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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, January 1999, p. 319-321, Vol. 65, No. 1
0099-2240/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Bacterial Leaching of Metal Sulfides Proceeds by Two Indirect Mechanisms via Thiosulfate or via Polysulfides and Sulfur

Axel Schippers* and Wolfgang Sand

Abteilung Mikrobiologie, Institut für Allgemeine Botanik, Universität Hamburg, D-22609 Hamburg, Germany

Received 20 July 1998/Accepted 22 October 1998

The acid-insoluble metal sulfides FeS2, MoS2, and WS2 are chemically attacked by iron(III) hexahydrate ions, generating thiosulfate, which is oxidized to sulfuric acid. Other metal sulfides are attacked by iron(III) ions and by protons, resulting in the formation of elemental sulfur via intermediary polysulfides. Sulfur is biooxidized to sulfuric acid. This explains leaching of metal sulfides by Thiobacillus thiooxidans.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Abteilung Mikrobiologie, Institut für Allgemeine Botanik, Universität Hamburg, Ohnhorststraße 18, D-22609 Hamburg, Germany. Phone: 49(0)40/82282-421. Fax: 49(0)40/82282-423. E-mail: fb6a042{at}botanik.botanik.uni-hamburg.de.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, January 1999, p. 319-321, Vol. 65, No. 1
0099-2240/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


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