Microbial community structure in aquifers associated with arsenic: analysis of 16S rRNA and arsenite oxidase genes

Prinpida Sonthiphand; Pasunun Rattanaroongrot; Kasarnchon Mek-Yong; Kanthida Kusonmano; Chalida Rangsiwutisak; Pichahpuk Uthaipaisanwong; Srilert Chotpantarat; Teerasit Termsaithong

doi:10.7717/peerj.10653

Microbial community structure in aquifers associated with arsenic: analysis of 16S rRNA and arsenite oxidase genes

PeerJ. 2021 Jan 8:9:e10653. doi: 10.7717/peerj.10653. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
² Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Program, School of Bioresources and Technology, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand.
³ Systems Biology and Bioinformatics Research Laboratory, Pilot Plant Development and Training Institute, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand.
⁴ Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
⁵ Research Program on Controls of Hazardous Contaminants in Raw Water Resources for Water Scarcity Resilience, Center of Excellence on Hazardous Substance Management (HSM), Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
⁶ Research Unit of Green Mining (GMM), Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
⁷ Learning Institute, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand.
⁸ Theoretical and Computational Science Center (TaCS), King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand.

Abstract

The microbiomes of deep and shallow aquifers located in an agricultural area, impacted by an old tin mine, were explored to understand spatial variation in microbial community structures and identify environmental factors influencing microbial distribution patterns through the analysis of 16S rRNA and aioA genes. Although Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Actinobacteria, Patescibacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Epsilonbacteraeota were widespread across the analyzed aquifers, the dominant taxa found in each aquifer were unique. The co-dominance of Burkholderiaceae and Gallionellaceae potentially controlled arsenic immobilization in the aquifers. Analysis of the aioA gene suggested that arsenite-oxidizing bacteria phylogenetically associated with Alpha-, Beta-, and Gamma proteobacteria were present at low abundance (0.85 to 37.13%) and were more prevalent in shallow aquifers and surface water. The concentrations of dissolved oxygen and total phosphorus significantly governed the microbiomes analyzed in this study, while the combination of NO₃ ^--N concentration and oxidation-reduction potential significantly influenced the diversity and abundance of arsenite-oxidizing bacteria in the aquifers. The knowledge of microbial community structures and functions in relation to deep and shallow aquifers is required for further development of sustainable aquifer management.

Keywords: AioA gene; Arsenic; Arsenite oxidase; Arsenite-oxidizing bacteria; Deep groundwater; Shallow groundwater; Microbiome.

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Thailand Research Fund (TRF) Grant for New Scholar (MRG6180127), the Thailand Toray Science Foundation (TTSF) through the Science & Technology Research Grant, and the Faculty of Science, Mahidol University. This research was also supported by Kurita Asia Research Grant (20Pth004) provided by Kurita Water and Environment Foundation. The high performance computing was supported by King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi through the KMUTT 55th Anniversary Commemorative Fund. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.