Surface chemical characterisation of Paenibacillus polymyxa before and after adaptation to sulfide minerals

Rao, Hanumantha K and Natarajan, KA and Forssberg, KSE and Sharma, PK (2001) Surface chemical characterisation of Paenibacillus polymyxa before and after adaptation to sulfide minerals. In: International Journal of Mineral Processing, 62 (1-4). pp. 3-25.

PDF Surface_chemical_characterisation.pdf - Published Version Restricted to Registered users only Download (641kB) | Request a copy

Abstract

A heterotroph Paenibacillus polymyxa bacteria is adapted to pyrite, chalcopyrite, galena and sphalerite minerals by repeated subculturing the bacteria in the presence of the mineral until their growth characteristics became similar to the growth in the absence of mineral. The unadapted and adapted bacterial surface have been chemically characterised by zeta-potential, contact angle, adherence to hydrocarbons and FT-IR spectroscopic studies. The surface free energies of bacteria have been calculated by following the equation of state and surface tension component approaches. The aim of the present paper is to understand the changes in surface chemical properties of bacteria during adaptation to sulfide minerals and the projected consequences in bioflotation and bioflocculation processes. The mineral-adapted cells became more hydrophilic as compared to unadapted cells. There are no significant changes in the surface charge of bacteria before and after adaptation, and all the bacteria exhibit an iso-electric point below pH 2.5. The contact angles are observed to be more reliable for hydrophobicity assessment than the adherence to hydrocarbons. The Lifschitz–van der Waals/acid–base approach to calculate surface free energy is found to be relevant for mineral–bacteria interactions. The diffuse reflectance FT-IR absorbance bands for all the bacteria are the same illustrating similar surface chemical composition. However, the intensity of the bands for unadapted and adapted cells is significantly varied and this is due to different amounts of bacterial secretions underlying different growth conditions.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	International Journal of Mineral Processing
Publisher:	Elsevier Science
Additional Information:	Copyright of this article belongs to Elsevier Science.
Keywords:	biomineral processing;sulfide minerals;Paenibacillus polymyxa; bioflotation;surface energy;infrared spectroscopy;contact angle.
Department/Centre:	Division of Mechanical Sciences > Materials Engineering (formerly Metallurgy)
Date Deposited:	02 Aug 2011 05:59
Last Modified:	02 Aug 2011 05:59
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/39631

Actions (login required)

View Item