentable, El Comendador 1916, Providencia, Santiago 7520245, Chile
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18
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Structural and mechanistic analysis of the arsenate respiratory reductase provides insight into environmental arsenic transformations. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:E8614-E8623. [PMID: 30104376 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1807984115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Arsenate respiration by bacteria was discovered over two decades ago and is catalyzed by diverse organisms using the well-conserved Arr enzyme complex. Until now, the mechanisms underpinning this metabolism have been relatively opaque. Here, we report the structure of an Arr complex (solved by X-ray crystallography to 1.6-Å resolution), which was enabled by an improved Arr expression method in the genetically tractable arsenate respirer Shewanella sp. ANA-3. We also obtained structures bound with the substrate arsenate (1.8 Å), the product arsenite (1.8 Å), and the natural inhibitor phosphate (1.7 Å). The structures reveal a conserved active-site motif that distinguishes Arr [(R/K)GRY] from the closely related arsenite respiratory oxidase (Arx) complex (XGRGWG). Arr activity assays using methyl viologen as the electron donor and arsenate as the electron acceptor display two-site ping-pong kinetics. A Mo(V) species was detected with EPR spectroscopy, which is typical for proteins with a pyranopterin guanine dinucleotide cofactor. Arr is an extraordinarily fast enzyme that approaches the diffusion limit (Km = 44.6 ± 1.6 μM, kcat = 9,810 ± 220 seconds-1), and phosphate is a competitive inhibitor of arsenate reduction (Ki = 325 ± 12 μM). These observations, combined with knowledge of typical sedimentary arsenate and phosphate concentrations and known rates of arsenate desorption from minerals in the presence of phosphate, suggest that (i) arsenate desorption limits microbiologically induced arsenate reductive mobilization and (ii) phosphate enhances arsenic mobility by stimulating arsenate desorption rather than by inhibiting it at the enzymatic level.
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19
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Gnanaprakasam ET, Lloyd JR, Boothman C, Ahmed KM, Choudhury I, Bostick BC, van Geen A, Mailloux BJ. Microbial Community Structure and Arsenic Biogeochemistry in Two Arsenic-Impacted Aquifers in Bangladesh. mBio 2017; 8:e01326-17. [PMID: 29184025 PMCID: PMC5705915 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01326-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 10/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-term exposure to trace levels of arsenic (As) in shallow groundwater used for drinking and irrigation puts millions of people at risk of chronic disease. Although microbial processes are implicated in mobilizing arsenic from aquifer sediments into groundwater, the precise mechanism remains ambiguous. The goal of this work was to target, for the first time, a comprehensive suite of state-of-the-art molecular techniques in order to better constrain the relationship between indigenous microbial communities and the iron and arsenic mineral phases present in sediments at two well-characterized arsenic-impacted aquifers in Bangladesh. At both sites, arsenate [As(V)] was the major species of As present in sediments at depths with low aqueous As concentrations, while most sediment As was arsenite [As(III)] at depths with elevated aqueous As concentrations. This is consistent with a role for the microbial As(V) reduction in mobilizing arsenic. 16S rRNA gene analysis indicates that the arsenic-rich sediments were colonized by diverse bacterial communities implicated in both dissimilatory Fe(III) and As(V) reduction, while the correlation analyses involved phylogenetic groups not normally associated with As mobilization. Findings suggest that direct As redox transformations are central to arsenic fate and transport and that there is a residual reactive pool of both As(V) and Fe(III) in deeper sediments that could be released by microbial respiration in response to hydrologic perturbation, such as increased groundwater pumping that introduces reactive organic carbon to depth.IMPORTANCE The consumption of arsenic in waters collected from tube wells threatens the lives of millions worldwide and is particularly acute in the floodplains and deltas of southern Asia. The cause of arsenic mobilization from natural sediments within these aquifers to groundwater is complex, with recent studies suggesting that sediment-dwelling microorganisms may be the cause. In the absence of oxygen at depth, specialist bacteria are thought able to use metals within the sediments to support their metabolism. Via these processes, arsenic-contaminated iron minerals are transformed, resulting in the release of arsenic into the aquifer waters. Focusing on a field site in Bangladesh, a comprehensive, multidisciplinary study using state-of-the-art geological and microbiological techniques has helped better understand the microbes that are present naturally in a high-arsenic aquifer and how they may transform the chemistry of the sediment to potentially lethal effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwin T Gnanaprakasam
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Williamson Research Centre for Molecular Environmental Science, the University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan R Lloyd
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Williamson Research Centre for Molecular Environmental Science, the University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher Boothman
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Williamson Research Centre for Molecular Environmental Science, the University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Benjamin C Bostick
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, New York, USA
| | - Alexander van Geen
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, New York, USA
| | - Brian J Mailloux
- Environmental Science Department, Barnard College, New York, New York, USA
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20
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Li P, Jiang Z, Wang Y, Deng Y, Van Nostrand JD, Yuan T, Liu H, Wei D, Zhou J. Analysis of the functional gene structure and metabolic potential of microbial community in high arsenic groundwater. WATER RESEARCH 2017; 123:268-276. [PMID: 28672211 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2017.06.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2017] [Revised: 06/18/2017] [Accepted: 06/19/2017] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Microbial functional potential in high arsenic (As) groundwater ecosystems remains largely unknown. In this study, the microbial community functional composition of nineteen groundwater samples was investigated using a functional gene array (GeoChip 5.0). Samples were divided into low and high As groups based on the clustering analysis of geochemical parameters and microbial functional structures. The results showed that As related genes (arsC, arrA), sulfate related genes (dsrA and dsrB), nitrogen cycling related genes (ureC, amoA, and hzo) and methanogen genes (mcrA, hdrB) in groundwater samples were correlated with As, SO42-, NH4+ or CH4 concentrations, respectively. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) results indicated that some geochemical parameters including As, total organic content, SO42-, NH4+, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) and pH were important factors shaping the functional microbial community structures. Alkaline and reducing conditions with relatively low SO42-, ORP, and high NH4+, as well as SO42- and Fe reduction and ammonification involved in microbially-mediated geochemical processes could be associated with As enrichment in groundwater. This study provides an overall picture of functional microbial communities in high As groundwater aquifers, and also provides insights into the critical role of microorganisms in As biogeochemical cycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, PR China.
| | - Zhou Jiang
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, PR China
| | - Yanhong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, PR China
| | - Ye Deng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, PR China
| | - Joy D Van Nostrand
- Institute for Environmental Genomics and Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Tong Yuan
- Institute for Environmental Genomics and Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Han Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, PR China
| | - Dazhun Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, PR China
| | - Jizhong Zhou
- Institute for Environmental Genomics and Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
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Bacterial community and arsenic functional genes diversity in arsenic contaminated soils from different geographic locations. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0176696. [PMID: 28475654 PMCID: PMC5419559 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2016] [Accepted: 04/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
To understand how soil microbial communities and arsenic (As) functional genes respond to soil arsenic (As) contamination, five soils contaminated with As at different levels were collected from diverse geographic locations, incubated for 54 days under flooded conditions, and examined by both MiSeq sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons and functional gene microarray (GeoChip 4.0). The results showed that both bacterial community structure and As functional gene structure differed among geographical locations. The diversity of As functional genes correlated positively with the diversity of 16S rRNA genes (P< 0.05). Higher diversities of As functional genes and 16S rRNA genes were observed in the soils with higher available As. Soil pH, phosphate-extractable As, and amorphous Fe content were the most important factors in shaping the bacterial community structure and As transformation functional genes. Geographic location was also important in controlling both the bacterial community and As transformation functional potential. These findings provide insights into the variation of As transformation functional genes in soils contaminated with different levels of As at different geographic locations, and the impact of environmental As contamination on the soil bacterial community.
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Mirza BS, Sorensen DL, Dupont RR, McLean JE. New Arsenate Reductase Gene (arrA) PCR Primers for Diversity Assessment and Quantification in Environmental Samples. Appl Environ Microbiol 2017; 83:e02725-16. [PMID: 27913413 PMCID: PMC5288830 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02725-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2016] [Accepted: 11/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The extent of arsenic contamination in drinking water and its potential threat to human health have resulted in considerable research interest in the microbial species responsible for arsenic reduction. The arsenate reductase gene (arrA), an important component of the microbial arsenate reduction system, has been widely used as a biomarker to study arsenate-reducing microorganisms. A new primer pair was designed and evaluated for quantitative PCR (qPCR) and high-throughput sequencing of the arrA gene, because currently available PCR primers are not suitable for these applications. The primers were evaluated in silico and empirically tested for amplification of arrA genes in clones and for amplification and high-throughput sequencing of arrA genes from soil and groundwater samples. In silico, this primer pair matched (≥90% DNA identity) 86% of arrA gene sequences from GenBank. Empirical evaluation showed successful amplification of arrA gene clones of diverse phylogenetic groups, as well as amplification and high-throughput sequencing of independent soil and groundwater samples without preenrichment, suggesting that these primers are highly specific and can amplify a broad diversity of arrA genes. The arrA gene diversity from soil and groundwater samples from the Cache Valley Basin (CVB) in Utah was greater than anticipated. We observed a significant correlation between arrA gene abundance, quantified through qPCR, and reduced arsenic (AsIII) concentrations in the groundwater samples. Furthermore, we demonstrated that these primers can be useful for studying the diversity of arsenate-reducing microbial communities and the ways in which their relative abundance in groundwater may be associated with different groundwater quality parameters. IMPORTANCE Arsenic is a major drinking water contaminant that threatens the health of millions of people worldwide. The extent of arsenic contamination and its potential threat to human health have resulted in considerable interest in the study of microbial species responsible for the reduction of arsenic, i.e., the conversion of AsV to AsIII In this study, we developed a new primer pair to evaluate the diversity and abundance of arsenate-reducing microorganisms in soil and groundwater samples from the CVB in Utah. We observed significant arrA gene diversity in the CVB soil and groundwater samples, and arrA gene abundance was significantly correlated with the reduced arsenic (AsIII) concentrations in the groundwater samples. We think that these primers are useful for studying the ecology of arsenate-reducing microorganisms in different environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Babur S Mirza
- Utah Water Research Laboratory, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
| | - Darwin L Sorensen
- Utah Water Research Laboratory, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
| | - R Ryan Dupont
- Utah Water Research Laboratory, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
| | - Joan E McLean
- Utah Water Research Laboratory, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
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Han YH, Fu JW, Xiang P, Cao Y, Rathinasabapathi B, Chen Y, Ma LQ. Arsenic and phosphate rock impacted the abundance and diversity of bacterial arsenic oxidase and reductase genes in rhizosphere of As-hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2017; 321:146-153. [PMID: 27619960 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2016.08.079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2016] [Revised: 08/07/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Microbially-mediated arsenic (As) transformation in soils affects As speciation and plant uptake. However, little is known about the impacts of As on bacterial communities and their functional genes in the rhizosphere of As-hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata. In this study, arsenite (AsIII) oxidase genes (aroA-like) and arsenate (AsV) reductase genes (arsC) were amplified from three soils, which were amended with 50mgkg-1 As and/or 1.5% phosphate rock (PR) and grew P. vittata for 90 d. The aroA-like genes in the rhizosphere were 50 times more abundant than arsC genes, consistent with the dominance of AsV in soils. According to functional gene alignment, most bacteria belonged to α-, β- and γ-Proteobacteria. Moreover, aroA-like genes showed a higher biodiversity than arsC genes based on clone library analysis and could be grouped into nine clusters based on terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis. Besides, AsV amendment elevated aroA-like gene diversity, but decreased arsC gene diversity. Redundancy analysis indicated that soil pH, available Ca and P, and AsV concentration were key factors driving diverse compositions in aroA-like gene community. This work identified new opportunities to screen for As-oxidizing and/or -reducing bacteria to aid phytoremediation of As-contaminated soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-He Han
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Jiangsu, 210023, China
| | - Jing-Wei Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Jiangsu, 210023, China
| | - Ping Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Jiangsu, 210023, China
| | - Yue Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Jiangsu, 210023, China
| | - Bala Rathinasabapathi
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, United States
| | - Yanshan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Jiangsu, 210023, China.
| | - Lena Q Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Jiangsu, 210023, China; Soil and Water Science Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, United States.
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Fazi S, Crognale S, Casentini B, Amalfitano S, Lotti F, Rossetti S. The Arsenite Oxidation Potential of Native Microbial Communities from Arsenic-Rich Freshwaters. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2016; 72:25-35. [PMID: 27090902 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-016-0768-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2015] [Accepted: 04/06/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Microorganisms play an important role in speciation and mobility of arsenic in the environment, by mediating redox transformations of both inorganic and organic species. Since arsenite [As(III)] is more toxic than arsenate [As(V)] to the biota, the microbial driven processes of As(V) reduction and As(III) oxidation may play a prominent role in mediating the environmental impact of arsenic contamination. However, little is known about the ecology and dynamics of As(III)-oxidizing populations within native microbial communities exposed to natural high levels of As. In this study, two techniques for single cell quantification (i.e., flow cytometry, CARD-FISH) were used to analyze the structure of aquatic microbial communities across a gradient of arsenic (As) contamination in different freshwater environments (i.e., groundwaters, surface and thermal waters). Moreover, we followed the structural evolution of these communities and their capacity to oxidize arsenite, when experimentally exposed to high As(III) concentrations in experimental microcosms. Betaproteobacteria and Deltaproteobacteria were the main groups retrieved in groundwaters and surface waters, while Beta and Gammaproteobacteria dominated the bacteria community in thermal waters. At the end of microcosm incubations, the communities were able to oxidize up to 95 % of arsenite, with an increase of Alphaproteobacteria in most of the experimental conditions. Finally, heterotrophic As(III)-oxidizing strains (one Alphaproteobacteria and two Gammaproteobacteria) were isolated from As rich waters. Our findings underlined that native microbial communities from different arsenic-contaminated freshwaters can efficiently perform arsenite oxidation, thus contributing to reduce the overall As toxicity to the aquatic biota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Fazi
- Water Research Institute, National Research Council of Italy (IRSA-CNR), Via Salaria, km 29.300, Monterotondo, RM, 00015, Italy.
| | - Simona Crognale
- Water Research Institute, National Research Council of Italy (IRSA-CNR), Via Salaria, km 29.300, Monterotondo, RM, 00015, Italy
| | - Barbara Casentini
- Water Research Institute, National Research Council of Italy (IRSA-CNR), Via Salaria, km 29.300, Monterotondo, RM, 00015, Italy
| | - Stefano Amalfitano
- Water Research Institute, National Research Council of Italy (IRSA-CNR), Via Salaria, km 29.300, Monterotondo, RM, 00015, Italy
| | - Francesca Lotti
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences (DEB), Tuscia University, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Simona Rossetti
- Water Research Institute, National Research Council of Italy (IRSA-CNR), Via Salaria, km 29.300, Monterotondo, RM, 00015, Italy
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Rahman MM, Bakker M, Patty CHL, Hassan Z, Röling WFM, Ahmed KM, van Breukelen BM. Reactive transport modeling of subsurface arsenic removal systems in rural Bangladesh. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2015; 537:277-293. [PMID: 26282762 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.07.140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2015] [Revised: 07/28/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Subsurface Arsenic Removal (SAR) is a technique for in-situ removal of arsenic from groundwater. Extracted groundwater is aerated and re-injected into an anoxic aquifer, where the oxygen in the injected water reacts with ferrous iron in the aquifer to form hydrous ferric oxide (HFO). Subsequent extraction of groundwater contains temporarily lower As concentrations, because As sorbs onto the HFO. Injection, storage, and extraction together is called a cycle. A reactive transport model (RTM) was developed in PHREEQC to determine the hydrogeochemical processes responsible for As (im)mobilization during experimental SAR operation performed in Bangladesh. Oxidation of Fe(II) and As(III) were modeled using kinetic-rate expressions. Cation exchange, precipitation of HFO, and surface complexation, were modeled as equilibrium processes. A best set of surface complexation reactions and corresponding equilibrium constants was adopted from previous studies to simulate all 20 cycles of a SAR experiment. The model gives a reasonable match with observed concentrations of different elements in the extracted water (e.g., the r(2) value of As was 0.59 or higher). As concentrations in the extracted water are governed by four major processes. First, As concentration decreases in response to the elevated pH of injection water and likewise increases when native neutral pH groundwater flows in. Second, the sorption capacity for As increases due to the gradual buildup of HFO. Third, As sorption is enhanced by preferential removal of As(V). Fourth, competitive sorption of Si limits the capacity of freshly precipitated HFO for As sorption. Transferability of the developed reactive transport model was demonstrated through successful application of the model, without further calibration, to two additional SAR sites in Bangladesh. This gives confidence that the model could be useful to assess potential SAR performance at locations in Bangladesh based on local hydrogeochemical conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- M M Rahman
- Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Stevinweg 1, Delft, The Netherlands; University of Dhaka, Department of Geology, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh; North South University, Department of Environmental Science and Management, Bashundhara, Dhaka 1229, Bangladesh.
| | - M Bakker
- Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Stevinweg 1, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - C H L Patty
- VU University Amsterdam, Department of Molecular Cell Physiology, De Boelelaan 1085, NL-1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Z Hassan
- VU University Amsterdam, Department of Molecular Cell Physiology, De Boelelaan 1085, NL-1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - W F M Röling
- VU University Amsterdam, Department of Molecular Cell Physiology, De Boelelaan 1085, NL-1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - K M Ahmed
- University of Dhaka, Department of Geology, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
| | - B M van Breukelen
- VU University Amsterdam, Department of Earth Sciences, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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