M.Tech / Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been an integral tool in bacterial studies for resolving surface structures. Novel applications of this instrument in research require the development of sample preparation techniques and improvement of existing ones. Careful selection of the scanning parameters is particularly crucial when exploring the full potential of the AFM. The objective of this study was to design sample preparation methods for AFM imaging bioleaching bacteria and optimise the scanning parameters (deflection setpoint, feedback loop and the scan rate) for contact mode (CM) imaging in air. The method should be simple, fast and cost effective. The strategy used in this study of (i) evaluation of support substrates for bacterial attachment, (ii) investigation of the effect of pH and centrifugation on cell samples during imaging. Centrifuged and noncentrifuged cell samples suspended in either deionised water (pH 7) or acidified water (pH 1.5) were tested for imaging. Mica and glass cover slips were used as potential substrates for attachment. Cells were attached to substrates for imaging by simple adsorption (‘air-drying’ method). To optimise the scanning parameters, the effect of different values of the scan rate, deflection setpoint and the feedback gains on the quality of AFM imaging was investigated. Optimisation of these parameters was found to be instrumental when imaging weakly adsorbed samples prepared by simple adsorption and ‘soft’ samples such as bacterial cells. The results obtained from these experiments were used during preparation of iron- oxidising leaching bacteria for AFM imaging. The surface morphology of iron-grown bacterial samples was investigated with contact mode AFM in air. Reproducible results obtained in each scan shown by the stability of morphological characteristics of bacterial samples indicate that (i) mica can be used successfully as a substrate for attaching cells, (ii) centrifuged bacterial samples can be easily imaged (iii) scanning with scan rate values of <0.5Hz, deflection setpoint of between 0.2-0.5V and feedback values of < 5.000V improve the image quality and can prevent deformation of the bacterial cells by the tip. Non-centrifuged samples could not be imaged, indicating that bacterial cells need to be separated from growth residues as a prerequisite for successful AFM imaging.

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No description available.

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2005. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains vii, 41 p. : ill. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 40-41).

No description available.

M.Sc. / The leaching of chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) concentrate in a ferrous iron promoted aerobic/anaerobic controlled low potential sulphate system was investigated by using the duel metabolic (aerobic ferrous iron oxidation and anaerobic ferric iron reduction) capabilities of Ferroplasma JTC 3. The experimental work conducted in this study was divided in three sections. The first section focussed on the identification and phylogenetic classification of Ferroplasma JTC 3, first identified amongst a mixed microbial population in a 55 oC pyrite concentrate-fed bioreactor operated at Johannesburg Technology Centre (BHP Billiton, JTC). Based on the 16S rDNA sequence and the phylogenetic analysis, Ferroplasma JTC 3 represents a new species member under the genus of Ferroplasma. The optimal growth temperature of Ferroplasma JTC 3 was determined at approximately 53 oC (moderate thermophile). The second section of this study focussed on the isolation, basic metabolism and growth conditions of Ferroplasma JTC 3, specifically directed towards the chalcopyrite leaching related experimental work. An important aspect of this study was to compare low potential chalcopyrite leaching (potential below 400 mV vs. Ag/AgCl) against high potential chalcopyrite bioleaching (potential above 600 mV vs. Ag/AgCl) in terms of the rate of copper extraction. Microbial growth and the rate of ferrous iron oxidation are essential in order to maintain a high potential during an extended leach period, which was typically the case in the high potential chalcopyrite leaching experiments performed during this study. Ferroplasma JTC 3 required yeast extract as sole carbon source (chemo-heterotrophic) for growth via aerobic ferrous iron oxidation. Taking into account no carbon dioxide enrichment via aeration, chemo-autotrophic growth by means of ferrous iron oxidation was poor with carbon dioxide as sole carbon source. The anaerobic metabolism of Ferroplasma JTC 3 was utilized in assisting with solution potential control during the low potential chalcopyrite leaching work. The anaerobic metabolism enabled the reduction of ferric iron (decrease redox potential) in the presence of elemental sulphur and yeast extract. Elemental sulphur was shown to be a requirement for Ferroplasma JTC 3 assisted ferric iron reduction, which was not influenced by different ferrous/ferric iron based redox potentials. The third section covers the main focus of this study, which was the low potential leaching of chalcopyrite in combination with the metabolic capabilities of Ferroplasma JTC 3. The major challenge of low potential chalcopyrite leaching in an acidic environment is maintaining the solution potential below the critical upper limit (400 mV vs. Ag/AgCl) of the low potential window for prolonged periods of time. The reason is the slow chemical oxidation of ferrous iron in the presence of oxygen, which increases the leach solution potential above the critical upper limit before complete copper dissolution is obtained. The aim of this study was to maintain a low solution potential environment in a bioreactor via a programmable electronic gas control system, capable of creating an aerobic environment until the solution potential would reach the upper low potential limit (400 mV vs. Ag/AgCl) due to ferrous iron oxidation (chemically or via Ferroplasma JTC 3) and then switch to an anaerobic environment. During the anaerobic environment, the aim was to decrease the solution potential to a lower potential set point via chalcopyrite oxidation by ferric iron (ferric iron reduction) and by employing the ferric iron reduction metabolism of Ferroplasma JTC 3. With the particular aerobic/anaerobic solution potential control system, in conjunction with the metabolic capabilities of Ferroplasma JTC 3, the solution potential could be controlled within the critical low potential region, but no chalcopyrite leaching could be obtained during the anaerobic phase. The lack of chalcopyrite leaching during the anaerobic phase was due to inability of ferric iron to act as oxidant of chalcopyrite after the mineral was pre-leached in the preceding aerobic phase. The “oxidative acid leach” mechanism was identified as the dominant leach reaction that prevailed during the aerobic low potential stage in each of the aerobic/anaerobic control experiments conducted, in which oxygen acts as oxidant of chalcopyrite (electron acceptor) in the presence of protons (H+) (acidic environment), instead of ferric iron in an acid environment. The “boundary potential”, which is the maximum solution where no electron flow occurred to the ferrous/ferric couple from “pre-leached” chalcopyrite, was identified in the region of 450 mV (Ag/AgCl). Under the experimental conditions within this study, the leaching of chalcopyrite within the aerobic phase of the aerobic/anaerobic control experiments was superior to the Ferroplasma JTC 3 mediated high potential leaching, but complete copper dissolution could not be obtained with the combined aerobic and anaerobic system. Ferric iron precipitation as a function of pH was proposed as a tool for solution potential control, instead of controlling the potential by limiting oxygen to the leach system. In controlling the solution potential via pH, almost complete copper dissolution from chalcopyrite was obtained, while maintaining the solution potential below the critical upper limit of the low potential region.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Queensland, 2005. / Includes bibliography.

Thesis (doctoral)--University of Tartu, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:23:06Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2013-07-05Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:09:18Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 garcia_ig_me_araiq_parcial.pdf: 206327 bytes, checksum: 96ce2244d53cd6b26eef086e6ea1ab1a (MD5) Bitstreams deleted on 2015-06-03T11:42:41Z: garcia_ig_me_araiq_parcial.pdf,. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2015-06-03T11:44:08Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000721776_20150831.pdf: 196800 bytes, checksum: 7855db2c08df6a688c6d404aeebac5cd (MD5) Bitstreams deleted on 2015-08-31T12:12:22Z: 000721776_20150831.pdf,. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2015-08-31T12:12:57Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000721776.pdf: 1205657 bytes, checksum: 64d61f0337043ba4804b2dcd6c5ffe5b (MD5) / Na natureza, os sulfetos minerais constituem a principal fonte para extração industrial de metais, como o cobre, o chumbo, o zinco e o níquel. A calcopirita (CuFeS2) é um sulfeto de cobre importante, sendo o mineral de cobre mais abundante na natureza. Dentre os processos utilizados para a extração de metais está a biolixiviação, que consiste no processamento de minérios utilizando-se micro-organismos, e é reconhecida hoje como uma metodologia interessante sob os pontos de vista econômico e ambiental. Neste contexto, este trabalho foi desenvolvido com o objetivo de se obter consórcios oxidantes de ferro e de enxofre capazes de promover a solubilização da calcopirita. Para obtenção dos consórcios, quinze amostras minerais fornecidas pela Companhia Vale S.A. foram enriquecidas em meios de cultivo específicos. Foram obtidos 4 consórcios oxidantes de ferro e 4 oxidantes de enxofre, denominados Dep SOS-4, S3A, SO3, D1. A análise dessas amostras minerais por difração de raios X evidenciou a presença predominante de quartzo (SiO2) nas amostras Dep SOS-4 e S3A e nas amostras D1 e SO3 também foi observado covelita (CuS), pirrotita (FeS), calcopirita (CuFeS2) e enxofre (S0). Os consórcios oxidantes de ferro foram adaptados ao crescimento em calcopirita e submetidos a ensaios de biolixiviação em calcopirita. Agrupamentos dos consórcios também foram realizados, porém sem adaptação prévia à calcopirita. Nos ensaios de biolixiviação, os valores de Eh se elevaram continuamente nos frascos inoculados, estabilizando ao redor de 550 mV, indicando o aumento da relação Fe3+/Fe2+, o que afeta diretamente a solubilização dos metais pela ação oxidante do Fe3+. Mesmo considerando que a calcopirita é um dos sulfetos mais refratários ao ataque oxidante, bacteriano ou químico, a extração de cobre nos ensaios... / In nature, sulphide minerals are the main sources for extraction of some metals for industrial uses, such as copper, lead, zinc and nickel. One of the most important and explored copper sulphide is chalcopyrite, being the most abundant copper mineral in nature. Metals can be extracted using microorganisms, leading the bioleaching to an economic and environmentally sustainable process. In this research, it was developed different iron and sulfur oxidizer consortium to promote chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) solubilization. All consortium were obtained from previous enrichment in a specific culture of 15 ore samples provided by Companhia Vale S.A. Four iron oxidizer and four sulfur oxidizer consortium were prepared, and named Dep SOS-4, S3A, SO3 and D1. X ray diffraction of the Dep SOS-4 and S3A samples showed mainly quartz content (SiO2), whereas the SO3 and D1 samples showed covellite (CuS), pyrrothite (FeS), chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) and sulfur (S0) presence too. The iron oxidizer consortium were adapted to grow with chalcopyrite and then used in shake flasks experiments with chalcopyrite. A mix of consortiums was performed, but without a previous adaptation to the chalcopyrite. The Eh values increased during the bioleaching of the inoculated flasks, stabilizing around 550 mV, which affects metal solubilization due to an increase in the Fe+3/Fe+2 ratio. The iron oxidizer consortium resulted in a better dissolution of the chalcopyrite when compare with the control, sulfur oxidizer consortium and pure strain At. thiooxidans - FG01. However, it was not observed any significant difference between the consortium and At. ferrooxidans - LR in the chalcopyrite dissolution. In the respirometric tests with chalcopyrite as substrate were observed lower consumption of oxygen to the iron oxidizer consortium (Dep SOS -4, S3A, SO3 and D1) in relation to... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)