Full-length 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing of sediments from an As-contaminated aquifer

The clay layer, generally considered to protect the aquifer from contamination, could act as a source to exacerbate the enrichment of arsenic (As) in the aquifer. However, microbial processes in the clay layer and their connection with the underlaying aquifers responsible for As mobilization are poorly understood. In this study, high-throughput sequencing of full-length 16S rRNA gene was used to characterize microbial community composition in these sediments from a borehole across the clay and sand layers in Hetao Basin, Inner Mongolia, China.