ENHANCEMENT OF SPECIFIC GROWTH-RATE OF IRON-OXIDIZING BACTERIA BY GLUCOSE

Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, isolated from mine water, utilized not only ferrous iron but also glucose to grow. By using ferrous-iron medium c ontaining glucose, a 7-fold population increase was obtained after 96 h of incubation. The ability to oxidize ferrous Iron was maintained du ring cultivation on the iron-glucose medium.