This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Ohmura, N. Articles by Saiki, H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Ohmura, N. Articles by Saiki, H. Agricola Articles by Ohmura, N. Articles by Saiki, H.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1993 December; 59(12): 4044-4050
Copyright © 1993, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Selective Adhesion of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans to Pyrite

Department of Biotechnology, Abiko Research Laboratory, Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, 1646 Abiko, Abiko-shi, Chiba 270-11, Japan

ABSTRACT

Bacterial adhesion to mineral surfaces plays an important role not only in bacterial survival in natural ecosystems, but also in mining industry applications. Selective adhesion was investigated with Thiobacillus ferrooxidans by using four minerals, pyrite, quartz, chalcopyrite, and galena. Escherichia coli was used as a control bacterium. Contact angles were used as indicators of hydrophobicity, which was an important factor in the interaction between minerals and bacteria. The contact angle of E. coli in a 0.5% sodium chloride solution was 31°, and the contact angle of T. ferrooxidans in a pH 2.0 sulfuric acid solution was 23°. E. coli tended to adhere to more hydrophobic minerals by hydrophobic interaction, while T. ferrooxidans selectively adhered to iron-containing minerals, such as pyrite and chalcopyrite. Ferrous ion inhibited the selective adhesion of T. ferrooxidans to pyrite competitively, while ferric ion scarcely inhibited such adhesion. When selective adhesion was quenched by ferrous ion completely, adhesion of T. ferrooxidans was controlled by hydrophilic interactions. Adhesion of E. coli to pyrite exhibited a liner relationship on langmuir isotherm plots, but adhesion of T. ferrooxidans did not. T. ferrooxidans recognized the reduced iron in minerals and selectively adhered to pyrite and chalcopyrite by a strong interaction other than the physical interaction.

^* Corresponding author.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Auernik, K. S., Maezato, Y., Blum, P. H., Kelly, R. M. (2008). The Genome Sequence of the Metal-Mobilizing, Extremely Thermoacidophilic Archaeon Metallosphaera sedula Provides Insights into Bioleaching-Associated Metabolism. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 74: 682-692 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Taylor, E. S., Lower, S. K. (2008). Thickness and Surface Density of Extracellular Polymers on Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 74: 309-311 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Lower, S. K. (2005). Directed natural forces of affinity between a bacterium and mineral. ajs 305: 752-765 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Lower, S. K., Hochella Jr., M. F., Beveridge, T. J. (2001). Bacterial Recognition of Mineral Surfaces: Nanoscale Interactions Between Shewanella and alpha -FeOOH. Science 292: 1360-1363 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Nagaoka, T., Ohmura, N., Saiki, H. (1999). A Novel Mineral Flotation Process Using Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 65: 3588-3593 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Dziurla, M.-A., Achouak, W., Lam, B.-T., Heulin, T., Berthelin, J. (1998). Enzyme-Linked Immunofiltration Assay To Estimate Attachment of Thiobacilli to Pyrite. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 64: 2937-2942 [Abstract] [Full Text]