Synergistic Competitive Inhibition of Ferrous Iron Oxidation by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans by Increasing Concentrations of Ferric Iron and Cells

Abstract

Oxidation of ferrous iron by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans SM-4 was inhibited competitively by increasing concentrations of ferric iron or cells. A kinetic analysis showed that binding of one inhibitor did not exclude binding of the other and led to synergistic inhibition by the two inhibitors. Binding of one inhibitor, however, was affected by the other inhibitor, and the apparent inhibition constant increased with increasing concentrations of the other inhibitor.