Decrease in iron oxidizing activity of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans adsorbed on activated carbon
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Updated: Jul 4, 2026

Experimental Column Setup for Studying Anaerobic Biogeochemical Interactions Between Iron (Oxy)Hydroxides, Trace Elements, and Bacteria
Published on: December 19, 2017
T Kai1, T Takahashi, Y Shirakawa
1Department of Chemical Engineering, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890, Japan.
Abstract:
It was observed that about 90% of free-swimming Thiobacillus ferrooxidans in 9 K medium was adsorbed on added activated carbon when the concentration of the cultivated bacteria reached about 4 x 10(13) cells m(-3). The oxidation of ferrous iron and the leaching of copper ore were carried out in shake flasks and in aerated columns. The rates of oxidation and leaching increased when bacteria adsorbed on activated carbon were used. However, the evaluation of the reaction rates by eliminating the catalytic effect of activated carbon showed that the contribution to the reaction by the adsorbed microorganism was very small.
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