THE METAL-TOLERANT ALGAE Hormidium fluitans (GAY) HEERING FROM ACID MINE DRAINAGE WATERS IN NORTHERN AUSTRALIA AND PAPUA-NEW GUINEA
Year: 1977
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: The filamentous green alga Hormidium fluitans (Gay) Heering \ngrows extremely luxuriantly in turbulent outflows of mine drainage \nwaters in Northern Territory, Australia, and on Bougainville Island, \nPapua-New Guinea. The drainage waters contain between 30 and 700 \np.p.m. copper and have a pH range 3.2 - 5.3. The metal-concentrating \nability of the naturally-occurring alga has been examined in respect \nof 25 elements; high concentration ratios have been noted for the \nelements, Ag, Al, Fe, Mo, Ti and V. \nIn the case of copper, histochemical examination shows a possible \nbinding of the metal in a cell-wall layer. An alkali-soluble \nfraction of the dried cells prepared from field samples of the alga, \nhad a very high affinity for copper (11.8% of dry weight). This \nfraction made up about 1.5% of the cell polymers. \nThe alga has been artificially cultivated in a number of modes, \nbut grows best in vigorously sparged submerged culture on \nartificial mine water, in the presence of ore lumps. Under most \nlaboratory conditions, motile and unicellular forms of the algae \noccur. It has been shown recently that culture filtrate from the \nalgal growth stimulates the rate of iron oxidation and of growth of \nsome Thiobacillus ferrooxidans strains, and enhances the rate of \ncopper release from chalcopyrite ores.
Authors: J.C. Madgwick, B. J. Ralph
Language: English
Subfield: Environmental Chemistry
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funders: University of New South Wales, Rio Tinto
OpenAlex ID: W3135038205