Fe(II) oxidation by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans in pure and mixed cultures in the presence of arsenate

Abstract

Fe²⁺ oxidation by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans in pure and mixed cultures was investigated in batch cultures in the presence of arsenate. The pH value was periodically monitored and Fe²⁺ content was analyzed by the 1,10-phenanthroline method. ICP-AES was employed for the analysis of As(V) concentration in the solution phase. Precipitates were collected and analyzed by X-ray diffraction. Slight enhancement of iron bio-oxidation was observed in mixed cultures with the two greatest As(V) concentrations (1.0 and 5.0 mg/L As), which were enriched from sediment samples in an abandoned copper mine site. As(V) concentrations decreased with time, indicating either the co-precipitation with or the adsorption by jarosite, the major sink of solid phase. Our data suggest that biogenically synthesized jarosite may play an important role in the attenuation of soluble arsenate in natural aquatic environments.

Keywords

Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans / arsenate / jarosite / bio-oxidation / geomicrobiology

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2007CB815601), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40672081), and the 111 Project (B08030).

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