Gypsum bioconversion to sulfur: a two-step microbiological process

Conference · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983 · Dev. Ind. Microbiol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6332993

Uphaus, R A; Grimm, D; Cork, D J

The isolation, cultivation, and process applications of a sulfate-reducing bacterial strain are described. The organism is an obligate anaerobe, gram-negative species capable of propagation in an inorganic medium with acetate as the sole preformed carbon source; gaseous products of metabolism are hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide. The strain is here referred to as a Desulfobacter sp. In the context of gypsum control and removal, this organism appears suitable for the first step of a two-step bioconversion process wherein sulfate ultimately is converted to elemental sulfur. The second organism is Chlorobium limicola f. sp. thiosulfatophilum, a photosynthetic green sulfur bacterium which converts the hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide produced by Desulfobacter to free sulfur, biomass, and soluble organic acids which are suitable metabolites for the support of growth of Desulfobacter. Preliminary data are presented for the rate of sulfate reduction, which can reach levels of 1.58 mmol liter hr when cultures are operated in a chemostat mode. Initial results suggest that batch cultures of Chlorobium will continue conversion of H2S to S after cell division has ceased. Net free sulfur production was reduced by the appearance of increasing levels of thiosulfate and sulfate, possibly because of altered metabolic pathways during senescence of the culture or because of nutritional limitations. 14 references, 3 figures.

• Research Organization: Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago
• OSTI ID: 6332993
• Report Number(s): CONF-8208164-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Dev. Ind. Microbiol.; (United States) Journal Volume: 24
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550500 -- Metabolism
550700* -- Microbiology
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
BACTERIA
BATCH CULTURE
BIOSYNTHESIS
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM SULFATES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
ELEMENTS
GYPSUM
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN SULFIDES
METABOLISM
MICROORGANISMS
MINERALS
NONMETALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SULFATE MINERALS
SULFATE-REDUCING BACTERIA
SULFATES
SULFIDES
SULFUR
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SYNTHESIS