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Effects of Mineral Salts on the Activity and Composition of a Mixed Culture of Acidophilic Microorganisms

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Abstract

The effect of mineral salts on an acidophilic mixed culture was investigated. The tested mixed culture included representatives of the genera Leptospirillum, Sulfobacillus, and Acidiplasma. Elimination of each mineral salt studied led to a decrease in the diversity of the mixed culture. The influence of mineral salts and elements in the 9K medium on microbial reproduction follow the sequence: FeSO4·7H2O > MgSO4·7H2O > (NH4)2SO4 > CaNO3 > K2HPO4 > KCl and Fe > N > Mg > K > Ca > P > Cl. In terms of microbial function, the sequence is as follows: FeSO4·7H2O > K2HPO4 > CaNO3 > MgSO4·7H2O > (NH4)2SO4 > KCl and Fe > K > P > Ca > Mg > N > Cl. The significantly influenced genera were Cuniculiplasma, A-plasma, Ferroplasma, Sulfobacillus, and Leptospirillum. Sulfur oxidation and nitrogen fixation were the most severely affected microbial functions. This research provides a basis for the improvement of microbial cultures applied for the bioleaching and optimization of the biometallurgical process.

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Funding

This work was funded by the National Key R&D Program of China (2018YFC1902002), Special Fund for the National Natural Science Foundation of China (U1608254), and the Zijin mining Group Co., Ltd. (ZJKY2017(B)KFJJ01, ZJKY2017(B)KFJJ02).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory for Ecological Metallurgy of Multimetallic Mineral (Ministry of Education), Northeastern University, 110819, Shenyang, China

    J. Li, H. Yang, L. Tong, Z. Jin & G. Chen

  2. School of Metallurgy, Northeastern University, 110819, Shenyang, China

    J. Li, H. Yang, L. Tong, Z. Jin & G. Chen

  3. Tibet Huatailong Mining Development Co., Ltd., 850200, Lasa, China

    Z. Liu

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  1. J. Li
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Correspondence to H. Yang.

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The author Zilong Liu was employed by Tibet Huatailong Mining Development Co., Ltd. The other authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Li, J., Yang, H., Tong, L. et al. Effects of Mineral Salts on the Activity and Composition of a Mixed Culture of Acidophilic Microorganisms. Microbiology 90, 857–867 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0026261722010088

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0026261722010088

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