Identification of an anaerobic bacterial consortium that degrades roxarsone

Abstract

The degradation of roxarsone, an extensively used organoarsenic feed additive, occurs quickly under anaerobic conditions with microorganisms playing an important role in its degradation. Here, an anaerobic bacterial consortium that effectively degraded roxarsone was isolated, and its degradation efficiency and community changes along a roxarsone concentration gradient under anaerobic conditions were assessed. We used batch experiments to determine the roxarsone degradation rates, as well as the bacterial community structure and diversity, at initial roxarsone concentrations of 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg. The results showed that roxarsone was degraded completely within 28, 28, 36, and 44 hr at concentrations of 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, respectively. The anaerobic bacterial consortium displayed considerable potential to degrade roxarsone, as the degradation rate increased with increasing roxarsone concentrations. Roxarsone promoted microbial growth, and in turn, the microorganisms degraded the organoarsenic compound, with the functional bacterial community varying between different roxarsone concentrations. Lysinibacillus, Alkaliphilus, and Proteiniclasticum were the main genera composing the roxarsone‐degrading bacterial community.

Uncontrolled Post-Industrial Landfill—Source of Metals, Potential Toxic Compounds, Dust, and Pathogens in Environment—A Case Study

“…Bacteria from the Acinetobacter genus are capable of degrading aromatic hydrocarbons, phenol, diesel, petroleum, and amino acid derivatives [48]. Environmental isolates of Proteiniclasticum are responsible for the degradation of herbicides including acetochlor, chloroacetamide, and organoarsenic animal drugs [49][50][51][52]. Shewanellae have demonstrated the ability to reduce radionuclides, cobalt, uranium, chromium, mercury, and arsenic, as well as halogenated organic compounds and nitramines [40].…”

Environmental Behavior and Remediation Methods of Roxarsone

“…Microbial populations have been found to increase more in the presence of ROX than the absence of ROX and to increase more as the ROX concentration increases. ROX can affect microbial community diversity, and the microbial community structure changes to different degrees at different ROX concentrations [69,70]. ROX can affect microbial activity but not always in a concentration-dependent manner.…”