Attachment of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans to pyrite in fresh and saline water and its fitting to Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms

Abstract

Attachment of bacteria Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans to pyrite was investigated in two different environment: fresh water and saline water (water with 35 g/L of NaCl), in both cases at pH 4. Adsorption isotherms were ?tted to the Langmuir and Freundlich models. The results showed that the bacteria adhere to pyrite to a greater extent in fresh water than in saline water. The Langmuir and Freundlich models ?tted well the data obtained in fresh water, showing a coeffcient of determination (R2) approximately equal to 0.8 for both models. On the other hand, in saline water the models did not show a good coeffcient of determination with a value approximately equal to 0.4 for both models.