Products • Mining

Determination of Metabolically Active Microorganisms in Bioleaching Solutions

LixKit®

The LixKit® is a fast, safe and effective for detecting the presence of acidophilic microorganisms in bioleaching solutions in piles or dumps and acid mine drainage method.

Real-time monitoring of metabolically active microorganisms in bioleaching solutions by bioluminescence

Test principle

This technique detects the level of active leaching microorganisms by measuring the ATP present in them. This is done by an enzymatic reaction with Luciferin/Luciferase, enzyme that the fireflies have to produce their characteristic light.

On this technique, the produce light is proportional to the amount of microorganisms present in the solution.

The method comprises the following steps:

  • Concentrating acidophilic microorganisms from a given volume of aqueous sample.

  • Removing the inhibitory agents for the bioluminescence reaction by washing the previously concentrated acidophilic microorganisms by means of two treatments with aqueous washing agents.

  • Extracting adenosine-triphosphate (ATP) from the acidophilic microorganisms and measuring the generated light by such ATP by means of a luminometer.

Benefits

Rapid determination
(10 minutes).

Easy operation
(kit ready for use).

High
reproducibility.

Allows
measurements
in the field.

Determines the metabolic activity
of leaching microorganisms,
"health" of the microflora.

Facilitates the
metallurgical and
operational decisions.

LixKit® Brochure.  Paper LixKit - Hydrocopper 2011  Paper LixKit–Hydroprocess 2013  Paper LixKit–Hydroprocess 2015