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Studies on arsenic transforming groundwater bacteria and their role in arsenic release from subsurface sediment

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Abstract

Ten different Gram-negative arsenic (As)-resistant and As-transforming bacteria isolated from As-rich groundwater of West Bengal were characterized to assess their role in As mobilization. 16S rRNA gene analysis confirmed the affiliation of these bacteria to genera Achromobacter, Brevundimonas, Rhizobium, Ochrobactrum, and Pseudoxanthomonas. Along with superior As-resistance and As-transformation abilities, the isolates showed broad metabolic capacity in terms of utilizing a variety of electron donors and acceptors (including As) under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, respectively. Arsenic transformation studies performed under various conditions indicated highly efficient As3+ oxidation or As5+ reduction kinetics. Genes encoding As3+ oxidase (aioA), cytosolic As5+ reductase (arsC), and As3+ efflux pump (arsB and acr3) were detected within the test isolates. Sequence analyses suggested that As homeostasis genes (particularly arsC, arsB, and acr3) were acquired by most of the bacteria through horizontal gene transfer. A strong correlation between As resistance phenotype and the presence of As3+ transporter genes was observed. Microcosm study showed that bacterial strain having cytosolic As5+ reductase property could play important role in mobilizing As (as As3+) from subsurface sediment.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge financial support from the Department of Biotechnology (RGYI scheme) and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Government of India. Kind help of Prof. Anindya Sarkar and Dr. Abhijit Mukherjee, Department of Geology, IIT Kharagpur in providing arsenic-bearing sand is greatly acknowledged. Angana Sarkar acknowledges IIT Kharagpur for her doctoral fellowship. The authors acknowledge the support extended by Mr. Buddha Deb Banerjee, Barasat, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal during field work. Authors express their thanks to the anonymous reviewer for critical comments in improving the manuscript.

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  1. Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India

    Angana Sarkar & Pinaki Sar

  2. Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Durgapur, Durgapur, 713209, India

    Sufia K Kazy

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  1. Angana Sarkar
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  2. Sufia K Kazy
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Correspondence to Pinaki Sar.

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Sarkar, A., Kazy, S.K. & Sar, P. Studies on arsenic transforming groundwater bacteria and their role in arsenic release from subsurface sediment. Environ Sci Pollut Res 21, 8645–8662 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-2759-1

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