microorganisms Article Characterization of Arsenite-Oxidizing Bacteria Isolated from Arsenic-Rich Sediments, Atacama Desert, Chile Constanza Herrera 1, Ruben Moraga 2,*, Brian Bustamante 1, Claudia Vilo 1, Paulina Aguayo 1,3,4, Cristian Valenzuela 1, Carlos T. Smith 1 , Jorge Yáñez 5, Victor Guzmán-Fierro 6, Marlene Roeckel 6 and Víctor L. Campos 1,* 1 Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Universidad de Concepcion, Concepcion 4070386, Chile;
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[email protected] (C.T.S.) 2 Microbiology Laboratory, Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, Arturo Prat University, Iquique 1100000, Chile 3 Faculty of Environmental Sciences, EULA-Chile, Universidad de Concepcion, Concepcion 4070386, Chile 4 Institute of Natural Resources, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Agronomy, Universidad de Las Américas, Sede Concepcion, Campus El Boldal, Av. Alessandri N◦1160, Concepcion 4090940, Chile 5 Faculty of Chemical Sciences, Department of Analytical and Inorganic Chemistry, University of Concepción, Concepción 4070386, Chile;
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[email protected] (V.L.C.) Abstract: Arsenic (As), a semimetal toxic for humans, is commonly associated