Mineral Specific Biofilm Formation of “Acidibacillus ferrooxidans” Huett2

Recently, a novel acidophilic heterotrophic iron oxidizing bacterium belonging to the newly described genus Acidibacillus (formerly Alicyclobacillus) was isolated from a water drainage ditch in Freiberg, Germany. Bioleaching tests showed that Acidibacillus ferrooxidans Huett2 contributes to the dissolution of minerals. As microbe-mineral interactions play a crucial role in nature and enhance the reaction kinetics of the mineral dissolution, attachment of Ab. ferrooxidans Huett2 on the sulfide minerals pyrite (FeS2), chalcopyrite (CuFeS2), and chalcocite (Cu2S) is in the focus of our current investigations.