Arsenic biogeochemistry in hot springs in Tengchong geothermal area, China

摘要

Arsenic (As) biogeochemistry in acid and alkaline hot springs of Tengchong geothermal area was investigated using Illumina MiSeq sequencing, functional gene clone library and geochemistry analyses. Results showed As(III) could be oxidized to As(V) in the source water of acid hot spring by some putative microbial populations, such as Aquiflcae and Pseudomonas, and then co-deposited with iron at its outflow channel. In sulfide-rich alkaline hot spring, As(III) was firstly derived from thioarsenic transformation probably mediated by Thermocrinis and then oxidized downstream by Thermus and Hydrogenobacter. These results improve our understanding of microbially-mediated As transformation in hot springs.