title: Field testing of arsenic in groundwater samples of Bangladesh using a test kit based on lyophilized bioreporter bacteria.
abstract: A test kit based on living, lyophilized bacterial bioreporters emitting bioluminescence as a response to arsenite and arsenate was applied during a field campaign in six villages across Bangladesh. Bioreporter field measurements of arsenic in groundwater from tube wells were in satisfying agreement with the results of spectroscopic analyses of the same samples conducted in the lab. The practicability of the bioreporter test in terms of logistics and material requirements, suitability for high sample throughput, and waste disposal was much better than that of two commercial chemical test kits that were included as references. The campaigns furthermore demonstrated large local heterogeneity of arsenic in groundwater, underscoring the use of well switching as an effective remedy to avoid high arsenic exposure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Konrad
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Siegfried
authors.forename: Carola
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Endes
authors.forename: Abul Fateh Md Khaled
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Bhuiyan
authors.forename: Anke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuppardt
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mattusch
authors.forename: Jan Roelof
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: van der Meer
authors.forename: Antonis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chatzinotas
authors.forename: Hauke
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Harms
mesh_terms: D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis; D001459:Bangladesh; D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005612:Freeze Drying; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D060587:Groundwater / Q000032:analysis*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: C489527:ArsR protein, E coli; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D001151:Arsenic