Diversity of Microorganisms in Fe-As-Rich Acid Mine Drainage Waters of Carnoulès, France

Abstract

ABSTRACT The acid waters (pH 2.7 to 3.4) originating from the Carnoulès mine tailings contain high concentrations of dissolved arsenic (80 to 350 mg · liter −1 ), iron (750 to 2,700 mg · liter −1 ), and sulfate (2,000 to 7,500 mg · liter −1 ). During the first 30 m of downflow in Reigous creek issuing from the mine tailings, 20 to 60% of the dissolved arsenic is removed by coprecipitation with Fe(III). The microbial communities along the creek have been characterized using terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and 16S rRNA gene library analyses. The results indicate a low bacterial diversity in comparison with unpolluted water. Eighty percent of the sequences obtained are related to sequences from uncultured, newly described organisms or recently associated with acid mine drainage. As expected owing to the water chemistry, the sequences recovered are mainly related to bacteria involved in the geochemical Fe and S cycles. Among them, sequences related to uncultured TrefC4 affiliated with Gallionella ferruginea , a neutrophilic Fe-oxidizing bacterium, are dominant. The description of the bacterial community structure and its dynamics lead to a better understanding of the natural remediation processes occurring at this site.