Evaluation of Leptospirillum ferrooxidans for leaching
- Univ. Hamburg (West Germany)
The importance of Leptospirillum ferroxidans for each leach processes has been evaluated by studying the lithotrophic flora of three mine biotopes and a heap leaching operation, by percolation experiments with inoculated, sterilized ore, and by morphological, physiological, and genetic investigations of pure and mixed cultures of L. ferrooxidans, Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, and Thiobacillus thiooxidans. In biotopes of 20C or above, Leptospirillum-like bacteria are as abundant as T. ferrooxidans. Leptospirilli represent at least one-half of the ferrous-iron-oxidizing population. Percolation experiments confirmed this result. Leptospirilli were as numerous as T. ferrooxidans. At reduced temperatures, the generation times of leptospirilli increase more so than those of T. ferroxidans. At 14C, Leptospirillum grows slowly and T. ferrooxidans dominates the population. Physiological investigations indicate that L. ferroxidans is a strict chemolithoautotroph, metabolizing only ferrous iron and pyrite. Even an addition of 0.05% (wt/vol) yeast extract inhibited its growth. The maximum ferrous-iron-oxidizing activity of L. ferrooxidans amounts of about 40% of the activity of T. ferrooxidans. After growth on sulfidic ore, both species exhibit reduced iron-oxidizing activities, L. ferrooxidans exhibiting one-third and T. ferrooxidans exhibiting one-seventh of their maximum activities. Surprisingly, the absolute values are similar. For indirect leaching, L. ferrooxidans is an important as T. ferrooxidans. This was confirmed by the results of percolation experiments. L. ferrooxidans together with T. thiooxidans mobilized metals at least as well as T. ferrooxidans did. The best results were obtained with a mixed culture of all three species.
- OSTI ID:
- 5691433
- Journal Information:
- Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States), Vol. 58:1; ISSN 0099-2240
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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