Effects of the oxygen transfer rate on ferrous iron oxidation by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans

Abstract

Ferrous iron oxidation by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans was studied in shake flasks and a bubble column under different aeration conditions. The maximum biooxidation rate constant was affected by oxygen transfer only at low aeration intensities. At oxygen transfer rates higher than 0.03 mmol O 2 l −1 min −1, the maximum biooxidation rate constant was about 0.050 h −1 in both shake flasks of different size and the bubble column. The oxygen transfer rate could be used as a basis for scaling up bioreactors for ferrous iron biooxidation by T. ferrooxidans.