Microorganisms found to survive on… 'arsenic' in the Pacific Ocean.

Recently, scientists have been tracking a type of ocean bacteria that is able to survive on arsenic. The microorganisms were discovered in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico.

Microorganisms capable of surviving on arsenic offer a new perspective on survival in the ocean.

Researchers believe this is an ancient survival strategy used in the distant past when oxygen was scarce on our planet, but surprisingly, it still exists today.

Researchers from the University of Washington in Seattle say this could be an indication of how ocean life will continue to change as climate change leads to oxygen levels underwater becoming scarce again, and ecosystems may have to adapt.

"We've long known that there are very low levels of arsenic in the ocean. But the idea that organisms can use arsenic to survive is a completely new metabolic pathway for the open ocean," said oceanographer Gabrielle Rocap.

Previous studies have shown that tiny life forms survive on nitrogen and sulfur in the absence of oxygen; this is the first time researchers have discovered that bacteria can survive on arsenic.

"Arsenic is not only dangerous but also beneficial, and it has reshaped the way I view this element," said Jaclyn Saunders, one of the researchers.

These arsenic-absorbing microorganisms may make up about 1% of the marine microbial community, and learning more about them could help us understand the complex chemical reactions taking place in the ocean.

The next step is to test and cultivate these bacteria in the laboratory, where their metabolic processes can be studied in more detail.