Textbook Question
Describe an example of bioconversion. What metabolic processes can result in fuels?
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Ch. 28 - Applied and Industrial Microbiology
Tortora14th EditionMicrobiology: An IntroductionISBN: 9780138200398
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Table of contents
- Ch. 1 - The Microbial World and You18
- Ch. 2 - Chemical Principles20
- Ch. 3 - Observing Microorganisms Through a Microscope18
- Ch. 4 - Functional Anatomy of Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells21
- Ch. 5 - Microbial Metabolism20
- Ch. 6 - Microbial Growth20
- Ch. 7 - The Control of Microbial Growth20
- Ch. 8 - Microbial Genetics19
- Ch. 9 - Biotechnology & DNA Technology20
- Ch. 10 - Classification of Microorganisms15
- Ch. 11 - The Prokaryotes: Domains Bacteria and Archaea14
- Ch. 12 - The Eukaryotes: Fungi, Algae, Protozoa, and Helminths17
- Ch. 13 - Viruses, Viroids, and Prions20
- Ch. 14 - Principles of Disease and Epidemiology21
- Ch. 15 - Microbial Mechanisms of Pathogenicity19
- Ch. 16 - Innate Immunity: Nonspecific Defenses of the Host20
- Ch. 17 - Adaptive Immunity: Specific Defenses of the Host20
- Ch. 18 - Practical Applications of Immunology20
- Ch. 19 - Disorders Associated with the Immune System19
- Ch. 20 - Antimicrobial Drugs19
- Ch. 21 - Microbial Diseases of the Skin and Eyes21
- Ch. 22 - Microbial Diseases of the Nervous System19
- Ch. 23 - Microbial Diseases of the Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Systems20
- Ch. 24 - Microbial Diseases of the Respiratory System20
- Ch. 25 - Microbial Diseases of the Digestive System20
- Ch. 26 - Microbial Diseases of the Urinary and Reproductive Systems19
- Ch. 27 - Environmental Microbiology20
- Ch. 28 - Applied and Industrial Microbiology19
Tortora14th EditionMicrobiology: An IntroductionISBN: 9780138200398Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 28, Problem 10
Which of the following reactions is an oxidation carried out by A. ferrooxidans?
a. Fe²⁺ → Fe³⁺
b. Fe³⁺ → Fe²⁺
c. CuS→ CuSO₄
d. Fe⁰ → Cu⁰
e. None of the above
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Understand the concept of oxidation in microbiology. Oxidation is the loss of electrons by a molecule, atom, or ion. In chemical terms, this usually corresponds to an increase in oxidation state.
Step 2: Identify the role of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (A. ferrooxidans). This bacterium is known for oxidizing ferrous iron (Fe²⁺) to ferric iron (Fe³⁺), which means it facilitates the reaction where Fe²⁺ loses an electron to become Fe³⁺.
Step 3: Analyze each reaction option to determine which involves oxidation (loss of electrons):
- a. Fe²⁺ → Fe³⁺: Fe²⁺ is oxidized to Fe³⁺ (loss of one electron).
- b. Fe³⁺ → Fe²⁺: Fe³⁺ is reduced to Fe²⁺ (gain of one electron), so this is not oxidation.
- c. CuS → CuSO₄: This is a chemical transformation involving copper sulfide to copper sulfate, which may involve oxidation but is not the classic reaction carried out by A. ferrooxidans.
- d. Fe⁰ → Cu⁰: This suggests elemental iron converting to elemental copper, which is not a typical oxidation reaction by A. ferrooxidans.
Step 4: Conclude that the oxidation reaction carried out by A. ferrooxidans is the conversion of Fe²⁺ to Fe³⁺, corresponding to option a.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Oxidation and Reduction Reactions
Oxidation involves the loss of electrons, while reduction involves the gain of electrons. In redox reactions, one substance is oxidized and another is reduced. Identifying which species loses electrons helps determine the oxidation process.
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Redox Reactions
Role of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans in Iron Oxidation
A. ferrooxidans is a chemolithoautotrophic bacterium that oxidizes ferrous iron (Fe²⁺) to ferric iron (Fe³⁺) as an energy source. This oxidation reaction is central to its metabolism and environmental role in bioleaching and acid mine drainage.
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Electron Transfer in Metal Ion Transformations
Metal ions can undergo redox changes by gaining or losing electrons, altering their oxidation states. For example, Fe²⁺ oxidizes to Fe³⁺ by losing an electron, while Fe³⁺ reduces to Fe²⁺ by gaining an electron. Understanding these changes is key to identifying oxidation reactions.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
Which of the following reactions is undesirable in winemaking?
a. Sucrose → ethanol
b. Ethanol → acetic acid
c. Malic acid → lactic acid
d. Glucose → pyruvic acid
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Textbook Question
Label the trophophase and idiophase in this graph. Indicate when primary and secondary metabolites are formed.
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Textbook Question
Van Leeuwenhoek was the first to see this budding microbe with a nucleus and cell wall; although humans have used it since before the beginning of recorded history, Louis Pasteur was the first to figure out what it does.
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