Underground food sources enable bacteria to release arsenic into groundwater
Wednesday, March 11, 2020 - 10:50
in Earth & Climate
Toxic arsenic in groundwater is a huge problem for more than a hundred million people worldwide, especially in Southeast Asian countries such as Bangladesh and Vietnam. The arsenic is released by the activity of microorganisms. A team of researchers in the field of geomicrobiology led by Professor Andreas Kappler from the University of Tübingen has now shown that these bacteria do not use food sources from the earth's surface, as was previously assumed, but from deep layers of rock. This new knowledge about the major pathways and processes of arsenic release will help to more precisely predict future drinking water contamination and prevent it if possible. The study has been published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.