Adhesion of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans to mineral surfaces

Devasia, Preston ; Natarajan, K. A. (2010) Adhesion of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans to mineral surfaces International Journal of Mineral Processing, 94 (3-4). pp. 135-139. ISSN 0301-7516

Full text not available from this repository.

Official URL: http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S03017...

Related URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.minpro.2010.02.003

Abstract

Direct contact mechanism in bioleaching implies prior mineral adhesion of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and subsequent enzymatic attack. Prior bacterial adaptation to sulfide mineral substrates influences bacterial ferrous ion oxidation rates. It is highly beneficial to understand major biooxidation mechanisms with reference to solution- and mineral-grown cells in order to optimize bioleaching reactions. For A. ferrooxidans grown in the presence of solid substrates such as sulfur, pyrite and chalcopyrite, bacterial adhesion is required for its enzymatic machinery to come into close contact for mineral dissolution. But when grown in solution substrate such as ferrous ions and thiosulfate, such an adhesion machinery is not required for substrate utilization. Proteinaceous compounds were observed on the surface of sulfur-grown cells. Such an induction of relatively hydrophobic proteins and down regulation of exposed polysaccharides leads to changes in cell surface chemistry. Sulfur-grown and pyrite- and chalcopyrite-grown bacterial cells were found to be more efficient in the bioleaching of chalcopyrite than those grown in the presence of ferrous ions and thiosulfate.

Item Type:Article
Source:Copyright of this article belongs to Elsevier Science.
Keywords:Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans; Bioleaching; Direct Mechanism; Adhesion
ID Code:24477
Deposited On:29 Nov 2010 08:50
Last Modified:08 Jun 2011 08:57

Repository Staff Only: item control page