The pyrite iron cycle catalyzed by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans

Abstract

In this paper, we study a model of the biotic pyrite iron cycle catalyzed by bacteria Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, in mining activity sites waste dumps. Chemical reactions, reaction rates and the population growth model are mostly taken from the existing literature. Analysis of the corresponding dynamical system shows the existence of up to four non-trivial steady state solutions. The stability of the equilibria solutions is determined, finding up to two coexisting stable solutions. Two Hopf bifurcations and a region of parameter space in which there are stable periodic solutions are found. In addition, we find a homoclinic bifurcation which gives rise to a stable periodic orbit of large period. The existence of these stable oscillatory solutions gives a possible explanation for the oscillations of bacteria concentration and pH for the iron cycle, described in Jaynes et al. (Water Resour Res 20:233-242, 1984).