Kinetic study of ferrous sulphate oxidation of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans in the presence of heavy metal ions

The obtained results show a non-competitive inhibition of heavy metals over bacterial oxidation of ferrous sulphate. In accordance with this kind of inhibition, a kinetic equation has been proposed to predict the behaviour of At. ferrooxidans in the presence of heavy metals in the range of concentrations studied.