The reduction of arsenate to arsenite by anAnabaena‐bacteriaassemblage isolated from the Waikato River

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Abstract
An Anabaena oscillaroides-bacteria assemblage, isolated from the arsenic-rich Waikato River, was able to take up and reduce arsenate to arsenite. The assemblage growing in continuous culture with cyanophyte and bacterial densities of 4 .times. 105 and 6 .times. 105 cells ml-1 respectively, could reduce arsenate to arsenite at a rate of 12 ng as 106 cells-1 d-1. The assemblage bacteria were separated from the A. oscillaroides filaments and found to be capable of arsenate reduction to arsenite. These results provide a possible explanation for previously unexplained changes in arsenic speciation in the Waikato River, from the thermodynamically favoured arsenate to arsenite.