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Studies on the growth of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans

I. Use of membrane filters and ferrous iron agar to determine viable numbers, and comparison with 14CO2-fixation and iron oxidation as measures of growth

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Summary

A method for enumeration of viable numbers of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans using membrane filters on ferrous-iron agar is presented. Factors affecting colony production were the concentration and brand of agar, pH of the medium, and type of membrane filter. The results suggest that inhibition of T. ferrooxidans by agar is a result of the acid hydrolysis of agar, the main product of which is d-galactose. Colony development was suppressed by aged medium, by acid-hydrolysed agar and by 0.1% galactose. Sartorius and Millipore membrane filters were suitable for the experiments, whereas Oxoid MF-50 membranes virtually suppressed the production of colonies. The method was employed to follow growth of T. ferrooxidans in pH 1.3 medium. The viable cell numbers were correlated with 14CO2-fixation and ferrous iron oxidation. Generation time was 6 h 22 min with a yield of 2.2×1012 organisms/g atom Fe2+ oxidized. Growth of T. neapolitanus on thiosulphate medium was not affected by agar-type or membrane filters and yield of the organism was 1.5×1013 organisms/g molecule Na2S2O3 oxidized.

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Author notes

  1. Olli H. Tuovinen

    Present address: Department of Microbiology, University of Helsinki, SF-00710, Helsinki 71, Finland

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, Queen Elizabeth College, London, England

    Olli H. Tuovinen & Donovan P. Kelly

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  1. Olli H. Tuovinen
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  2. Donovan P. Kelly
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Tuovinen, O.H., Kelly, D.P. Studies on the growth of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans . Archiv. Mikrobiol. 88, 285–298 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00409941

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00409941

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