Arsenic volatilization by Aspergillus sp. and Penicillium sp. isolated from rice rhizosphere as a promising eco-safe tool for arsenic mitigation

• Published in: Journal of environmental management Vol. 237; pp. 170 - 179
• Main Authors: Soares Guimarães, Leandro Henrique, Segura, Fabiana Roberta, Tonani, Ludmilla, von-Zeska-Kress, Marcia Regina, Rodrigues, Jairo Lisboa, Calixto, Leandro Augusto, Silva, Fábio Ferreira, Batista, Bruno Lemos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2019
• Subjects: Arsenic mitigation; Arsenic trapping; Bio-volatilization; HPLC-ICP-MS speciation; Trimethylarsine; HPLC-ICP-MS speciation; Arsenic mitigation; Trimethylarsine; Arsenic trapping; Bio-volatilization
• ISSN: 0301-4797; 1095-8630
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.02.060

Arsenic (As) is a non-threshold human carcinogenic. This element can be volatilized either by nature or anthropogenic sources. In the present study, the analytical performance of an As volatile species trapping system was evaluated to assess the As volatilization promoted by Penicillium sp. and Aspergillus sp., both isolated from rice rhizosphere, and Aspergillus niger sp. considered as a reference. The study was conducted for 60 days (sampling of volatile As species from 1st to 30th day and from 31st to 60th day). The efficiency of As-volatilization was associated with the fungal growth. The highest As volatilization occurred from 31st to 60th day. Penicillium sp., Aspergillus sp. and A. niger were capable of producing 57.8, 46.4, and 5.2% of volatile arsenic species, respectively. The speciation analysis has shown trimethylarsine (TMAs) as the main volatilized As-form, followed by mono- and dimethylarsine (MMAs and DMAs). The results are following the “Challenger pathway”. Therefore, the tested fungi isolated from rice rhizosphere have shown promising properties concerning bio-volatilization with potential use for As-mitigation in paddy soils. [Display omitted] •Arsenic-trapping system was successfully optimized for fungi-experiment.•Penicillium and Aspergillus isolated from rice rhizosphere methylated arsenic.•The fungi volatilized arsenic mainly as As(CH3)3(g) and AsH3(g).•Fungi are potential tools for arsenic mitigation in contaminated soils.