The influence of periphyton on the migration and transformation of arsenic in the paddy soil: Rules and mechanisms

Guo, Ting; Su, San; Chen, Songcan; Lu, Haiying; He, Yan; Tang, Xianjin; Xu, Jianming

The influence of periphyton on the migration and transformation of arsenic in the paddy soil: Rules and mechanisms

2020

Periphyton, composed of algae, bacteria, protozoa, epiphytes, and detritus, is widely distributed on the surfaces of paddy soils. Little is known about the interactions between the periphyton and arsenic (As) in the paddy soil. In the present study, model paddy ecosystems with and without periphyton were set up to explore the effects of periphyton on As migration and transformation in soil. According to the results, periphyton played dual roles in the mobility of As in soil. Periphyton on the surface of paddy soil could significantly increase the mobility and bioavailability of As in soils in the rice tillering stage because of the increased pH and the decreased Eh. The As uptake by rice also increased in the presence of periphyton. However, a significant fraction of the released As was further entrapped by the periphyton, significantly decreasing As concentration in pore water. As biotransformation genes, including aioA, arrA, arsC, and arsM, were identified in periphyton, with arsM being the most abundant in periphyton and soil. Periphyton significantly decreased the abundance of aioA, but increased the abundance of arsC in soils. Cupriavidus and Afipia, which are involved in As(V) cytoplasmic reduction, significantly increased in the presence of periphyton. Periphyton exerted minor effects on the highly abundant and predominant bacteria but had major effects on the less abundant bacteria in the paddy soil. The results of the present study could facilitate the regulation of As contamination in paddy soil, and enhance our understanding of the role of periphyton in the As biogeochemical cycle.

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