Modified 9K Medium for Ore Bioleaching

Mustafa Engin Kocadagistan; Ismail Seckin Cardakli; Yunus Emre Benkli

Mustafa Engin Kocadagistan Atatürk University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Erzurum, Turkey
Ismail Seckin Cardakli Atatürk University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Erzurum, Turkey
Yunus Emre Benkli Atatürk University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Erzurum, Turkey

Keywords: Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, 9K medium, Modification, Iron oxidation, Acid mine drainage

Abstract

Bioleaching applications with Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (A.f) have shown significant progress in recent years. Before being used in bioleaching applications, bacterial isolation processes must be performed and they must be provided to reach sufficient purity, activity, and population. For this, mediums are prepared by using various nutrient mixtures in different ratios. In this study, it was tried to obtain a modified medium that could be an alternative to the 9K medium of Silverman and Lundgren. At the same time, bacterial growth rates and Fe oxidation rates were investigated. During the modification process, KH₂PO₄ was used instead of K₂HPO₄, and its effects on bacterial growth were investigated by increasing the amount of FeSO₄.7H₂O. The experiments were conducted in 250 mL shaken flasks for 16 days in a continuous incubator system. In the experiments, bacterial growth and Fe oxidation were investigated by analyzing ferric ion concentration in specific periods and observing the color change of the solution. At the end of the experiments, it was determined that the highest iron oxidation efficiency, the lowest acid consumption and the best bacterial growth were in Medium 6 (0.1 g/L FeSO₄7H₂O, non-KH₂PO₄).

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