Identification and Metabolism of Naturally Prevailing Microorganisms in Zinc and Copper Mineral Processing
It has only recently been discovered that naturally prevailing microorganisms have a notable role in flotation in addition to chemical process parameters and overall water quality. This study’s aim was to assess the prevailing microbial communities in relation to process chemistry in a zinc and copp...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Minerals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/11/2/156 |
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| author | Hanna Miettinen Malin Bomberg Thi Minh Khanh Le Päivi Kinnunen |
| author_facet | Hanna Miettinen Malin Bomberg Thi Minh Khanh Le Päivi Kinnunen |
| author_sort | Hanna Miettinen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | It has only recently been discovered that naturally prevailing microorganisms have a notable role in flotation in addition to chemical process parameters and overall water quality. This study’s aim was to assess the prevailing microbial communities in relation to process chemistry in a zinc and copper mineral flotation plant. Due to the limitations of cultivation-based microbial methods that detect only a fraction of the total microbial diversity, DNA-based methods were utilised. However, it was discovered that the DNA extraction methods need to be improved for these environments with high mineral particle content. Microbial communities and metabolism were studied with quantitative PCR and amplicon sequencing of bacterial, archaeal and fungal marker genes and shotgun sequencing. Bacteria dominated the microbial communities, but in addition, both archaea and fungi were present. The predominant bacterial metabolism included versatile sulfur compound oxidation. Putative <i>Thiovirga</i> sp. dominated in the zinc plant and the water circuit samples, whereas <i>Thiobacillus</i> spp. dominated the copper plant. <i>Halothiobacillus</i> spp. were also an apparent part of the community in all samples. Nitrogen metabolism was more related to assimilatory than dissimilatory nitrate and nitrite oxidation/reduction reactions. Abundance of heavy metal resistance genes emphasized the adaptation and competitive edge of the core microbiome in these extreme conditions compared to microorganisms freshly entering the process. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:05:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f397820a9d054350b076dda7580f03ef |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-163X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:05:52Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Minerals |
| spelling | doaj.art-f397820a9d054350b076dda7580f03ef2023-12-03T12:03:54ZengMDPI AGMinerals2075-163X2021-02-0111215610.3390/min11020156Identification and Metabolism of Naturally Prevailing Microorganisms in Zinc and Copper Mineral ProcessingHanna Miettinen0Malin Bomberg1Thi Minh Khanh Le2Päivi Kinnunen3VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., Tietotie 2, FIN-02150 Espoo, FinlandVTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., Tietotie 2, FIN-02150 Espoo, FinlandDepartment of Bioproducts and Biosystems, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, P.O. Box 16300, 00076 Aalto, FinlandVTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., Visiokatu 4, P.O. Box 1300, 33101 Tampere, FinlandIt has only recently been discovered that naturally prevailing microorganisms have a notable role in flotation in addition to chemical process parameters and overall water quality. This study’s aim was to assess the prevailing microbial communities in relation to process chemistry in a zinc and copper mineral flotation plant. Due to the limitations of cultivation-based microbial methods that detect only a fraction of the total microbial diversity, DNA-based methods were utilised. However, it was discovered that the DNA extraction methods need to be improved for these environments with high mineral particle content. Microbial communities and metabolism were studied with quantitative PCR and amplicon sequencing of bacterial, archaeal and fungal marker genes and shotgun sequencing. Bacteria dominated the microbial communities, but in addition, both archaea and fungi were present. The predominant bacterial metabolism included versatile sulfur compound oxidation. Putative <i>Thiovirga</i> sp. dominated in the zinc plant and the water circuit samples, whereas <i>Thiobacillus</i> spp. dominated the copper plant. <i>Halothiobacillus</i> spp. were also an apparent part of the community in all samples. Nitrogen metabolism was more related to assimilatory than dissimilatory nitrate and nitrite oxidation/reduction reactions. Abundance of heavy metal resistance genes emphasized the adaptation and competitive edge of the core microbiome in these extreme conditions compared to microorganisms freshly entering the process.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/11/2/156bacteriaarchaeafungiflotationsulfurheavy metal resistance |
| spellingShingle | Hanna Miettinen Malin Bomberg Thi Minh Khanh Le Päivi Kinnunen Identification and Metabolism of Naturally Prevailing Microorganisms in Zinc and Copper Mineral Processing Minerals bacteria archaea fungi flotation sulfur heavy metal resistance |
| title | Identification and Metabolism of Naturally Prevailing Microorganisms in Zinc and Copper Mineral Processing |
| title_full | Identification and Metabolism of Naturally Prevailing Microorganisms in Zinc and Copper Mineral Processing |
| title_fullStr | Identification and Metabolism of Naturally Prevailing Microorganisms in Zinc and Copper Mineral Processing |
| title_full_unstemmed | Identification and Metabolism of Naturally Prevailing Microorganisms in Zinc and Copper Mineral Processing |
| title_short | Identification and Metabolism of Naturally Prevailing Microorganisms in Zinc and Copper Mineral Processing |
| title_sort | identification and metabolism of naturally prevailing microorganisms in zinc and copper mineral processing |
| topic | bacteria archaea fungi flotation sulfur heavy metal resistance |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/11/2/156 |
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