reactors. Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans is commonly found in acid mine drainage and mine tailings. The oxidation of ferrous iron and reduced sulfur oxyanions, metal sulfides and elementary sulfur results in the production of ferric sulfate in sulfuric acid, this in turn causes the solubilization of metals and other compounds. As a result, A. ferrooxidans may be of interest for bioremediation processes. Acidithiobacillus is also commonly abundant upon inner surfaces of sewers in areas exhibiting corrosion; Genetic Sequencing identifies Acidothiobacillus thiooxidans as the usual species present, although it is occasionally absent from such locations. Morphology Acidithiobacillus spp. occur as single cells or occasionally in pairs or chains, depending on growth conditions. Highly motile species have been described, as well as nonmotile ones. Motile strains have a single flagellum with the exception of A. albertensis, which has a tuft of polar flagella and a glycocalyx. Nitrogen fixation also is an important ecological function carried out by some species in this genus, as is growth using molecular hydrogen as a source of energy - neither property is found in every species. Ferric iron can be used by some species as a terminal electron acceptor. See also Talvivaara mine Thiobacillus Thermithiobacillus Acidophiles in acid mine drainage References External links Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans ATCC 23270 Genome Page Thiobacillus sp. Type strain of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans at BacDive - the Bacterial Diversity Metadatabase Acidithiobacillia Bacteria genera