HR: 16:15h
AN: H24C-02 INVITED     [Abstracts]
TI: Microbial Transformation of Arsenic
AU: * Stolz, J F
EM: stolz@duq.edu
AF: Duquesne University, Department of Biological Sciences, Pittsburgh, PA 15282 United States
AB: Whether the source is natural or anthropogenic, it has become evident that arsenic is readily transformed by a great diversity of microbial species and has a robust biogeochemical cycle. Arsenic cycling primarily involves the oxidation of As(III) and the reduction of As(V). Over thirty arsenite oxidizing prokaryotes have been reported and include alpha, beta, and gamma Proteobacteria , Deinocci and Crenarchaeota. At least twenty species of arsenate-respiring prokaryotes are now known and include Crenarchaeota, thermophilic bacteria, low and high G+C gram positive bacteria, and gamma, delta, and epsilon Proteobacteria. These organisms are metabolically diverse, and depending on the species, capable of using other terminal electron acceptors (e.g., nitrate, selenate, fumarate, sulfate). In addition to inorganic forms (e.g., sodium arsenate) organoarsenicals can be utilized as a substrate. The feed additive roxarsone (3-nitro-4-hydroxyphenyl arsonic acid) has been shown to readily degrade leading to the release of inorganic arsenic (e.g., As(V)). Degradation proceeds via the cleavage of the arsenate functional group or the reduction of the nitro functional group and deamination. The rapid degradation (within 3 days) of roxarsone by Clostridium sp. strain OhILAs appears to follow the latter pathway and may involve Stickland reactions. The activities of these organisms affect the speciation and mobilization of arsenic, ultimately impacting water quality.
DE: 0400 Biogeosciences
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting