铜耐受定向驯化强化嗜酸喜温硫杆菌浸出贫黄铜矿

生物浸出贫黄铜矿后期,累积的Cu2+会对微生物产生胁迫效应从而影响浸出效率,因此该类微生物的铜耐受性定向驯化变得非常关键。对嗜酸喜温硫杆菌(Acidithiobacillus caldus)进行6个月铜耐受定向驯化,将出发菌株与驯化菌株在不同铜胁迫浓度下(0、1和3 g/L Cu2+)纯培养及浸出贫黄铜矿,并比较分析关键参数变化。在纯培养体系中,3 g/L Cu2+胁迫下最高比生长速率(μmax)由驯化前0.21 d-1(13 d)提升至0.54 d-1(10 d)。在0、1和3 g/L Cu2+浸出体系中,菌株驯化后铜浸出率分别较出发菌株提高17.64%、70.93%及306.09%。扫描电镜(SEM)分析矿渣形貌差异表明伴随胁迫作用增强菌体对矿物腐蚀程度变弱,在相同铜胁迫水平下,驯化菌株浸出体系矿渣表面呈现更多潜在的吸附位点及明显腐蚀痕迹。采用傅里叶红外光谱(FTIR)分析矿渣表面关键官能团变化,驯化菌株浸出体系的矿渣呈现更多含硫基团。X射线衍射(XRD)分析矿渣成分表明驯化菌株浸出体系中呈现较为丰富的铁硫衍生物如Fe3O4、FeS。综上,驯化后A. caldus具备较强抵御铜胁迫能力,在浸出体系中保持了更活跃的生化浸出效应,有望在类似的工业生物浸出过程中发挥其潜在优势。     

柱式反应器处理黄铜矿过程中等嗜热微生物群落变化

从中国的多个铜矿取样,在45°C条件下富集获得了一种高效的中等嗜热浸矿富集物,探讨了该富集物在柱式反应器中浸出低品位黄铜矿的pH变化以及与Cu2+浸出的关系,并采用限制性片段长度多态性(RFLP)技术分析了微生物的群落结构和种群动态变化规律。结果表明在整个浸出过程中pH变化较为明显,且一直在1.8以上,60 d内回收了13.6%的铜。RFLP结果表明:在初期,嗜铁钩端螺旋菌(Leptospirillum ferriphilum)在浸出前期占有很高比例(81%),随后逐渐降低,至后期只有13%,而耐温氧化硫化杆菌(Sulfobacillus thermotolerans)和喜温硫杆菌(Acidithiobacillus caldus)的比例逐渐升高,在中期分别达到32%和23%;至末期,耐温氧化硫化杆菌达到了79%,成为优势种群。研究加深了对中等嗜热微生物浸矿特性的了解,也为中等嗜热菌处理低品位黄铜矿的工业应用提供了可供借鉴的数据。     

中等嗜热细菌浸出黄铜矿过程中pH对群落结构的影响

为了优化浸出工艺,研究了pH对浸矿过程主要微生物种群结构的影响。用中度嗜热混合菌槽浸黄铜矿精矿,在不控制pH,控制pH为2．5及控制pH为1．2时,应用PCR-RFLP（限制性酶切片段长度多态性）方法对上述浸出条件下的细菌群落动态变化进行研究。结果表明,浸出体系只有两种微生物,一种为Acidithiobacillus Caldus,一种为Leptospirillum ferriphilum。pH对群落结构有明显影响。不控制pH时,浸出开始阶段At．caldus是优势种群,占群落的96％,随着浸出的进行,L．ferriphilum增多,在浸出后期代替At．caldus成为优势菌种,占69％。控制pH时,L．ferriphilum始终占主导地位,同时发现pH为2．5时At．caldus在群落中的丰度比pH为1．2时高。     

生物浸矿反应器中的微生物种群结构及其中可培养微生物的特征

【目的】本文旨在了解生物浸矿反应器中的微生物种群结构及其中可培养微生物的特征。【方法】通过构建微生物冶金反应器中矿浆原样的16S rRNA基因文库,测定16S rRNA基因序列,分析矿浆中种群结构。同时在不同培养条件下,对样品进行富集培养,分离获得纯菌株;并对各个菌株的16S rRNA基因序列,生理生化特征及对不同矿物的氧化能力进行了分析。【结果】研究中所选生物浸矿反应器中主要的微生物物种有细菌:Leptospirillum sp.,Sulfobacillus sp.,Acidithiobacillus sp.,Spingomonas sp.及古菌Sulfolobus sp.,Ferroplasma sp.等菌属。同时分离出5株纯菌株,这些菌分别与Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans,Acidithiobacillus caldus,Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans,Leptospirillum ferriphilum,Sulfobacillus thermosul fidooxidans相似。分离获得的菌株具有氧化硫或二价铁和不同硫化矿的能力。【结论】生物浸矿反应器是个微生物种类相对简单的生境,利用非培养和培养技术全面地了解生物浸矿体系中的微生物群落及其生理、浸矿特性,有利于洞察生物浸矿过程中微生物种群结构,强化控制种群组成及浸矿活性,从而提高生物湿法冶金的效率。     

不同能源条件下中度嗜热嗜酸细菌多样性分析

采用黄铁矿、黄铜矿、硫酸亚铁和硫粉混合物作为主要能源物质在50°C条件下分别培养中度嗜热细菌混合物,研究其细菌多样性。提取细菌基因组总DNA,采用PCR结合限制性酶切片段多态性分析(RFLP)方法进行细菌16SrRNA基因的系统发育分析,比较不同能源条件下富集培养的混合细菌群落构成的差异。从3个培养物中共获得阳性克隆303个并进行RFLP分析,对29种不同酶切谱型的克隆插入序列进行测定和系统发育分析。大部分序列与已报道的浸矿微生物16SrRNA序列相似性较高(89.1%~99.7%),归属于硫化叶菌属的耐温氧化硫化杆菌(Sulfobacillus thermotolerans)和热氧化硫化杆菌(Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans),嗜酸硫杆菌属的喜温硫杆菌(Acidithiobacillus caldus),钩端螺旋菌属的嗜铁钩端螺旋菌(Leptospirillumferriphilum)以及unculturedforest soil bacterium、uncultured proteobacterium。其中Acidithiobacillus caldus,Sulfobacillus thermotolerans,Leptospirillumferriphilum3种细菌为三类能源物质培养物中的优势细菌类群。L.ferriphilum在黄铁矿培养体系(53.8%)和硫酸亚铁和硫粉为能源的培养体系中(45.9%)中丰度最高;在以黄铜矿为能源物质的培养体系中,S.thermotolerans的比例大幅上升(70.1%)。关键词:中度嗜热细菌;生物多样性;生物浸矿;喜温硫杆菌(Acidithiobacillus caldus);耐温氧化硫化杆菌(Sulfobacillus thermotolerans);嗜铁钩端螺旋菌(Leptospirillumferriphilum)     

分子生态网络揭示冶金微生物对能源底物的响应

通过分析不同铁硫比的能源底物驯化下冶金微生物群落的演替过程,基于分子生态网络揭示冶金微生物对能源底物的响应特征。对富铁少硫、富硫少铁条件下不同驯化批次的微生物样本进行高通量测序,分析物种组成,比较冶金微生物群落的α多样性和β多样性,并构建分子生态网络,探究驯化过程微生物之间的相互作用关系。鉴定关键物种,分析冶金微生物群落对能源底物的响应。研究发现在基于不同能源底物驯化过程中,富铁少硫群落的优势物种为嗜酸氧化亚铁硫杆菌Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans和铁氧化嗜酸硫杆菌A. ferriphilus;而富硫少铁群落经过3个批次的驯化,氧化硫硫杆菌A. thiooxidans占比高达90%。α、β多样性分析结果表明,富硫少铁能源底物驯化过程使冶金微生物群落多样性降低,且随着驯化批次的增加群落组成发生显著变化。分子生态网络分析显示关键物种均为低丰度稀有物种,富硫少铁条件下菌种间具有更紧密的互作共生关系,群落更加稳定。通过该驯化实验,明确了不同能源底物对冶金微生物群落的影响。采用富硫少铁能源底物驯化冶金微生物,使冶金微生物群落更加稳定,有助于优势物种高效发挥铁、硫氧化功能,促进硫化矿物的氧化溶解,为生物冶金工业育种微生物群落的定向驯化提供理论基础。     

相容性溶质对强化耐盐苯酚降解菌群的影响

文章探究了两种不同相容性溶质（甜菜碱、海藻糖）对强化耐盐苯酚降解菌群的影响。结果表明，在驯化过程中，海藻糖的促进效果优于甜菜碱，添加5 mM海藻糖驯化得到的微生物菌群在1%的盐度条件下，18 d后对200 mg/L苯酚的降解率为100%，累计产气8 m L，与对照组相比，显著提升了微生物菌群的降解效果。这表明，在驯化过程中添加海藻糖可以提高微生物降解效率。     

水稻土泥浆体系中多氯联苯的微生物厌氧脱氯

考察了厌氧水稻土泥浆体系中高氯代多氯联苯混合物Aroclor1260的脱氯过程,并对体系中的微生物群落结构变化进行分析.结果表明： Aroclor1260可在厌氧水稻土泥浆体系中发生脱氯,经过128 d,总消减率达到55.5%,在泥浆体系中引入驯化的脱氯富集培养体反而使脱氯效果下降,消减率为46.9%.Aroclor1260的主要脱氯过程发生在五、六、七氯联苯,其中七氯联苯脱氯过程最显著,五氯联苯作为脱氯产物有一定累积.有机物厌氧发酵产生的H₂会被脱氯过程所消耗,从而将体系中的氢分压维持在较低水平,抑制产甲烷过程而保证脱氯过程的持续进行.不同条件和培养方式驯化得到的微生物群落结构差异较大,富集培养体引入可能导致其与原体系中脱氯相关菌群竞争,从而改变体系原有菌群结构,这可能是导致其脱氯效率下降的原因.     

嗜酸异养菌对自养菌Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans金属离子抗性和生物浸出的影响

【目的】了解嗜酸异养菌在诸如酸性矿坑水(AMD)和生物浸出体系等极端酸性环境中对浸矿微生物产生的影响。【方法】研究由嗜酸异养菌Acidiphilium acidophilum和自养菌Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans经长期驯化后形成的共培养体系分别在Cd2+、Cu2+、Ni2+和Mg2+胁迫下的稳定性;并将此共培养体系应用于黄铁矿和低品位黄铜矿的生物浸出实验。【结果】在上述4种金属离子分别存在的条件下,异养菌Aph.acidophilum均能促进At.ferrooxidans对亚铁的氧化,提高其对能源利用的效率。共培养体系中的异养菌Aph.acidophilum使At.ferrooxidans对Cu2+的最大耐受浓度(MTC)由2.0 g/L提高到5.0 g/L,而且共培养的细胞数量与2.0 g/L Cu2+条件下生长的At.ferrooxidans纯培养相似。另外,共培养中的At.ferrooxidans对Mg2+的MTC也由12.0 g/L提高到17.0 g/L。生物浸出实验中嗜酸异养菌Aph.acidophilum促进了At.ferrooxidans对黄铁矿样品的浸出,浸出率较其纯培养提高了22.7%;但在含铁量较低的低品位黄铜矿浸出体系中共培养和At.ferrooxidans纯培养的浸出率均低于33%。在加入2.0 g/L Fe2+的低品位黄铜矿浸出体系中,共培养和At.ferrooxidans纯培养的浸出率均得到提高,分别达到52.22%和41.27%。【结论】以上结果表明,Aph.acidophilum与At.ferrooxidans共培养在一定的环境胁迫下仍能保持其稳定性并完成各自的生态功能,并且嗜酸异养菌Aph.acidophilum适合在含铁量较高的浸出体系中与铁氧化细菌共同作用来提高生物浸出的效率。     

功能菌群耦合黄铁矿浸出软锰矿的研究

【目的】将3种不同来源的环境样品混合后接种至含1%黄铁矿和1%软锰矿的培养基中进行富集培养,初步得到有一定浸矿功能的混合微生物菌群。【方法】菌群继续用于黄铁矿和低品位软锰矿共同浸出,设置未接种的体系作为对照。【结果】对浸出过程中菌群结构的变化、pH、锰浸出率和浸出残渣的成分进行分析,结果发现接种过微生物菌群的浸出体系在反应15 d后,锰浸出率达到92.48%,远高于未接菌对照组的40.34%;菌群中Thiomonas sp.所占比例从最初的2%上升到浸出结束时的93%。实验组的pH从最初的4.0下降到2.5;X射线衍射(XRD)分析发现,通过生物作用浸出的残渣中含有黄钾铁矾,说明生物代谢产生了大量的硫酸。【结论】证明微生物在两矿浸出过程中通过促进黄铁矿解离,维持体系低pH等作用加速反应的进行。结果为进一步研究微生物浸矿的作用机制和开发低品位锰矿的生物浸出工艺打下了基础。     

Isolation and characterization of Ferroplasma thermophilum sp. nov., a novel extremely acidophilic, moderately thermophilic archaeon and its role in bioleaching of chalcopyrite

Aims:  To isolate Ferroplasma thermophilum L1^T from a low pH environment and to understand its role in bioleaching of chalcopyrite.
Methods and Results:  Using serial dilution method, a moderately thermophilic and acidophilic ferrous iron-oxidizing archaeon, named L1^T, was isolated from a chalcopyrite-leaching bioreactor. The morphological, biochemical and physiological characteristics of strain L1^T and its role in bioleaching of chalcopyrite were studied. Strain L1^T was a nonmotile coccus that lacked cell wall. Strain L1^T had a temperature optimum of 45°C and the optimum pH for growth was 1·0. Strain L1^T was capable of chemomixotrophic growth on ferrous iron and yeast extract. Results of fatty acid analysis, DNA–DNA hybridization, G+C content, and analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that strain L1^T should be grouped in the genus Ferroplasma , and represented a new species, Ferroplasma thermophilum . Ferroplasma thermophilum in combination with Acidithiobacillus caldus and Leptospirillum ferriphilum could improve the copper dissolution in bioleaching of chalcopyrite.
Conclusions:  A novel extremely acidophilic, moderately thermophilic archaeon isolated from a bioleaching reactor has been identified as F. thermophilum that played an important role in bioleaching of chalcopyrite at low pH.
Significance and Impact of the Study:  This study contributes to understand the characteristics of F. thermophilum L1^T and its role in bioleaching of sulfide ores.     

A Moderately Thermophilic Mixed Microbial Culture for Bioleaching of Chalcopyrite Concentrate at High Pulp Density

Three kinds of samples (acid mine drainage, coal mine wastewater, and thermal spring) derived from different sites were collected in China. Thereafter, these samples were combined and then inoculated into a basal salts solution in which different substrates (ferrous sulfate, elemental sulfur, and chalcopyrite) served as energy sources. After that, the mixed cultures growing on different substrates were pooled equally, resulting in a final mixed culture. After being adapted to gradually increasing pulp densities of chalcopyrite concentrate by serial subculturing for more than 2 years, the final culture was able to efficiently leach the chalcopyrite at a pulp density of 20% (wt/vol). At that pulp density, the culture extracted 60.4% of copper from the chalcopyrite in 25 days. The bacterial and archaeal diversities during adaptation were analyzed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and constructing clone libraries of the 16S rRNA gene. The results show that the culture consisted mainly of four species, including Leptospirillum ferriphilum, Acidithiobacillus caldus, Sulfobacillus acidophilus, and Ferroplasma thermophilum, before adapting to a pulp density of 4%. However, L. ferriphilum could not be detected when the pulp density was greater than 4%. Real-time quantitative PCR was employed to monitor the microbial dynamics during bioleaching at a pulp density of 20%. The results show that A. caldus was the predominant species in the initial stage, while S. acidophilus rather than A. caldus became the predominant species in the middle stage. F. thermophilum accounted for the greatest proportion in the final stage.     

Comparative Leaching of Chalcopyrite by Selected Acidophilic Bacteria and Archaea

A systematic study of the bioleaching of chalcopyrite (CuFeS 2 ) was conducted using axenic cultures of 11 species of acidophilic Bacteria and Archaea to obtain a direct comparison of the microbial chalcopyrite leaching capabilities of the different cultures and to determine the factors that affect Cu release. The characteristics of chalcopyrite leaching by the moderate thermophile Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans , the mesophile Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans , and the thermophile Acidianus brierleyi were used to elucidate the leaching process. Moderately thermophilic cultures of Sulfobacillus acidophilus, Acidimicrobium ferrooxidans , and Acidithiobacillus caldus were used to study the effects of different metabolic capabilities and relate those to leaching efficiency. The greatest rate of Cu solubilization from chalcopyrite was achieved at high temperatures (up to 70°C) at redox potentials below +550 mV (Ag/AgCl). The enhanced Cu solubilization observed at high temperatures resulted from accelerated chemical reaction rates, rather than from the rates at which individual acidophiles generated the mineral leaching reactants such as Fe 3+ .     

Rapid specific detection and quantification of bacteria and archaea involved in mineral sulfide bioleaching using real-time PCR

A SybrGreen real-time PCR assay was developed to detect and quantify both total and selected 16S rDNA species of bacteria and archaea involved in the bioleaching of metals from sulfide ores. A set of specific and universal primers based on 16S rDNA sequences was designed and validated for specific detection and quantification of DNA isolated from representative strains of Acidianus brierleyi, Sulfolobus sp., Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans, Sulfobacillus acidophilus, Acidithiobacillus caldus, and Leptospirillum ferrooxidans. An artificial sequence based on 16S rDNA was constructed to quantify total 16S rDNA in mixed DNA samples. The real-time PCR assay was further validated using a mixture of 16S rDNA amplicons derived from the six different species, each added at a known amount. Finally, the real-time PCR assay was used to monitor the change of 16S rDNA copies of four bioleaching strains inoculated into chalcopyrite airlift column reactors operated at different temperatures. The growth dynamics of these strains correlated well with the expected effects of temperature in the chalcopyrite-leaching environment. The suitability of this method for monitoring microbial populations in industrial bioleaching environments is discussed.     

The Community Dynamics of Major Bioleaching Microorganisms During Chalcopyrite Leaching Under the Effect of Organics

To determine the effect of organics (yeast extract) on microbial community during chalcopyrite bioleaching at different temperature, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was employed to analyze community dynamics of major bacteria applied in bioleaching. The results showed that yeast extract exerted great impact on microbial community, and therefore influencing bioleaching rate. To be specific, yeast extract was adverse to this bioleaching process at 30°C due to decreased proportion of important chemolithotrophs such as Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans. However, yeast extract could promote bioleaching rate at 40°C on account of the increased number and enhanced work of Ferroplasma thermophilum, a kind of facultative bacteria. Similarly, bioleaching rate was enhanced under the effect of yeast extract at 50°C owing to the work of Acidianus brierleyi. At 60°C, bioleaching rate was close to 100% and temperature was the dominant factor determining bioleaching rate. Interestingly, the existence of yeast extract greatly enhanced the relative competitiveness of Ferroplasma thermophilum in this complex bioleaching microbial community.     

A novel Acidimicrobium species in continuous cultures of moderately thermophilic, mineral-sulfide-oxidizing acidophiles

A novel species of Acidimicrobium appeared to be the predominant ferrous iron oxidizer in a mixed culture that effected the continuous, efficient extraction of nickel from a mineral concentrate at 49 degrees C, but it was not isolated in pure culture. It outcompeted Acidimicrobium ferrooxidans, which was expected to have a major role in iron oxidation in reactors gassed with air, and was outnumbered at 49 degrees C only by the sulfur-oxidizing Acidithiobacillus caldus. Sulfobacillus species were expected to compete with Acidimicrobium species when culture aeration was enriched with carbon dioxide, but they were a minor component of the populations with and without this enrichment. Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans replaced the Acidimicrobium species and Acidithiobacillus caldus when the temperature was increased to 55 degrees C.     

Bioleaching of sulfidic tailing samples with a novel, vacuum-positive pressure driven bioreactor

This study presents a design for a novel bioreactor that uses alternating vacuum and positive pressure cycles to transfer acidic leach solution in and out of contact with finely ground sulfidic mine tailings. These tailings constitute an environmental problem that needs experimental data to support the development of management and control strategies. A conventional stirred tank bioreactor was used as a reference system. Both bioreactors were inoculated with mixed cultures of acidophilic iron and sulfur oxidizers. The rate of the bioleaching of tailings was 0.50 +/- 0.14 g Fe/L . day in the stirred tank bioreactor and 0.17 +/- 0.05 g Fe/L . day in the novel bioreactor. Microbial populations were identified in the two-bioreactor systems by analysis of 16S rRNA genes involving amplification, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), cloning, and sequencing. The inoculum contained sulfur-oxidizing Acidithiobacillus caldus and Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans, iron oxidizers from the genera Leptospirillum and Ferroplasma, and a chemoorganotrophic Alicyclobacillus sp. During bioleaching of the tailings, the microbial populations in both bioreactors were similar to the inoculum culture, except that At. thiooxidans outgrew At. caldus. Sequences consistent with a Sulfobacillus sp. were amplified from both bioreactor samples although this bacterium was initially below the level of detection in the inoculum. After prolonged operation, Ferroplasma acidiphilum and an uncultured bacterium related to the CFB group were also detected in the novel bioreactor, whereas Sulfobacillus sp. was no longer detected. The novel bioreactor has potential uses in other areas of environmental biotechnology that involves periodic contact of liquids with solid substrates.     

Bioleaching of chalcopyrite concentrate by a moderately thermophilic culture in a stirred tank reactor

A mixed culture of moderately thermophilic microorganisms was enriched from acid mine drainage samples collected from several chalcopyrite mines in China. Such mixed culture can be used to effectively extract copper from chalcopyrite. Furthermore, after being adapted to gradually increased concentration of chalcopyrite concentrate, the tolerance of the mixed culture to chalcopyrite concentrate was brought up to 80 g/L. The effects of several leaching parameters on copper recovery in stirred tank reactor also had been investigated. The results of the investigation show that it was possible to achieve a copper extraction rate of 75% in 44 days at a pulp density of 8%. The leaching rate of chalcopyrite concentrate tended to increase with dissolved total iron concentration. At low pH ranges, more microscopic counts of microorganisms were found in the solution. Furthermore, the analysis of leached residues indicates that the passivation of chalcopyrite concentrate was mainly due to a mass of jarosite and PbSO(4) on the mineral surface, other than the elemental sulphur layer. The bacterial community composition was analyzed by using Amplified Ribosomal DNA Restriction Analysis. Two moderately thermophilic bacteria species were identified as Leptospirillum ferriphilum and Acidithiobacillus caldus with abundance of 67% and 33% in the bio-pulp, respectively.