Jinli Cui

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineerging, Post-Doc

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Phosphate interactions with iron-titanium oxide composites: Implications for phosphorus removal/recovery from wastewater

Water Research

Key drivers regulating arsenic enrichment in shallow groundwater of the Pearl River Delta: Comprehensive analyses of iron, competitive anions, and dissolved organic matter

Applied Geochemistry

Transformation of FeP Complexes in Bioreactors and P Recovery from Sludge: Investigation by XANES Spectroscopy

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Trace Metal(loid) Migration from Road Dust to Local Vegetables and Tree Tissues and the Bioaccessibility-Based Health Risk: Impacts of Vehicle Operation-Associated Emissions

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Traffic activities release large amounts of trace metal(loid)s in urban environments. However, th... more Traffic activities release large amounts of trace metal(loid)s in urban environments. However, the impact of vehicle operation-associated emissions on trace metal(loid) enrichment in road dust and the potential migration of these trace metal(loid)s to the surrounding environment remain unclear. We evaluated the contamination, sequential fraction, and bioaccessibility of trace metal(loid)s in urban environments by assessing their presence in road dust, garden vegetables, and tree tissues, including bark and aerial roots, at a traffic-training venue impacted by vehicle operation emissions and, finally, calculated the bioaccessibility-based health risk. The results indicated a significant accumulation of trace metal(loid)s in road dust, with the highest lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and antimony (Sb) concentrations in the garage entrance area due to higher vehicle volumes, frequent vehicle starts and stops, and lower speeds. Aerial roots exposed to hill start conditions exhibited the highes...

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Geochemical Contamination, Speciation, and Bioaccessibility of Trace Metals in Road Dust of a Megacity (Guangzhou) in Southern China: Implications for Human Health

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Road dust has been severely contaminated by trace metals and has become a major health risk to ur... more Road dust has been severely contaminated by trace metals and has become a major health risk to urban residents. However, there is a lack of information on bioaccessible trace metals in road dust, which is necessary for an accurate health risk assessment. In this study, we collected road dust samples from industrial areas, traffic intersections, and agricultural fields from a megacity (Guangzhou), China, and conducted a geochemical enrichment, speciation, and bioaccessibility-based health risk assessment of trace metals. In comparison with local soil background values, the results revealed a significant accumulation of trace metals, including Zn, Cd, Cu, and Pb in the road dust, which is considered moderate to heavy pollution. Sequential extraction indicated that most trace metals in the road dust were primarily composed of a Fe/Mn oxide-bound fraction, carbonate-bound fraction, and residual fraction, while the dominant fraction was the organic matter-bound fraction of Cu, and the re...

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Root microbiome assembly of As‐hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata and its efficacy in arsenic requisition

Environmental Microbiology, 2021

The assemblage of root-associated microorganisms plays important roles in improving their capabil... more The assemblage of root-associated microorganisms plays important roles in improving their capability to adapt to environmental stress. Metal(loid) hyperaccumulators exhibit disparate adaptive capability compared to that of non-hyperaccumulators when faced with elevated contents of metal(loid)s. However, knowledge of the assemblage of root microbes of hyperaccumulators and their ecological roles in plant growth is still scarce. The present study used Pteris vittata as a model plant to study the microbial assemblage and its beneficial role in plant growth. We demonstrated that the assemblage of microbes from the associated bulk soil to the root compartment was based on their lifestyles. We used metagenomic analysis and identified that the assembled microbes were primarily involved in root-microbe interactions in Pteris vittata root. Notably, we identified that the assembled root microbiome played an important role in As requisition, which promoted the fitness and growth of Pteris vittata. This study provides new insights into the root microbiome and potential valuable knowledge to understand how the root microbiome contributes to the fitness of its host. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Health risk-oriented source apportionment of PM2.5-associated trace metals

Environmental Pollution, 2020

This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the ad... more This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.

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Assessment of Water Quality Evolution in the Pearl River Estuary (South Guangzhou) from 2008 to 2017

Water, 2019

To control the water pollution in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE), a series of measures have been e... more To control the water pollution in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE), a series of measures have been enacted in recent years. The efficacy of these measures on water quality improvement is, however, currently unknown. To evaluate the variation of water quality in response to the pollution control measures in the PRE during the last decade (2008–2017), our study conducted a long-term monitoring program of estuarine water in the representative city Guangzhou that targeted fecal coliform (F. Coli), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (CODCr), potassium permanganate index (CODMn), petroleum, total nitrogen (TN), ammonia nitrogen (NH3–N) and total phosphorus (TP). In the last decade, F. Coli, BOD5, CODCr and CODMn, petroleum and NH3–N have shown a significant reduction by 78.8%, 50.9%, 37.5%, 18.9%, 75.0% and 25.0%, respectively. In contrast, TN and TP remained stable. Water quality index calculations indicated that the water quality was elevated from the marginal–fair le...

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A review of arsenic interfacial geochemistry in groundwater and the role of organic matter

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 2019

Recent discoveries on arsenic (As) biogeochemistry in aquifer-sediment system have strongly impro... more Recent discoveries on arsenic (As) biogeochemistry in aquifer-sediment system have strongly improved our understanding of As enrichment mechanisms in groundwater. We summarize here the research results since 2015 focusing on the As interfacial geochemistry including As speciation, transformation, and mobilization. We discuss the chemical extraction and speciation of As in environmental matrices, followed by As redox change and (im)mobilization in typical minerals and aquifer system. Then, the microbial-assisted reductive dissolution of Fe (hydr)oxides and As transformation and liberation are summarized from the aspects of bacterial isolates, microbial community and gene analysis by comparing As rich groundwater cases worldwide. Finally, the potential effect of organic matter on As interfacial geochemistry are addressed in the aspects of chemical interactions and microbial respiring activities for Fe and As reductive release.

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Distribution and speciation of copper in rice (Oryza sativa L.) from mining-impacted paddy soil: Implications for copper uptake mechanisms

Environment International, 2019

Long term mining activities can cause significant metal pollution in the environment, thereby sho... more Long term mining activities can cause significant metal pollution in the environment, thereby showing potential risk to the paddy field. Elucidating the interfacial processes of trace metals from contaminated paddy soil to rice within the rhizosphere can provide important information on metal biogeochemistry and food safety. The current study aims to explore the spatial distribution and molecular speciation of Cu from rhizosphere to rice plant in a mining-impacted paddy soil, and reveal the possible uptake mechanisms. X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) analysis indicated that Cu was primarily associated with iron oxide and sulfide in soil with a minor proportion of organic complexed species. In the rice samples, Cu showed much higher concentrations in the roots than the shoots, as most Cu was sequestered in the root surface and epidermis (primarily in the form of C/N ligands bound Cu species), rather than root xylem, as identified by micro X-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF) imaging coupling with μ-XANES. By contrast, in the root xylem, thiol-S bound Cu(I) complex was observed, representing the reduced product of Cu(II) by thiol-S ligands in rice root. The absorbed Cu was probably transported from the root to the aerial part as C/N ligand bound Cu complex such as Cu-histidine like species, which was observed in the root xylem. The large retention capacity and reduction of Cu(II) in rice root alleviated Cu toxicity to rice, which was beneficial for food safety (e.g., lower concentration of Cu in rice grains). These findings showed for the first time that the uptake mechanisms by rice from field contaminated sites, which shed light on Cu detoxification process and potential remediation strategies.

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Speciation, mobilization, and bioaccessibility of arsenic in geogenic soil profile from Hong Kong

Environmental Pollution, 2018

The behaviour of arsenic (As) from geogenic soil exposed to aerobic conditions is critical to pre... more The behaviour of arsenic (As) from geogenic soil exposed to aerobic conditions is critical to predict the impact of As on the environment, which processes remain unresolved. The current study examined the depth profile of As in geologically derived subsoil cores from Hong Kong and investigated the mobilization, plant availability, and bioaccessibility of As in As-contaminated soil at different depths (0-45.8 m). Results indicated significant heterogeneity, with high levels of As in three layers of soil reaching up to 505 mg/kg at a depth of 5 m, 404 mg/kg at a depth of 15 m, and 1510 mg/kg at a depth of 27-32 m. Arsenic in porewater samples was <11.5 μg/L in the study site. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) indicated that main As species in soil was arsenate (As(V)), as adsorbed fraction to Fe oxides (41-69% on goethite and 0-8% on ferrihydrite) or the mineral form scorodite (30-57%). Sequential extraction procedure demonstrated that 0.5 ± 0.4% of As was exchangeable. Aerobic incubation experiments exhibited that a very small amount (0.14-0.48 mg/kg) of As was desorbed from the soil because of the stable As (V) complex structure on abundant Fe oxides (mainly goethite), where indigenous microbes partly (59 ± 18%) contributed to the release of As comparing with the sterilized control. Furthermore, no As toxicity in the soil was observed with the growth of ryegrass. The bioaccessibility of As was <27% in the surface soil using simplified bioaccessibility extraction test. Our systematic evaluation indicated that As in the geogenic soil profile from Hong Kong is relatively stable exposing to aerobic environment. Nevertheless, children and workers should avoid incidental contact with excavated soil, because high concentration of As was present in the digestive solution (<0.1-268 μg/L). Shih-Tien Tang for their help in the collection and analysis of spectra. We also thank Dr Wei Zhang from the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, for her assistance in the As speciation analysis. We acknowledge the kind help for some XAS spectra, including As(III/ V) adsorption samples on ferrihydrite and goethite from Prof. Chuan-yong Jing

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Role of chelant on Cu distribution and speciation in Lolium multiflorum by synchrotron techniques

Science of The Total Environment, 2018

Chelants are known to enhance metal translocation in plants; however, the underlying mechanisms a... more Chelants are known to enhance metal translocation in plants; however, the underlying mechanisms are still not fully understood. This study aimed to elucidate the distribution and speciation of Cu in ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) in both absence and presence of the biodegradable chelant [S,S ′]-ethylenediamine disuccinic acid (EDDS). The results showed that EDDS increased the Cu translocation factor from root to shoot by 6-9 folds under CuEDDS in comparison with free Cu (50-250 μM). Synchrotron-based microscopic X-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF) mapping revealed that EDDS alleviated Cu deposition in the root meristem of root apex and the junction of lateral root zone, and facilitated Cu transport to root stele for subsequent translocation upwards. X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) analysis found that free Cu was sequestered in plants as a mixture of Cu-organic ligands. In the EDDS treatment, Cu was primarily present as CuEDDS (49-67%) in plants with partial chemical transformation to Cu-histidine (21-36%) and Cu(I)glutathione (0-24%). These results suggest that EDDS improves internal Cu mobility through forming CuEDDS, thus decreasing the root sequestration of Cu, and ultimately facilitating Cu transport to plant shoots.

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Rethinking anaerobic As(III) oxidation in filters: Effect of indigenous nitrate respirers

Chemosphere, 2018

Microorganisms play a key role in the redox transformation of arsenic (As) in aquifers. In this s... more Microorganisms play a key role in the redox transformation of arsenic (As) in aquifers. In this study, the impact of indigenous bacteria, especially the prevailing nitrate respirers, on arsenite (As(III)) oxidation was explored during groundwater filtration using granular TiO and subsequent spent TiO anaerobic landfill. X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy analysis showed As(III) oxidation (46% in 10 days) in the presence of nitrate in the simulated anaerobic landfills. Meanwhile, iron (Fe) species on the spent TiO were dominated by amorphous ferric arsenate, ferrihydrite and goethite. The Fe phase showed no change during the anaerobic landfill incubation. Batch incubation experiments implied that the indigenous bacteria completely oxidized As(III) to arsenate (As(V)) in 10 days using nitrate as the terminal electron acceptor under anaerobic conditions. The bacterial community analysis indicated that various kinds of microbial species exist in groundwater matrix. Phylog...

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Effects of low-alkalinity binders on stabilization/solidification of geogenic As-containing soils: Spectroscopic investigation and leaching tests

The Science of the total environment, 2018

The low-alkalinity stabilization/solidification (S/S) treatment of the soil containing high conce... more The low-alkalinity stabilization/solidification (S/S) treatment of the soil containing high concentrations of geogenic As by physical encapsulation is considered as a proper management before land development; however, the choice of an effective binder and the leaching potential of As remain uncertain. In this study, the influence of S/S binders (cement blended with fuel ash (FA), furnace bottom ash (FBA), or ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS)) on the speciation and leaching characteristics of geogenic As was studied. The results of X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed the reduced amount of calcium silicate hydrate phase and the decrease in oxidation state of As(V)-O on the surface of Fe(III) oxides/hydroxides in the low-alkalinity S/S treated soils. This might be due to the binder incorporation and change in pH conditions, which slightly affected the As-Fe interaction and increased the non-specifically sorbed species of As. Therefore...

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Speciation and leaching of trace metal contaminants from e-waste contaminated soils

Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2017

Primitive electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) recycling activities have caused serious envi... more Primitive electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) recycling activities have caused serious environmental problems. However, little is known about the speciation and leaching behaviors of metal contaminants at e-waste contaminated sites. This study investigated trace metal speciation/mobilization from e-waste polluted soil through column leaching experiments involving irrigation with rainwater for almost 2.5 years. Over the experimental period, Cu and Zn levels in the porewater were 0.14 ± 0.08 mg/L, and 0.16 ± 0.08 mg/L, respectively, increasing to 0.33 ± 0.16 mg/L, and 0.69 ± 0.28 mg/L with plant growth. The amounts of Cu, Zn, and Pb released in surface soil (0-2 cm) contributed 43.8%, 22.5%, and 13.8%, respectively, to the original levels. The released Cu and Zn were primarily caused by the mobilization of the carbonate species of metals, including Cu(OH)2, CuCO3, and Zn5(CO3)2(OH)6, and amorphous Fe/Mn oxides associated fractions characterized by sequential extraction coupling with X-ray absorption spectroscopy. During the experiments, trace metals were not detected in the effluent, and the re-sequestration of trace metals was mainly attributed to the adsorption on the abundant Fe/Mn oxides in the sub-layer soil. This study quantitatively elucidated the molecular speciation of Cu and Zn in e-waste contaminated soil during the column leaching process. INTRODUCTION Electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) contamination in soil during rudimentary recycling activities for noble metals has become a globally environmental problem [1-4]. The presence of large amounts of multiple trace metals, including Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd has been reported in surface soils used for the dismantling, burning, and acid washing of e-waste [1,2,5]. Trace metals in surface soil can contribute to the contamination of surface water and groundwater through runoff and vertical transportation [6-8], and also facilitate metal accumulation in vegetation through plant uptake [9,10]. Once deposited in soil, the mobility of trace metals strongly depends on their chemical speciation including chemical fraction, surface complex, and surface precipitation, etc., which are further affected by various environmental conditions [11-14]. In e-waste contaminated soil, batch experiments revealed that the exchange-able fraction of trace metals made up a very low percentage of the total levels [8,10], suggesting that they have a limited ability to leach from surface to deep soil. However, previous studies reported higher levels of trace metals in the middle layer of soil than in the surface at e-waste sites [5,15]. Of greater concern is the finding that the shallow groundwater (0.5-2.5 m) in an e-waste recycling site exhibited 9.0-31.1 µg/L of Cd − a level significantly higher than in the control site [6]. Therefore, the availability of metals and soil properties should have a profound influence on the leaching of trace metals from contaminated soils. Previous studies on landfill columns suggested that no significant leaching of trace metals from electronic devices occurs after 440 days [16] or 2 years [17]. In another study, 5.5-25.6 µg/L of Cu, Zn, and Pb were leached from e-waste loaded column test, with broken e-waste items (9.3-25.6 µg/L of Cu, Zn, and Pb) slightly but significantly higher than intact items (5.5-18.8 µg/L) [18]. Disagreements over the fate of trace metals from e-waste contaminated soils should primarily be associated with the speciation and leaching mechanism. However, to date, there is little information on this process. The traditional sequential extraction procedure (SEP) coupled with the recently

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Arsenic Levels and Speciation from Ingestion Exposures to Biomarkers in Shanxi, China: Implications for Human Health

Environmental Science & Technology, 2013

Chronic exposure to arsenic (As) threatens human health. To systematically understand the health ... more Chronic exposure to arsenic (As) threatens human health. To systematically understand the health risks induced by As ingestion, we explored water and diet contributions to As exposure, and compared As in biomarkers and the arsenicosis in a geogenic As area in China. In this study, high percentages of water (77% of n = 131 total samples), vegetables (92%, n = 120), cereals (32%, n = 25), urine (70%, n = 99), nails (76%, n = 176), and hair (62%, n = 61) contained As higher than the acceptable levels. Dietary As contributed 92% of the average daily dose (ADD) when the water As concentration was less than 10 μg/L, for which 5 out of 30 examined participants were diagnosed with arsenicosis symptoms. The distinct positive correlation between ADD and As concentrations in urine, nails, and hair suggests different applicability for these biomarkers. Methylated As as the predominant urinary As species confirms that the ingested inorganic As is methylated and is excreted through urine. In situ microdistribution and speciation analysis indicates that As is mainly associated with sulfur in nails and hair. Nails, rather than hair and urine, could be used as a proper biomarker for arsenicosis. High ADD from the environment and low excretion could result in As toxicity to humans.

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Effects of low-alkalinity binders on stabilization/solidification of geogenic As-containing soils: Spectroscopic investigation and leaching tests

Effects of low-alkalinity binders on stabilization/solidification of geogenic As-containing soils: Spectroscopic investigation and leaching tests, 2018

• Stabilization/solidification provides physical encapsulation and avoids exposure. • The oxidati... more • Stabilization/solidification provides physical encapsulation and avoids exposure. • The oxidation state of As(V)-O decreases in the stabilized/solidified soils. • Effects of low-alkalinity binders on geogenic As depend on leaching scenarios and soils. • Substitution (25%) of class C fly ash obtains a better performance than cement only. The low-alkalinity stabilization/solidification (S/S) treatment of the soil containing high concentrations of geogenic As by physical encapsulation is considered as a proper management before land development; however , the choice of an effective binder and the leaching potential of As remain uncertain. In this study, the influence of S/S binders (cement blended with fuel ash (FA), furnace bottom ash (FBA), or ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS)) on the speciation and leaching characteristics of geogenic As was studied. The results of X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed the reduced amount of calcium silicate hydrate phase and the decrease in oxidation state of As(V)-O on the surface of Fe(III) oxides/hydroxides in the low-alkalinity S/S treated soils. This might be due to the binder incorporation and change in pH conditions, which slightly affected the As-Fe interaction and increased the non-specifically sorbed species of As. Therefore, the S/S treatment increased the leachability and bioaccessibility of geogenic As to varying degree but decreased the phyto-extractable As. The S/S treatment by cement incorporating 25% of class C fly ash (O4C1) could achieve comparable or better performance, while reducing the risk assessment code (RAC) to a greater extent compared to that of using cement only. This study illustrates the effectiveness and limitations of low-alkalinity binders (e.g., O4C1) for geogenic As immobilization and encapsulation, which provides a new insight for determining the appropriate S/S binder in soil remediation.

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Distribution and speciation of copper in rice (Oryza sativa L.) from mining- impacted paddy soil: Implications for copper uptake mechanisms

Distribution and speciation of copper in rice (Oryza sativa L.) from miningimpacted paddy soil: Implications for copper uptake mechanisms, 2019

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Phosphorus Removal and Recovery from Wastewater using Fe- Dosing Bioreactor and Cofermentation: Investigation by X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure Spectroscopy

Phosphorus Removal and Recovery from Wastewater using FeDosing Bioreactor and Cofermentation: Investigation by X‑ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure Spectroscopy, 2018

A new phosphorus (P) removal and recovery process that integrates an FeCl 3-dosing, membrane bior... more A new phosphorus (P) removal and recovery process that integrates an FeCl 3-dosing, membrane bioreactor (MBR), and side-stream cofermentation was developed for wastewater treatment. The Fe and P species and their transformation mechanisms via aerobic and anaerobic conditions were investigated with X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy. In the new treatment system, 98.4% of the total P in domestic wastewater was removed and retained in activated sludge in the MBR. During the subsequent acidogenic cofermentation with food waste, P in the MBR sludge was released and eventually recovered as vivianite, achieving an overall P recovery efficiency of 61.9% from wastewater. The main pathways for P removal and recovery with iron dosing and acidogenic fermentation were determined by XANES analysis. The results showed that Fe-enhanced P removal with the MBR was mainly achieved by precipitation as ferric phosphate (24.2%) and adsorption onto hydrous iron oxides (60.3%). During anaerobic fermentation, transition from Fe(III)−P to Fe(II)−P complex occurred in the sludge, leading to Fe(II) dissolution and P release. The pH decrease and microbial Fe reduction were crucial conditions for effective P extraction from the MBR sludge. The efficiency of P recovery increased with an increase in the fermentation time and organic load and a decrease of pH in the solution.

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Rethinking anaerobic As(III) oxidation in filters: Effect of indigenous nitrate respirers

Microorganisms play a key role in the redox transformation of arsenic (As) in aquifers. In this s... more Microorganisms play a key role in the redox transformation of arsenic (As) in aquifers. In this study, the impact of indigenous bacteria, especially the prevailing nitrate respirers, on arsenite (As(III)) oxidation
was explored during groundwater filtration using granular TiO2 and subsequent spent TiO2 anaerobic landfill. X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy analysis showed As(III) oxidation (46% in 10
days) in the presence of nitrate in the simulated anaerobic landfills. Meanwhile, iron (Fe) species on the spent TiO2 were dominated by amorphous ferric arsenate, ferrihydrite and goethite. The Fe phase
showed no change during the anaerobic landfill incubation. Batch incubation experiments implied that the indigenous bacteria completely oxidized As(III) to arsenate (As(V)) in 10 days using nitrate as the
terminal electron acceptor under anaerobic conditions. The bacterial community analysis indicated that various kinds of microbial species exist in groundwater matrix. Phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that
Proteobacteria was the dominant phylum, with Hydrogenophaga (34%), Limnohabitans (16%), and Simplicispira (7%) as the major bacterial genera. The nitrate respirers especially from the Hydrogenophaga
genus anaerobically oxidized As(III) using nitrate as an electron acceptor instead of oxygen. Our study implied that microbes can facilitate the groundwater As oxidation using nitrate on the adsorptive media.

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