MICRO-C-OMICS-25: Some Like it Acidic
Today’s extremophilic (=extreme- loving) microorganisms are Acidophiles. Acidophilic microorganisms grow best at high acidic conditions, usually at pH lower than 3. (pH is the measure of Hydrogen ion concentration in a solution, indicating if the solution is acidic or alkaline. Pure water has a pH of 7, anything with a pH higher than 7 is alkaline and lower than 7 is acidic). Acidophilic bacteria are mainly found in volcanic areas and sulfuric acid pools like the ones in Yellow Stone National Park. These bacteria also thrive in the areas as a result of coal or metal mining. You may have heard the term “acid mine drainage” which is a huge environmental problem caused by the mining industry. It happens when the acidophilic bacteria dissolve the metals like copper, gold from the rocks and produce sulfuric acid, also called bioleaching. Some mining companies use bioleaching on purpose, in a controlled manner, to avoid using harmful chemicals, a practice known as biomining. Biomining activities are also gaining popularity as urban waste management practices. Electronic appliances have valuable metal components and acidophilic bacteria are put into work to recover those metals. There is even more, astrobiologists are already investigating how they can harness the power of these little miners in Mars to supply metals for building electronics and other stuff that cannot be carried in the space shuttles. And of course, like the other extremophiles, these bacteria provide clues about the origin of life on Earth and about life in other planets.
