Acidithiobacillus

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Acidithiobacillus

Kingdom:	Eubacteria
Phylum:	Proteobacteria
Class:	Gamma Proteobacteria
Order:	Acidithiobacillales
Family:	Acidithiobacillaceae
Genus:	Acidithiobacillus

Species

Acidithiobacillus albertensis
Acidithiobacillus caldus
Acidithiobacillus cuprithermicus
Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans
Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans

Acidithiobacillus is a genus of proteobacteria. The members of this genus used to belong to Thiobacillus, before they were reclassified in the year 2000.^[1]

Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (syn. Thiobacillus ferrooxidans) lives in pyrite deposits, metabolizing iron and sulfur and producing sulfuric acid.
Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans (syn. Thiobacillus thiooxidans) consumes sulfur and produces sulfuric acid. Though first isolated from the soil^[2] it has also been observed corroding concrete sewer pipes, altering hydrogen sulfide sewage gas into sulfuric acid.^[3]

Both of these bacteria are used in a mining technique called bioleaching whereby metals are extracted from their ores through oxidation. The bacteria are used as catalysts.

[edit] References

^ Kelly, D.P., and Wood, A.P. (2000). "Reclassification of some species of Thiobacillus to the newly designated genera Acidithiobacillus gen. nov., Halothiobacillus gen. nov. and Thermithiobacillus gen. nov."". Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 50: 489-500. [1]
^ Selman A. Waksman and J.S. Joffe (1922). "Microorganisms Concerned in the Oxidation of Sulfur in the Soil II. Thiobacillus Thiooxidans, a New Sulfur-oxidizing Organism Isolated from the Soil". J Bacteriol 7 (2): 239–256. [2]
^ Sand, W. & Bock, E. (1987). "BIOTEST SYSTEM FOR RAPID EVALUATION OF CONCRETE RESISTANCE TO SULFUR-OXIDIZING BACTERIA". Materials Performance 26 (3): 14-17. [3]