Bacterial Oxidation of Arsenite I. Description of Bacteria Isolated From Arsenical Cattle-Dipping Fluids

From arsenical cattle-dipping fluids from Queensland, in which spontaneous oxidation of arsenite to arsenate had occurred, 15 strains of bacteria were isolated which are able to bring about oxidation of arsenite in culture media. Their characteristics, their taxonomy, and some factors which influence their arsenite-oxidizing activity are described. The strains share many common features, but do not form a homogeneous group. They are regarded as constituting five species, of which three belong to the genus Pseudomonas, and one to the genus Xanthomonas, in the family Pseudomonadaceae; the remaining species is allotted to the genus Achromobacter, in the family Achromobacteriaceae.