TITLE:
Microbial Community with Potential for Metal Release Isolated from Palca Mine Tailings Pond in Peru
AUTHORS:
César Wilber Guzmán Moreno, Bruno Karolski, Solange Kazue Utimura, Roberto Castellanos Cabrera, Jhon Albert Centeno Torres, Daladier Miguel Castillo Cotrina, Elisabete de Santis Braga, Dayana Sarai Gamonal Fermandez, Denise Crocce Romano Espinosa, Joel Barbujiani Sigolo
KEYWORDS:
Acidophilic Microorganisms, Acid Mine Drainage—AMD, Bioleaching Process, Metals Recovery, Acidithiobacillus
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection,
Vol.12 No.7,
July
25,
2024
ABSTRACT: The improvement of microbial characterization has increased the comprehension of microbial population and their ability in the microbiological metal dissolution. Bioleaching processes have been expanded to use microorganisms for the recovery of metals from ores and wastes. This study introduces Palca mine tailings pond in Peru which turned into acid mine drainage (AMD). AMD is a source of microbial communities whose microorganisms may support the aqueous extractive metallurgy for metal recovery. Four samples of AMD were collected from different locations and the elemental characterization showed concentrations of metals, such as Cu, Zn, Al, Mn, and Fe. The pH of the samples showed variation between 1.9 - 6.8. Twenty-one microorganisms were isolated and selected according the cell morphology. 16s rRNA gene sequences identified five species of which three belong to the bacterial kingdom and two to the Fungi kingdom. Two of the bacterial species were ferrous ion oxidizing bacteria, identified as Acidithiobacillus ferriphilus and Acidithiobacillus ferridurans; and the other one a ferric ion reducing bacteria identified as Acidiphilium acidophilum. The fungi species identified were Rhodotorula sinensis and Exophiala xenobiotica, a filamentous fungus isolated for the first time from an AMD.