The Effect of Ferrous Iron Addition during Tetrathionate Utilisation by Some Sulfobacillus Species

Abstract:

Ferrous sulfate was added to batch cultures of Sulfobacillus (Sb.) acidophilus, Sb. thermosulfidooxidans and Sb. sibiricus during growth on tetrathionate. Soluble ferrous ion and polythionate concentrations were used as a measure of substrate utilisation. Sb. thermosulfidooxidans switched from utilising polythionates to exclusively oxidising ferrous ions, only then oxidising the remainder of the polythionates. Sb. sibiricus and Sb. acidophilus did not cease polythionate oxidation but utilised both substrates concurrently after ferrous ion addition. None of the cultures tested exhibited preferential polythionate utilisation, even though they were utilising polythionate prior to the addition of ferrous ions.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volume 825)
• Pages: 447-450
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.825.447
• Online since: October 2013
• Authors: Denis W. Shiers, David E. Ralph, Helen R. Watling
• Keywords: Ferrous Oxidation, Sulfobacillus, Tetrathionate Oxidation

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