STUDIES ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A MODERATELY THERMOACIDOPHILIC IRON-OXIDIZING BACTERIVM / 微生物学通报

ABSTRACT

A moderately thermoacidophilic iron-oxidizing bacterium,designated as strain MLY,was isolated from a coal spoil heap in China.The optimum of temperature for growth is 50℃～54℃.The optimum of pH is 1.2～1.4.The strain MLY is facultative autotroph and grows heterotrophically on yeast extract.It is able to oxidize ferrous iron(Fe 2+ ),pyrite(FeS 2),and elemental sulfur(S 0) autotrophically and mixotrophically in the presence of yeast extract.Autotrophic oxidation of elemental sulfur is relative weak.The comparison of ferrous iron and pyrite oxidation between strain MLY and A10 Thiobacillus ferrooxidans,strain indicated that MLY is one time faster than A10.