title: Microbial processing of apatite rich low grade Indian uranium ore in bioreactor.
abstract: Bioreactor leaching using enriched culture of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Leptosprillium ferrooxidans was investigated for the apatite rich Indian (Narwapahar) uranium ore. Bioreactor leaching of Narwapahar ore of <45 μm size at pH 2.0 and 10% (w/v) PD using 10% (v/v) inoculum of the bacterium at 35 °C (A. ferrooxidans) and 40 °C (L. ferrooxidans), solubilised 57% and 63% uranium in 5 days, respectively; the E(SCE) values being 561 and 588 mV. Leaching kinetics improved so much so that ~83% uranium was recovered in just 10h with 10% inoculum of A. ferrooxidans containing biogenic Fe(3+); at 20% PD uranium recovery rose to 87%. Role of temperature (25-40 °C) was noticed with 90.3% uranium bioleaching in 10h at 40 °C with L. ferrooxidans as against 77% leaching with A. ferrooxidans at pH 2.0, 40 °C and 20% (w/v) PD.
authors.affiliation: CSIR-National Metallurgical Laboratory, Jamshedpur 831007, India. biometnml@gmail.com
authors.lastname: Abhilash
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Pandey
mesh_terms: D042763:Acidithiobacillus / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism*; D001031:Apatites / Q000378:metabolism*; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000382:microbiology*; D007194:India; D008906:Mining / Q000379:methods*; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D013045:Species Specificity; D014501:Uranium / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001031:Apatites; D014501:Uranium