Study on the oxidation dynamics of Fe by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans at adaptation to high substrate concentrations

Microorganisms are dominant form of life on the Earth. It is necessary to enlarge the knowledge about them for more efficient use in all areas of biotechnology, medicine, ecology. Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans are acidophilic chemolitoautothropfic bacteria, with capability to oxidize ferrous ions and used in waste water, tail gas treatment and bioleaching technologies. In appropriate conditions it forms solid biofilm structures with high efficiency. Every biofilm starts from suspended culture and it is important to know about activity of suspended cells. This work aims to study on the oxidation dynamics of Fe by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans at initial stages of adaptation to high substrate concentrations. The dynamics of substrate degradation and accumulation of the product in terms of periodic cultivation of suspended cell culture have been studied. The oxidative degree and oxidative ratio are calculated. The obtained experimental results show stability in the strains behavior at the begining stages of cells adaptation to high concentrations of ferrous ions.