Applications of sulfur oxidizing bacteria

Abstract In the era of industrialization and development, atmospheric pollution is the most common issue arising worldwide. Change in earth’s natural environment such as acid rain, wastewater treatment plants, stink snags from contaminated surface water bodies, sewage, leaching and migration of heavy metals, landfills, corrosion of steel and concrete structures, and acidic components of sediments are result of growth and revolutions. To these, sulfur pollution is major addition due to anthropogenic activities. Bearing this sulfur pollution in mind, stern hitches are instigated predominantly by sulfides; which is reduced form of sulfur owing to their odor and toxic features. Sulfur oxidizing bacteria (SOB) play key role in nipping the buds of latter problem. Beside this role of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB), they possess extreme activity in the biogeochemical cycling soil ecosystems and wider application in processes such as bioleaching, bioremediation, biofertilizer as well as in technologies such as biofilters, biosensors and biodeodourizer by oxidizing reduced sulfur to its less harmless state. SOB oxidize sulfur both photoautotrophicaly and chemolithotrophicaly by means of sulfide oxidase; fundamental enzyme responsible for the process.