Role of Extracellular Polymeric Substances in Microbial Reduction of Arsenate to Arsenite by <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Bacillus subtilis</i>
Xinwei Zhou, Fuxing Kang, Xiaolei Qu, Heyun Fu, Pedro J. J. Alvarez, Shu Tao, Dongqiang Zhu
Abstract
, which was attributed to enhanced access to reduced extracellular cytochromes. This highlights the role of EPS as a permeability barrier to arsenate reduction. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) combined with other chemical analyses implicated some low-molecular weight (<3 kDa) molecules as electron donors (reducing saccharides) and electron transfer mediators (quinones) in arsenate reduction by dissolved EPS alone. These results indicate that EPS act as both reducing agent and permeability barrier for access to reduced biomolecules in bacterial reduction of arsenate.
Topics & Concepts
ArsenateArseniteBacillus subtilisChemistryExtracellularExtracellular polymeric substanceArsenicEscherichia coliBiochemistryBiofilmMicrobiologyBacteriaBiologyOrganic chemistryGeneticsGeneArsenic contamination and mitigationChromium effects and bioremediationChemical Analysis and Environmental Impact