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Evidence of cell surface iron speciation of acidophilic iron-oxidizing microorganisms in indirect bioleaching process

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Abstract

While indirect model has been widely accepted in bioleaching, but the evidence of cell surface iron speciation has not been reported. In the present work the iron speciation on the cell surfaces of four typically acidophilic iron-oxidizing microorganism (mesophilic Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans ATCC 23270, moderately thermophilic Leptospirillum ferriphilum YSK and Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans St, and extremely thermophilic Acidianus manzaensis YN25) grown on different energy substrates (chalcopyrite, pyrite, ferrous sulfate and elemental sulfur (S0)) were studied in situ firstly by using synchrotron-based micro- X-ray fluorescence analysis and X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy. Results showed that the cells grown on iron-containing substrates had apparently higher surface iron content than the cells grown on S0. Both ferrous iron and ferric iron were detected on the cell surface of all tested AIOMs, and the Fe(II)/Fe(III) ratios of the same microorganism were affected by different energy substrates. The iron distribution and bonding state of single cell of A. manzaensis were then studied in situ by scanning transmission soft X-ray microscopy based on dual-energy contrast analysis and stack analysis. Results showed that the iron species distributed evenly on the cell surface and bonded with amino, carboxyl and hydroxyl groups.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the staff at beamlines BL08U1A and BL15U1 of Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF) for their help in beamlines operation and data collection. This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.51274257), the Joint Funds of National Natural Science Foundation of China and Large Scientific Facility Foundation of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No.U1232103), and the Open Funds of SSRF, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China (Grants No. 13SRBL08U1A3016, Z13sr0026, 13SRBL15U13024, and 13SRBL15U15653).

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China

      Zhen-yuan Nie, Hong-chang Liu, Jin-lan Xia, Yi Yang & Guan-zhou Qiu

    2. Key Lab of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education of China, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China

      Zhen-yuan Nie, Hong-chang Liu, Jin-lan Xia, Yi Yang & Guan-zhou Qiu

    3. Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai, 201800, China

      Xiang-jun Zhen & Li-juan Zhang

    4. Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201800, China

      Xiang-jun Zhen & Li-juan Zhang

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    1. Zhen-yuan Nie
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    Correspondence to Jin-lan Xia.

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    Zhen-yuan Nie and Hong-chang Liu have equally contributed to this work.

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    Nie, Zy., Liu, Hc., Xia, Jl. et al. Evidence of cell surface iron speciation of acidophilic iron-oxidizing microorganisms in indirect bioleaching process. Biometals 29, 25–37 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10534-015-9893-1

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