Arsenic (III) oxidizing Microbacterium lacticum and its use in the treatment of arsenic contaminated groundwater.
OBJECTIVE
To develop a microbially-assisted process for the removal of arsenic from contaminated groundwater.


RESULTS
A culture of Microbacterium lacticum oxidizing up to 50 mmol l(-1) arsenic (III) was isolated from municipal sewage by an enrichment culture technique. Using culture immobilized on brick pieces and packed in a glass column, complete oxidation of As (III) from groundwater could be quickly achieved at neutral pH and ambient temperature with methanol as substrate. The oxidized As species were removed from groundwater using three different methods: zero valent iron, activated charcoal and ferric chloride.


CONCLUSIONS
The oxidation of groundwater As (III) by a M. lacticum-immobilized column, followed by its removal using activated carbon, could be an efficient method for the treatment of As (III)-contaminated groundwater.


CONCLUSIONS
The study will be useful in developing a combined microbiological-chemical process for treating arsenic-contaminated groundwater.
Mokashi
S A
SA
Division of Microbial Sciences, Agharkar Research Institute, Pune, India.
Paknikar
K M
KM
D000192:Actinomycetales / Q000378:metabolism*; D001151:Arsenic / Q000378:metabolism*; D019149:Bioreactors; D005618:Fresh Water; D007194:India; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000517:prevention & control
D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D001151:Arsenic