Arsenic is a semi-metal with oxidation states of 3−, 1+, 2+, 3+ and 5+ which occurs principally as an oxide or sulfide (Thornton, 1981). Arsenic in nature is subject to redox and methylation, and the influence of organisms on its biochemical cycle is quite complex (Wood, 1974). Bacteria, molds and fungi may alter its valence state by methylation-demethylation, absorption, complexation, and redox processes. These micro-organisms may influence the bioavailability, mobility and toxicity of this metal in the aquatic and soil ecosystems, and have a significant impact on the food chain (Thornton, 1981). Micro-organism action through volatilization releases arsine gas from soils containing arsenate, arsenite, methylarsenate and dimethylarsenate.
Depending on the process and pathway, micro-organism action and reaction may either toxify or detoxify the end-product. Toxicity for arsenic compounds found in soils and sediments ranges from a required high concentration of 2,600 to as low as 20...
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Bibliography
Thornton, I. (ed.), 1981. Applied Environmental Geochemistry. New York: Academic Press, 501 pp.
Wood, J. M., 1974. Biological cycles for toxic elements in the environment. Science, 185, 1049–52.
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© 1999 Kluwer Academic Publishers
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Morrison, J.O., Campbell, I.T., Brand, U. (1999). Arsenic pollution and toxicity. In: Environmental Geology. Encyclopedia of Earth Science. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-4494-1_23
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-4494-1_23
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