Cellular acclimation of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans to sulfur biooxidation

Minerals & Metallurgical Processing , 2009, Vol. 26, No. 1, pp. 30-34

Zhang, C.-G.; Xia, J.-L.; Ding, J.-N.; Ouyang, X.-D.; Nie, Z.-Y.; Qiu, G.-Z.

ABSTRACT:

This paper presents the results of a study on cellular acclimation of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans to sulfur biooxidation in terms of cell growth and changes in surface properties and morphologies of both cells and sulfur particles. The results showed that A. ferrooxidans cells were grown faster and demonstrated higher concentration in the soluble thiosulfate substrate than in nonsoluble hydrophobic S⁰ substrate. The results showed that A. ferrooxidans cells acclimated to the sulfur biooxidation by actively expressing some extracellular polymers substance and maybe some outer membrane proteins that modified the surface properties of both sulfur particles and the cells themselves. In addition, the results showed that the A. ferrooxidans cells were able to dynamically adsorb to or desorb from the surface of sulfur particles. The cells aggregating onto the S⁰ surface enhanced the use of S⁰ substrate by the bacteria cells. This mode may be one of the most important characteristics for the better growth and propagation of the cells in solid sulfur-containing media.