Aerobic Heterotrophic Bacteria Indigenous to p H 2.8 Acid Mine Water: Predominant Slime-Producing Bacteria in Acid Streamers

Abstract

Five gram-negative bacteria, two gram-positive bacteria, and one yeast were isolated from “acid streamers” taken from acid mine water. One gram-positive rod which has been tentatively identified as a Bacillus species appeared to be the predominant organism in the streamers. This isolate produced copious amounts of extracellular polymer at 10 C in the laboratory and was considered to be the primary source of polymer in the “acid streamer” slime matrix. The organism grew slowly at p H 2.8 in mine water media, but the optimal p H was approximately 7.0.