Hydrogen thresholds and steady-state concentrations associated with microbial arsenate respiration

TY - JOUR

T1 - Hydrogen thresholds and steady-state concentrations associated with microbial arsenate respiration

AU - Heimann, Axel C.

AU - Blodau, Christian

AU - Postma, Dieke

AU - Larsen, Flemming

AU - Viet, Pham H.

AU - Nhan, Pham Q.

AU - Jessen, Søren

AU - Duc, Mai T.

AU - Hue, Nguyen T M

AU - Jakobsen, Rasmus

PY - 2007

Y1 - 2007

N2 - H2 thresholds for microbial respiration of arsenate (As(V)) were investigated in a pure culture of Sulfurospirillum arsenophilum. H2 was consumed to threshold concentrations of 0.03-0.09 nmol/L with As(V) as terminal electron acceptor, allowing for a Gibbs free-energy yield of 36-41 kJ per mol of reaction. These thresholds are among the lowest measured for anaerobic respirers and fall into the range of denitrifiers or Fe(III)-reducers. In sediments from an arsenic-contaminated aquifer in the Red River flood plain, Vietnam, H2 levels decreased to 0.4-2 nmol/L when As(V) was added under anoxic conditions. When As(V) was depleted, H2 concentrations rebounded by a factor of 10, a level similar to that observed in arsenic-free controls. The sediment-associated microbial population completely reduced millimolar levels of As(V) to arsenite (As(III)) within a few days. The rate of As(V)-reduction was essentially the same in sediments amended with a pure culture of S. arsenophilum. These findings together with a review of observed H2 threshold and steady-state values suggest that microbial As(V)-respirers have a competitive advantage over several other anaerobic respirers through their ability to thrive at low H2 levels.

AB - H2 thresholds for microbial respiration of arsenate (As(V)) were investigated in a pure culture of Sulfurospirillum arsenophilum. H2 was consumed to threshold concentrations of 0.03-0.09 nmol/L with As(V) as terminal electron acceptor, allowing for a Gibbs free-energy yield of 36-41 kJ per mol of reaction. These thresholds are among the lowest measured for anaerobic respirers and fall into the range of denitrifiers or Fe(III)-reducers. In sediments from an arsenic-contaminated aquifer in the Red River flood plain, Vietnam, H2 levels decreased to 0.4-2 nmol/L when As(V) was added under anoxic conditions. When As(V) was depleted, H2 concentrations rebounded by a factor of 10, a level similar to that observed in arsenic-free controls. The sediment-associated microbial population completely reduced millimolar levels of As(V) to arsenite (As(III)) within a few days. The rate of As(V)-reduction was essentially the same in sediments amended with a pure culture of S. arsenophilum. These findings together with a review of observed H2 threshold and steady-state values suggest that microbial As(V)-respirers have a competitive advantage over several other anaerobic respirers through their ability to thrive at low H2 levels.

U2 - 10.1021/es062067d

DO - 10.1021/es062067d

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 17438780

AN - SCOPUS:34247098545

SN - 0013-936X

VL - 41

SP - 2311

EP - 2317

JO - Environmental Science & Technology

JF - Environmental Science & Technology

IS - 7

ER -