Arsenic Compounds Accumulated in Sedimentary Microorganisms Cultivated in Media Containing Several Arsenicals

Abstract

Sediments, as sources of microorganisms, were added to two kinds of media, 1/5 ZoBell 2216E and a solution of inorganic salts, which contained inorganic arsenic(III), inorganic arsenic(V), methanearsonic acid, dimethyl‐ arsinic acid, trimethylarsine oxide, tetramethylarsonium salt or arsenocholine. After 17 days of incubation at 20 °C, the arsenicals that had accumulated in the microorganisms were analysed by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). While the more toxic arsenicals [inorganic arsenic(III), inorganic arsenic(V), methanearsonic acid, dimethylarsinic acid] were not converted in the microorganisms, trimethylarsine oxide and tetramethylarsonium salt were considerably degraded to inorganic arsenic(V), and arsenocholine to arsenobetaine. Arsenobetaine that had accumulated in the microorganisms was extracted and confirmed by thin‐layer chromatography (TLC) and fast atom bombardment (FAB) mass spectrometry.

Dynamics of organic and inorganic arsenic in the solution phase of an acidic fen in Germany

“…The occurrence of TETRA and AsB was so far demonstrated in organisms, like microorganisms and marine and terrestrial plants and animals (Cullen and Reimer, 1989; Kü hnelt and Gö ssler, 2003; Dembitsky and Levitsky, 2004). The occurrence of TETRA, AsB, and the other three unknown organic As species in fen porewaters suggests not only their biosynthesis (Hanaoka et al, 1996) but also the potential release by microorganisms into the solution. The detection of TETRA in porewaters gives a strong support for in situ microbial methylation of As in fen.…”

Convenient Measurements and Speciation of Arsenic in Water by Use of Simple Pretreatments for Atomic Absorption Spectrometry in Combination with Hydride Generation

“…A speciation of arsenic seems valuable since a variety of mutual conversions of arsenic species are possible between inorganic As(III) and As(V) and also between inorganic and organic As's, in the natural environment and sometimes in biological organisms. 5,6 There have been already many studies which involve accurate and precise methods for speciation of arsenic. [7][8][9][10][11][12] The present study shows that a proposed convenient analytical method is practically useful which is using commercial instrumentation without changing any part of the system or being coupled with some other system such as FIA.…”