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Title: |
Sulfur Cycle of Chalcopyrite Bio-Oxidation Process by Acidithiobacillus Ferrooxidans |
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Source: |
Conference on Environmental Pollution and Public Health (CEPPH 2010 E-BOOK)
(pp 669-672)
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Author(s): |
Lei Jiang, School of environment and urban construction, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, China
Yuruo Tao, School of environment and urban construction, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, China |
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Abstract: |
Bacteria of the sulfur cycle, in particular sulfide oxidizing and sulfate reducing bacteria, are of immense importance from the industrial and environmental point of views. As a typical sulfide oxidizing bacterium, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans has received increasing attentions from many researchers. This paper deals with the sulfur cycle of chalcopyrite bio-oxidation process by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans through the experiments of shake-flask. X-ray diffractometer results showed that, the intermediate product, elemental sulfur deposition was generated during the bio-oxidation processes. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) analysis indicated that, sulfur particles in nanoscale existed within cells. This suggested that Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans be directly concerned with the sulfur cycle. However, these sulfur particles were not sulfur globules as energy sources. This interesting phenomenon may be a biomineralization process of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans while the solution contained high concentration sulfur. The final product, sulfate increased during the whole bio-oxidation process, whereas some were precipitated from solution as a part of jarosite crystal.
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