sulfur bacterium

biology
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://mainten.top/science/sulfur-bacterium
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Also known as: sulfur bacteria, sulphur bacterium
Plural:
Sulfur Bacteria

sulfur bacterium, any of a diverse group of microorganisms capable of metabolizing sulfur and its compounds and important in the sulfur cycle (q.v.) in nature. Some of the common sulfur substances that are used by these bacteria as an energy source are hydrogen sulfide (H2S), sulfur, and thiosulfate (S2O32-). The final product of sulfur oxidation is sulfate (SO42-).

Thiobacillus, widespread in marine and terrestrial habitats, oxidizes sulfur, producing sulfates useful to plants; in deep ground deposits it generates sulfuric acid, which dissolves metals in mines but also corrodes concrete and steel. Desulfovibrio desulficans reduces sulfates in waterlogged soils and sewage to hydrogen sulfide, a gas with the rotten egg odour so common to such places. Thiothrix, common in sulfur springs and in sewage, and Sulfolobus, confined to sulfur-rich hot springs, transform hydrogen sulfide to elemental sulfur.

Many species in the families Chromatiaceae (purple sulfur bacteria) and Chlorobiaceae (green sulfur bacteria) utilize energy from light in an oxygen-free environment to transform sulfur and its compounds to sulfates.