Abstract

A new species of Archaea grows at pH ∼0.5 and ∼40°C in slime streamers and attached to pyrite surfaces at a sulfide ore body, Iron Mountain, California. This iron-oxidizing Archaeon is capable of growth at pH 0. This species represents a dominant prokaryote in the environment studied (slimes and sediments) and constituted up to 85% of the microbial community when solution concentrations were high (conductivity of 100 to 160 millisiemens per centimeter). The presence of this and other closely related Thermoplasmales suggests that these acidophiles are important contributors to acid mine drainage and may substantially impact iron and sulfur cycles.

Keywords

PyriteArchaeaSulfurTailingsAcid mine drainageOxidizing agentSulfideEnvironmental chemistryIron bacteriaGeologyEcologyChemistryGeochemistryBiologyBacteriaPaleontology

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Publication Info

Year
2000
Type
article
Volume
287
Issue
5459
Pages
1796-1799
Citations
570
Access
Closed

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Cite This

Katrina J. Edwards, Philip L. Bond, Thomas M. Gihring et al. (2000). An Archaeal Iron-Oxidizing Extreme Acidophile Important in Acid Mine Drainage. Science , 287 (5459) , 1796-1799. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.287.5459.1796

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DOI
10.1126/science.287.5459.1796