Arsenic and antimony in geothermal waters of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA

Stauffer, Robert E.; Thompson, J. M. T.

doi:10.1016/0016-7037(84)90305-3

Cited by 147 publications

(80 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…The ability of Syn OS-A to induce specific Phnases, in the presence of P, might indicate that Phns are available in these environments. However, information regarding the source, levels and use of P sources, including Phns, in many environments, including hot springs is limited and suffers from technical challenges (Stauffer and Thompson, 1978;Stauffer, 1982;Papke et al, 2003).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alternative pathways for phosphonate metabolism in thermophilic cyanobacteria from microbial mats

et al. 2010

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Synechococcus sp. represents an ecologically diverse group of cyanobacteria found in numerous environments, including hot-spring microbial mats, where they are spatially distributed along thermal, light and oxygen gradients. These thermophiles engage in photosynthesis and aerobic respiration during the day, but switch to fermentative metabolism and nitrogen fixation at night. The genome of Synechococcus OS-B 0 , isolated from Octopus Spring (Yellowstone National Park) contains a phn gene cluster encoding a phosphonate (Phn) transporter and a C-P lyase. A closely related isolate, Synechococcus OS-A, lacks this cluster, but contains genes encoding putative phosphonatases (Phnases) that appear to be active only in the presence of the Phn substrate. Both isolates grow well on several different Phns as a sole phosphorus (P) source. Interestingly, Synechococcus OS-B 0 can use the organic carbon backbones of Phns for heterotrophic growth in the dark, whereas in the light this strain releases organic carbon from Phn as ethane or methane (depending on the specific Phn available); Synechococcus OS-A has neither of these capabilities. These differences in metabolic strategies for assimilating the P and C of Phn by two closely related Synechococcus spp. are suggestive of niche-specific constraints in the evolution of nutrient assimilation pathways and syntrophic relationships among the microbial populations of the hotspring mats. Thus, it is critical to evaluate levels of various P sources, including Phn, in thermally active habitats and the potential importance of these compounds in the biogeochemical cycling of P and C (some Phn compounds also contain N) in diverse terrestrial environments.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alternative pathways for phosphonate metabolism in thermophilic cyanobacteria from microbial mats

et al. 2010

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“…Arsenite [As(III)] is often the predominant valence of inorganic arsenic in geothermal source waters, although arsenate [As(V)] can also be present, with As(V)/As(III) ratios varying among different springs due to mixing with meteoric surface waters prior to discharge (3,12,19). However, subsequent to discharge, As(V)/As(III) ratios in the spring water can also be significantly influenced by redox transformations (10,12), which are well documented for microorganisms (2,4,5,6,10,11,16,17).…”

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confidence: 99%

Arsenite-Oxidizing Hydrogenobaculum Strain Isolated from an Acid-Sulfate-Chloride Geothermal Spring in Yellowstone National Park

Donahoe-Christiansen

D’Imperio

Jackson

et al. 2004

Appl Environ Microbiol

109

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An arsenite-oxidizing Hydrogenobaculum strain was isolated from a geothermal spring in Yellowstone National Park, Wyo., that was previously shown to contain microbial populations engaged in arsenite oxidation. The isolate was sensitive to both arsenite and arsenate and behaved as an obligate chemolithoautotroph that used H 2 as its sole energy source and had an optimum temperature of 55 to 60°C and an optimum pH of 3.0. The arsenite oxidation in this organism displayed saturation kinetics and was strongly inhibited by H 2 S.Arsenite [As(III)] is often the predominant valence of inorganic arsenic in geothermal source waters, although arsenate [As(V)] can also be present, with As(V)/As(III) ratios varying among different springs due to mixing with meteoric surface waters prior to discharge (3,12,19). However, subsequent to discharge, As(V)/As(III) ratios in the spring water can also be significantly influenced by redox transformations (10, 12), which are well documented for microorganisms (2,4,5,6,10,11,16,17). As(V) reduction is widespread among prokaryotes, occurring when As(V) is utilized as an electron acceptor for anaerobic or microaerobic respiration (13) or as part of a detoxification strategy (8). As(III) oxidation has likewise been observed in various organisms, where it has also been viewed as an apparent detoxification mechanism (1, 14, 15) or as a source of energy to support chemolithoautotrophic growth (1, 17).We previously documented rapid microbial oxidation of As(III) in an acid-sulfate-chloride-type geothermal spring in Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park (9). This shallow spring is fed by a nearly constant geothermal source water (63°C, pH 3.1) containing ϳ35 M As(III). The prokaryote microbial community in this spring forms visually and chemically distinguishable mats. A filamentous yellow microbial mat containing visible amounts of S 0 (63 to 60°C) is present 0 to ϳ3.5 m from the spring source and changes to a brown, Fe(III) oxyhydroxide filamentous microbial mat (51 to 55°C) at ϳ3.5 to 5 m from the spring source (9). Chemical analysis of the aqueous and solid phases documented high rates of As(III) oxidation in the brown mat region, and the role of microorganisms in As(III) oxidation was confirmed in assays that showed no As(III) oxidation in the formaldehyde-killed samples (9). The PCR-generated 16S ribosomal DNA clone libraries representing the yellow and brown mat regions were dominated by Hydrogenobaculum-and Desulfurella-like sequences (7). However, since the phylogenetic data could not predict which population(s) was involved in the As(III) oxidation, the present study was conducted to initiate isolation and characterization of the As(III)-oxidizing microorganism(s) in this spring for use in modeling important and dominant biogeochemical features found in this spring type.Sampling, enrichment, and isolation. Brown microbial mat material was aseptically sampled and transferred to sterile 70-ml serum bottles and submerged with 35 ml of spring water sampled from above the mat. Th...

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“…Arsenic concentrations in almost all of the geysers and springs range from 900 to 3560 p,g/L [Stauffer and Thompson, 1984, Table 1]. Dilution by nonthermal surface water and groundwater causes concentrations in the Madison River in YNP to decrease to about gg/L during base flow.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The fate of geothermal arsenic in the Madison and Missouri Rivers, Montana and Wyoming

Nimick¹,

Moore²,

Dalby³

et al. 1998

Water Resources Research

127

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Abstract. Geothermal As from Yellowstone National Park causes high As concentrations (10-370/•g/L) in the Madison and Missouri Rivers in Montana and Wyoming. Arsenic transport is largely conservative in the upper basin as demonstrated by the near equivalence of dissolved and total-recoverable As concentrations, the constancy of As loads, and consistent ratios of concentrations of As to conservative geothermal tracers. Diurnal cycling of As between aqueous and solid phases in response to p H-induced changes in sorption equilibria causes small variations of about 10-20% in dissolved As concentrations. HCl-extractable As concentrations in river and lake sediment in the upper basin are variable depending on position relative to the As-rich headwaters and geochemical and physical processes associated with lakes. In the lower Missouri River, large quantities of suspended sediment from tributaries provide sufficient sorption sites for substantial conversion of As from the aqueous phase to the solid phase. This study was undertaken to determine the fate of As as it moves through more than 1140 km of river and several lakes in a large river system. We chose the Madison-Missouri River system in Montana and northwestern Wyoming because the high arsenic concentrations make it an excellent natural laboratory to examine the geochemistry of As on a basin-wide scale. The general goal of the study was to develop a more 3051

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Arsenic and antimony in geothermal waters of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA

Cited by 147 publications

References 22 publications

Alternative pathways for phosphonate metabolism in thermophilic cyanobacteria from microbial mats

Alternative pathways for phosphonate metabolism in thermophilic cyanobacteria from microbial mats

Arsenite-Oxidizing Hydrogenobaculum Strain Isolated from an Acid-Sulfate-Chloride Geothermal Spring in Yellowstone National Park

The fate of geothermal arsenic in the Madison and Missouri Rivers, Montana and Wyoming

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