Study of Growth and Kinetic Modelling of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans

Thiobacillus ferrooxidans was grown in a mineral medium and the trend of variation of OD, pH, Fe2+ and Fe3+ concentration with time was determined. Based on the growth curves the best time for transfer of the cultures to a new media was found to around 36 hr. For runs with T. ferrooxidans the change in concentration of Fe2+ and Fe3+ concentration with time of cultivation suggested that onset of stationary phase was due to substrate depletion rather than product inhibiton. The growth data were fitted better with the Tessier model than Jones and Kelly II model, the latter being a model that assumes growth is product inhibited.

Keywords:

Growth curve , Thiobacillus ferrooxidans , Thiobacillus thioooxidans , kinetic modelling