Biological sulphur production potential of local sulphur oxidising bacteria culture and Thioalkalivibrio versutus AL2 in haloalkaliphilic conditions

Abstract

Sulphur used for industrial purposes is very difficult to recover after it has passed from the terrestrial environment to the aquatic environment. In this case, sulphur-oxidising and sulphur-reducing bacteria play a major role in the recovery of sulphur. Especially, sulphur-oxidising bacteria can be operated with high growth rates under extreme conditions at high salinity, high pH, and low temperatures. In the study, local strains isolated from the soda lake and Thioalkalivibrio versutus AL2 strain were compared in terms of substrate uptake rate, sulphur conversion rate, and sulphur production rate. Enriched culture showed better substrate uptake rate (47.3 ± 17.2 mg S2O32-S L-1 h-1), sulphur conversion (49.8 ± 0.2%) and sulphur production rate (8.5 ± 3.6 mg S0 L-1 h-1). The partial sulphur oxidation occurred in almost the same ratio (elemental sulphur in total oxidised sulphur) for the enriched local culture and T. versutus AL2 29.73% and 32.34% respectively.