Preparation of jarosite by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans oxidation

Abstract

The formation of jarosite in the presence of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (A. ferrooxidans) was researched to ascertain the conditions of producing minimum precipitation. The effects of salt concentration and pH on the characteristics of jarosite formed in K₂SO₄/(NH₄)₂SO₄-FeSO₄ inorganic salt solution and 9K medium were studied by using the measurements of scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, Fourierism transform infrared analysis, thermogravity/differential thermogravity analysis and particle size analysis to evaluate the product. The results indicate that the formation of jarosite begins when A. ferrooxidans reaches logarithmic growth phase in 9K medium, and a higher pH value is beneficial to the formation of jarosite. The jarosite formed in 9K medium has smaller and more concentrative particle size and smoother surface than that formed in inorganic salt solution.

Keywords

jarosite / A. ferrooxidans / inorganic salt solution / 9K medium / characteristic

References

[1] FrostR. L., Rachael-AnneW.. A Raman spectroscopic study of selected natural jarosites[J]. Sectrochimica Acta Part A, 2006, 63(1): 1-8

[2] SmithA. M. L., Hudson-EdwardsK. A.. Dissolution of jarosite [KFe₃(SO₄)₂(OH)₆] at pH 2 and 8: Insights from batch experiments and computational modeling[J]. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 2006, 70(3): 608-621

[3] Vs_EvolodA. M., HaroldoA. P., PatricioR. I.. Potential application of acid jarosite wastes as the main component of construction materials[J]. Construction and Building Materials, 2005, 19(1): 141-146

[4] AsokanP., SaxenaM., ShyamR. A.. Hazardous jarosite use in developing non-hazardous product for engineering application[J]. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2006, 137(3): 1589-1599

[5] TsakiridisaP. E., Agatzini-LeonardouaS., OustadakisaP., et al.. Examination of the jarosite-alunite precipitate addition in the raw meal for the production of Portland cement clinker[J]. Cement and Concrete Research, 2005, 35(11): 2066-2073

[6] SilvermanM. P., LundgrenD. G.. Studies on the chemoautotrophic iron bacterium Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. I: An improved medium and a havesting procedure for securing high xellun yields[J]. J Bacterial, 1959, 77(5): 642-647

[7] WangH.-m., BighamJ. M.. Formation of schwertmannite and its transformation to jarosite in the presence of acidophilic iron-oxidizing microorganisms[J]. Materials Engineering, 2006, 26(10): 588-592

[8] SasakiK., KonnoH.. Morphology of jarosite-compounds precipitated from biologically and chemically oxidized Fe ions[J]. The Canadian Mineralogist, 2000, 38(1): 45-56

[9] KubiszJ.. Studies on synthetic alkali-hydronium jarosites. I: Synthesis of jarosite and natrojarosite[J]. Mineralogia Polonicam, 1970, 1(1): 47-57

[10] RipmeesterJ. A., RatcliffeC. I., DutrizacJ. E., et al.. Hydronium in the alunite-jarosite group[J]. The Canadian Mineralogist, 1986, 24: 773-784

[11] PowersD. A., RossmanG. R., SchugarH. J., et al.. Magnetic behavior and infrared spectra of jarosite, basic iron sulfate and their chromate analogs[J]. J Sol Stat Chem, 1975, 13(1/2): 1-13

[12] ArkhipenkoD. K., DeviatkinaE. T., PalchikH. A.Kristallokhimicheskiye osobennosti sinteticheskikh yarozitov [J]. Trudy Instituta Geologii I Geofiziki, 1987, 653: 31-70

[13] DrouetC., NavrotskyA.. Synthesis, characterization, and thermochemistry of K-Na-H₃O jarosites[J]. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 2003, 67(11): 2063-2076

[14] VíctorP., MercedesM. P.. Nitrogen fixation in acidophile iron-oxidizing bacteria: The nif regulon of leptospirillum ferrooxidans[J]. Research in Microbiology, 2004, 155(9): 703-709

[15] YanX.. Preparation by solid phase reaction and characterization of iron oxide nanometer particle[J]. Journal of Yancheng Institute of Technology: Natural Science, 2002, 15(4): 24-26

[16] AsokanP., MohiniS.. Jarosite characteristics and its utilization potentials[J]. Science of the Total Environment, 2006, 359(1/3): 232-243

[17] QiuG.-z., LiuJ.-s., WangD.-z., et al.. Iron behaviour in growth of thiobacillus ferrooxidans[J]. Journal of Central South University of Technology: Natural Science, 1998, 26(1): 226-228

[18] YangY., PengH., QiuG.-z., et al.. Stochastic simulation of growth curves of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidant[J]. Journal of Central South University of Technology, 2006, 13(5): 473-476