Investigations into the kinetics and stoichiometry of bacterial oxidation of covellite (CuS) using a polarographic oxygen probe.

"Oxygraph" apparatus was used to measure quantitatively the kinetics of oxidation of synthetic covellite (CuS) in the presence and absence of Thiobacillus species. The expected stoichiometric relationship between oxygen consumed and cupric sulphate produced was verified by atomic absorption assays of cupric ion and sulphate ion. Thiobacillus cultures markedly increased the oxidation rate. The dependence of each oxygen-uptake rate on oxygen concentration was also measured. Sterile controls and some bacterial cultures showed first-order kinetics while other cultures showed zero-order kinetics. Addition of biological inhibitors to reacting slurries revealed that cultures showing first-order kinetics did not oxidize CuS itself but merely oxidized elemental sulphur formed by non-enzymic oxidation of CuS. Cultures showing zero-order kinetics oxidized CuS in a way that resulted in all oxygen reduction being enzymic. This mechanism possibly involves the cyclic oxidation and reduction of soluble iron.