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Microbe-arsenic interactions in groundwater: From community evolution to functional regulation
Jingru Yang1, Qiao Li1, Congcang Tang1
1College of Hydraulic and Civil Engineering, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Hydraulic Engineering Security and Water Disasters Prevention, Urumqi 830052, China.
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
|July 1, 2026
Summary
High arsenic levels in groundwater are linked to changes in microbial communities, with specific bacteria like Acinetobacter thriving in contaminated areas. These microbes may influence arsenic cycling through environmental selection and geochemical feedback.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Microbiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Groundwater arsenic enrichment is a significant global environmental and public health issue.
- Arid regions, such as the Kuitun River Basin in Xinjiang, China, often exhibit high arsenic concentrations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the associations between microbial communities and arsenic levels in groundwater.
- To understand how microbial taxonomy and function respond to varying arsenic concentrations in an arid environment.
Main Methods:
- 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing was used to analyze microbial communities in 15 groundwater samples (8 high-As, 7 low-As).
- Functional inference was performed using PICRUSt2, FAPROTAX, and BugBase to predict microbial metabolic pathways and phenotypes.
- Statistical analyses (ANOSIM) were employed to assess taxonomic divergence related to arsenic concentration.
Main Results:
- Arsenic concentration showed a significant, albeit weak-to-moderate, association with microbial taxonomic divergence (ANOSIM R = 0.2012, p = 0.025).
- Proteobacteria dominated the community, with Pseudomonas found in low-As groundwater and Acinetobacter enriched in high-As groundwater.
- Predicted functional profiles indicated potential suppression of metabolic potential under high-As conditions, with trends toward sulfur and sulfate respiration enrichment. Specific genes (K02014, K03088) were negatively correlated with As concentration. Phenotype predictions suggested enrichment of anaerobic metabolism and Gram-positive traits in high-As environments.
Conclusions:
- Microbial communities in high-arsenic groundwater exhibit distinct taxonomic and functional characteristics.
- The findings support a framework where environmental selection, functional inference, and geochemical feedback influence arsenic cycling by microbial communities.
- Understanding these microbe-arsenic associations is crucial for managing arsenic contamination in groundwater systems.
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