Arsenic speciation and distribution in industrially polluted estuarine sediments and their effects on bacterial communities.

ABSTRACT: Industrial wastewater is a significant contributor to coastal pollution. Heavy metal contamination poses a substantial risk to the ecological integrity of an area by altering the structure and function of bacterial communities. This study systematically analyzed the distribution of total and arsenic (As) fractions in surface and sediment profiles, as well as the response of bacterial communities to As contamination in industrially polluted estuarine areas. The results revealed significant spatial variability in As concentrations across the sampling sites, with the highest As level detected at the sewage discharge outlet, reaching 979.05 ± 106.17 mg/kg. A pronounced decline in total As (T-As) concentrations was observed with increasing sediment depth, underscoring the predominant contributi

SUBMITTER: Liu S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12669222 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature