EXTREMOPHILIC PATAGONIAN MICROORGANISMS WORKING IN BIOMINING

LAURA LAVALLE; ALEJANDRA GIAVENO; PATRICIA CHIACCHIARINI; RICARDO ULLOA; MARÍA SOFÍA URBIETA; EDGARDO DONATI

BIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY OF PATAGONIAN MICROORGANISMS

SPRINGER

Año: 2016; p. 185 - 204

Extremophile microorganisms have become a powerful tool in biotechnology. Among them, acidophilic and thermophilic microorganisms, iron(II) and/or sulfur oxidizers, are very important in ore processing operations as they enhance the dissolution of sulfides ore. The aim of this Chapter is to describe the physiological and phylogenetic characteristics of the main acidophilic species and communities found in geothermal and mining environments in Neuquén, Patagonia Argentina, and the advances done by our research group in their application to biomining and bioremediation of heavy metals. The description of a novel thermoacidophilic archaeon, Acidianus copahuensis, isolated and characterized by our research group, is included.