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Journal ArticleDOI

The Ecology of Arsenic

Ronald S. Oremland, +1 more
- 09 May 2003 - 
- Vol. 300, Iss: 5621, pp 939-944
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TLDR
This work reviews what is known about arsenic-metabolizing bacteria and their potential impact on speciation and mobilization of arsenic in nature and investigates their role in aquifers.
Abstract
Arsenic is a metalloid whose name conjures up images of murder. Nonetheless, certain prokaryotes use arsenic oxyanions for energy generation, either by oxidizing arsenite or by respiring arsenate. These microbes are phylogenetically diverse and occur in a wide range of habitats. Arsenic cycling may take place in the absence of oxygen and can contribute to organic matter oxidation. In aquifers, these microbial reactions may mobilize arsenic from the solid to the aqueous phase, resulting in contaminated drinking water. Here we review what is known about arsenic-metabolizing bacteria and their potential impact on speciation and mobilization of arsenic in nature.

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Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI

Nature and origin of arsenic carriers in shallow aquifer sediments of Bengal Delta, India

TL;DR: In this article, it is suggested that oxidation of As3+ to As5+ is microbially mediated and variable abundance of concretions is responsible for the variable quantity of arsenic in the carriers and the sediment samples.
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Cyanobacteria-Mediated Arsenic Redox Dynamics Is Regulated by Phosphate in Aquatic Environments

TL;DR: This study revealed that As(III) oxidation by Synechocystis appeared to be more effective with increased P levels, and demonstrated that the higher As(II) percentage in the medium under P-limited conditions was due to enhanced As(V) uptake and the subsequent efflux of intracellularly reduced As( III) which in turn contributed to higher As (III) concentrations in themedium.
Journal ArticleDOI

Energetic constraints on H2-dependent terminal electron accepting processes in anoxic environments: a review of observations and model approaches.

TL;DR: The work reviewed shows that thermodynamics and microbial kinetics are connected near thermodynamic equilibrium, and this principle is also valid for TEAPS providing more free energy, but electron donor concentration cannot be lowered so that the processes reach theoretical energy thresholds.
Journal ArticleDOI

Occurrence and geochemistry of arsenic in the groundwater of Eastern Croatia

TL;DR: In this article, groundwater samples were collected from 56 production wells in two counties, Osijek-Baranja and Vukovar-Srijem, suspected to be more affected.
Journal ArticleDOI

Simple and efficient sonochemical method for the oxidation of arsenic(III) to arsenic(V).

TL;DR: The sonochemical treatment process is a simple and possibly cost-effective technique for the oxidation of As(III) to As(V) without assistance of any external chemicals or catalysts.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI

A review of the source, behaviour and distribution of arsenic in natural waters

TL;DR: The scale of the problem in terms of population exposed to high As concentrations is greatest in the Bengal Basin with more than 40 million people drinking water containing ‘excessive’ As as mentioned in this paper.
Journal ArticleDOI

Worldwide Occurrences of Arsenic in Ground Water

TL;DR: Nordstrom et al. as mentioned in this paper argue that human health risks from arsenic in ground water can be minimized by incorporating hydrogeochemical knowledge into water management decisions and by more careful monitoring for arsenic in geologically high-risk areas.
Journal ArticleDOI

Arsenic poisoning of Bangladesh groundwater

TL;DR: Sedimentological study of the Ganges alluvial sediments shows that the arsenic derives from the reductive dissolution of arsenic-rich iron oxyhydroxides, which in turn are derived from weathering of base-metal sulphides.
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