Dual roles of AQDS as electron shuttles for microbes and dissolved organic matter involved in arsenic and iron mobilization in the arsenic-rich sediment

Zheng Chen; Yuanpeng Wang; Xiuli Jiang; Dun Fu; Dong Xia; Haitao Wang; Guowen Dong; Qingbiao Li

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.09.006

Dual roles of AQDS as electron shuttles for microbes and dissolved organic matter involved in arsenic and iron mobilization in the arsenic-rich sediment

Sci Total Environ. 2017 Jan 1:574:1684-1694. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.09.006. Epub 2016 Sep 8.

Authors

Zheng Chen¹, Yuanpeng Wang², Xiuli Jiang³, Dun Fu³, Dong Xia⁴, Haitao Wang⁴, Guowen Dong⁵, Qingbiao Li⁶

Affiliations

¹ Environmental Science Research Center, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, PR China; Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical ‬Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, PR China.
² Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical ‬Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, PR China. Electronic address: wypp@xmu.edu.cn.
³ Environmental Science Research Center, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, PR China.
⁴ Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical ‬Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, PR China.
⁵ Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical ‬Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, PR China; College of Resources and Chemical Engineering, Sanming University, Sanming, PR China.
⁶ Environmental Science Research Center, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, PR China; Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical ‬Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, PR China; College of Chemistry and Life Science, Quanzhou Normal University, Quanzhou, PR China. Electronic address: kelqb@xmu.edu.cn.

PMID: 27616712
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.09.006

Abstract

Microbially-mediated arsenic (As) metabolism and iron (Fe) bioreduction from sediments play crucial roles in global As/Fe cycle, and their mobilization is associated with the various effects within the alliance of "mediator-bacteria-DOM (Dissolved Organic Matter)". The gradient levels (0.05, 0.10 and 1.00mM) of sodium anthraquinone-2,6-disulphonate (AQDS) as a mediator were investigated for their impact on reductive dissolution of As(V) and Fe(III) from arsenic-rich sediment. For the overall performance of AQDS-mediated reductive dissolution on As(V) and Fe(III), a more positive effect resulting from 0.05mM AQDS was observed compared to 0.10mM, whereas an inhibitory effect was observed with 1.00mM. Compared to the biotic supplementation with acetate as electron donors, approximately 13- and 6-fold increased levels of As(III) were released with 0.05 and 0.10mM, respectively, compared to 1.00mM AQDS (107.51μg/L), and approximately 4- and 3-fold increased Fe(II) levels (40.72mg/L) were observed during the same conditions. Multiple-dynamic effects of "bacteria-AQDS-DOM", which result from AQDS, shifted the microbial community and synchronously derived terrestrial DOM, which potentially changes the DOM substrate and complex formation of As(III)-Fe(II)-humic DOM. High-throughput sequencing results indicated an increase in the abundance of metal-reducing bacteria (e.g., Bacillus (>16%), Lactococcus (>13%), Pseudomonas (>4%) and Geobacter (>3%)) when supplemented with 0.05 and 0.10mM of AQDS. However, a boost increasing the abundance of metal oxidizing bacteria was observed with Alicyclobacillus (>16%), Burkholderia (>7%), and Bradyrhizobium (>5%) upon supplementation with 1.00mM AQDS. These novel insights have profound environmental implications and significance in terms of engineering, not only for understanding the cycle of As/Fe in sediment biochemical processes but for considering future alternative bioremediation treatments.

Keywords: Arsenic; DOM; Electron shuttle; Iron; Microbial community.