O₂ partitioning of sulfur oxidizing bacteria drives acidity and thiosulfate distributions in mining waters.

ABSTRACT: The acidification of water in mining areas is a global environmental issue primarily catalyzed by sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB). Little is known about microbial sulfur cycling in circumneutral pH mine tailing impoundment waters. Here we investigate biological sulfur oxidation over four years in a mine tailings impoundment water cap, integrating aqueous sulfur geochemistry, genome-resolved metagenomics and metatranscriptomics. The microbial community is consistently dominated by neutrophilic, chemolithoautotrophic SOB (relative abundances of ~76% in 2015, ~55% in 2016/2017 and ~60% in 2018). Results reveal two SOB strategies alternately dominate across the four years, influencing acid generation and sulfur speciation. Under oxic conditions, novel Halothiobacillus drive lower pH conditions

SUBMITTER: Whaley-Martin KJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10086054 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature