Anaerobic Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria show as resistance and immobilize as during Fe(III) mineral precipitation.
More than 100 million individuals worldwide are exposed to arsenic-contaminated water, making the investigation of arsenic mobility in aquatic systems of utmost importance. Iron (hydr)oxides play a key role in preventing arsenic release in aquifers and soils due to their strong arsenic sorption and are even used to remove arsenic in water treatment. Neutrophilic Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria produce Fe(III) minerals and therefore have the potential to affect arsenic mobility. In the present study, we demonstrate that the metabolism of anaerobic nitrate-reducing and phototrophic Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria is not significantly affected by arsenate concentrations of up to 500 muM (37.5 mg/L). Even in the presence of the more toxic arsenic species, arsenite, cell metabolism was significantly impaired only at the highest arsenite concentration (500 muM) for one of the Fe(II)-oxidizers. All Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria tested effectively immobilized arsenic during Fe(II) oxidation (>96%), lowering the remaining dissolved arsenic concentrations to values close to or even lower than the current drinking water limit of 10 microg/L. Since the minerals formed by these bacteria included highly crystalline Fe(III) minerals that are hardly reducible by Fe(III)-reducing bacteria, stimulation of arsenic immobilization by Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria can potentially support water treatment systems or even be applied as an effective remediation strategy.
Hohmann
Claudia
C
Geomicrobiology, Center for Applied Geosciences, University of Tuebingen, Germany.
Winkler
Eva
E
Morin
Guillaume
G
Kappler
Andreas
A
D000693:Anaerobiosis; D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*; D005296:Ferrous Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction
D005290:Ferric Compounds; D005296:Ferrous Compounds