Study of Arsenic-Contaminated Soil Bacterial Community Using Biochip Technology

The ecosystems near arsenic mining industrial areas are characterized with an elevated level of pollutants. In Caucasus region, such a hotspot is presented in Western Georgia: Uravi and Tsana abandoned arsenic production facilities and nearby mining tailings stored in deteriorating conditions that pose a threat to the population. The research presents a study of the local bacteria community of highly arsenic-contaminated soils (from 400 mg/kg at Uravi arsenic sulfide mineral processing facility to 11.3 g/kg at arsenic oxide storage area in Tsana) using an innovative, multitasking microscale bioanalytical method for environmental enquiries – DNA biochip (microarray). The detected Shewanella spp., Bacillus spp., and sulfate-reducing bacteria were considered as promising objects for future projects on in situ recovery of vast arsenic-contaminated areas applying remediation methods.