The Potential Role of Halothiobacillus spp. in Sulfur Oxidation and Acid Generation in Circum-Neutral Mine Tailings Reservoirs.

ABSTRACT: The biogeochemistry of acid mine drainage (AMD) derived from waste rock associated sulfide mineral oxidation is relatively well-characterized and linked to Acidithiobacillus spp.. However, little is understood about the microbial communities and sulfur cycling before AMD develops, a key component of its prevention. This study aimed to examine circum-neutral mining impacted water (MIW) communities and its laboratory enrichments for sulfur oxidizing bacteria (SoxBac). MIW in situ microbial communities differed in diversity, structure and relative abundance consistent with site specific variations in total aqueous sulfur concentrations (TotS; ~2-17 mM), pH (3.67-7.34), and oxygen (22-93% saturation). However, the sulfur oxidizer, Halothiobacillus spp. dominated seven of t

SUBMITTER: Whaley-Martin K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6418380 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature