Bacterial leaching patterns on pyrite crystal surfaces

Bennett, J. C.; Tributsch, H.

doi:10.1128/jb.134.1.310-317.1978

Cited by 120 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…from the oxidized weathering environment above the supergene copper deposit in Morenci, Arizona, USA colonized pyrite at pH-neutral conditions. Lattice defects, which are important in bacterial colonization of the pyrite under acidic conditions (Tributsch, 1976;Bennet & Tributsch, 1978;Norman & Snyman, Fig. 1 SEM micrographs of the pyrite cube before (A) and after colonization; micrographs of A. ferrooxidans on the pyrite surface after 24 h (B), 7 days (C) and 30 days (D). While most of the surfaces on the pyrite cubes were flat, possessing broad lattice steps, regions of the cubes possessed 'islands' with enhanced microtopography (A).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Growth on sulphide minerals is facilitated by close bacteriamineral interaction (Duncan & Drummond, 1973;Tributsch, 1976;Bennet & Tributsch, 1978;Norman & Snyman, 1987;Rodriguez & Tributsch, 1988;Southam & Beveridge, 1992). It has also been demonstrated that these bacteria are tightly bound to the mineral surface (Gormley & Duncan, 1974;Southam & Beveridge, 1992), via lipopolysaccharides (Southam & Beveridge, 1993;Arrendondo et al ., 1994;Gehrke et al ., 1998) suggesting that this interaction is important to the growth of thiobacilli on sulphides.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A critical stage in the formation of acid mine drainage: Colonization of pyrite by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans under pH‐neutral conditions

et al. 2003

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A dominant Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans ssp. was isolated from the supergene copper deposit in Morenci, Arizona, USA. Washed bacterial suspensions (108 MPN per treatment), in pH‐neutral buffer, were inoculated onto pyrite cubes for 24 h. Heterogeneous bacterial absorption onto the pyrite removed approximately 90% of the viable bacteria from the inoculum. At T = 0, the bacteria were observed primarily in regions enriched in phosphorus. Over 30 days, the bacterial population on the pyrite cubes increased from 1.3 × 107 to 2.9 × 108 bacteria cm−2. During this growth stage, low levels of thiobacilli (228 ± 167 MPN mL−1) were also recovered from the fluid phase; however, this population decreased to zero within 30 days. Growth on pyrite occurred as micrometre‐scale planar microcolonies, a biofilm, coating the mineral surfaces. These microcolonies possessed viable thiobacilli, even after 4 months at ‘circumneutral pH’. Imaging the pyrite cubes using SEM‐EDS and scanning force microscopy demonstrated that the thiobacilli grew as iron oxy‐hydroxide‐cemented cells, leading to the formation of mineralized microcolonies. Removing the iron oxy‐hydroxides with oxalic acid did not dislodge the bacteria, demonstrating that the secondary minerals were not responsible for ‘gluing’ the bacteria to the pyrite surface. Removing organic material, i.e. the cells, by an oxygen plasma treatment revealed the presence of corrosion pits the size and shape of bacteria. Because of the inherent geochemical constraints on pyrite oxidation at neutral pH, the colonization of pyrite under circumneutral pH conditions must be facilitated by the development of an acidic nanoenvironment between the bacteria and the pyrite mineral surface.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A critical stage in the formation of acid mine drainage: Colonization of pyrite by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans under pH‐neutral conditions

et al. 2003

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“…There is considerable evidence that 7". ferrooxidans can attach itself to the surface of mineral sulfides [98][99][100]. Although the mechanism of biooxidation is not completely understood, in a model described by Ehrlieh [4], the electrontransport system in the cell membrane of T. fi'rrooxidans acts as catalyst in conducting electrons from cathodic areas on the mineral surface to the terminal electron aeceptor, molecular oxygen.…”

Section: Mineral Leachingmentioning

confidence: 99%

The chemolithotrophic bacteriumThiobacillus ferrooxidans

Leduc

Ferroni

1994

FEMS Microbiology Reviews

151

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The iron‐oxidizing bacterium ThiobaciUus ferrooxidans is the most important microorganism in mineral leaching. It plays the dominant role in bioextractive processes because of its ability to oxidize both iron and reduced sulfur compounds. T. ferrooxidans is also an important microorganism in acid rock/mine drainage, a serious environmental problem. In this article, the current status of this bacterium is described with particular emphasis on the biomining industry.

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“…Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) can be used to study the alteration of sulphide surface due to the erosion by attached bacteria (Murr and Berry, 1976;Bennett and Tributsch, 1978;G6mez et al, 1996;Sampson et al, 2000). The study by Rodriguez-Leiva and Tributsch (1988) showed that the corrosion pits formed by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans on synthetic pyrite were shown to be of the bacterial size.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pyrite Surface after Thiobacillus ferrooxidans Leaching at 30°C

Wang

et al. 2010

Acta Geologica Sinica - English Edition

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In order to investigate the effect of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans on the oxidation of pyrite, two parallel experiments, which employed H2S04 solutions and acidic solutions inoculated with Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, were designed and carried out at 30°C. The initial pH of the two solutions was adjusted to 2.5 by dropwise addition of concentrated sulphuric acid. The surfaces of pyrite before exposure to leaching solutions and after exposure to the HSO4 solutions and acidic solutions inoculated with Thiobacillus ferrooxidans were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). There were a variety of erosion patterns by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans on the bio-leached pyrite surfaces. A conclusion can be drawn that the oxidation of pyrite might have been caused by erosion of the surfaces. Attachment of the bacteria to pyrite surfaces resulted in erosion pits, leading to the oxidation of pyrite. It is possible that the direct mechanism plays the most important role in the oxidation of pyrite. The changes in iron ion concentrations of both the experimental solutions with time suggest that Thiobacillus ferrooxidans can enhance greatly the oxidation of pyrite.

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Bacterial leaching patterns on pyrite crystal surfaces

Abstract: dition of distilled water. Crystal samples for the scanning electron microscope were carefully rinsed with distilled water, allowed to dry at room temperature, and glued to specimen stubs with conductive epoxy resin. Samples were coated with gold-palladium and 310

Cited by 120 publications

References 7 publications

A critical stage in the formation of acid mine drainage: Colonization of pyrite by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans under pH‐neutral conditions

A critical stage in the formation of acid mine drainage: Colonization of pyrite by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans under pH‐neutral conditions

The chemolithotrophic bacteriumThiobacillus ferrooxidans

Pyrite Surface after Thiobacillus ferrooxidans Leaching at 30°C

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