Bio-leaching of manganese from electrolytic manganese slag by Microbacterium trichothecenolyticum Y1: Mechanism and characteristics of microbial metabolites

Abstract

The related microbial metabolomics on biological recovery of manganese (Mn) from Electrolytic Manganese Slag (EMS) has not been studied. This study aimed at open the door to the metabolic characteristics of microorganisms in leaching Mn from EMS by using waste molasses (WM) as carbon source. Results show Microbacterium trichothecenolyticum Y1 (Y1) could effectively leach Mn from EMS in combination with using waste molasses as carbon and energy sources. For the first time, Y1 was identified to be capable of generating and then metabolizing several organic acids or other organic matter (e.g., fumaric acid, succinic acid, malic acid, glyoxylic acid, 3-hydroxybutyric acid, glutaric acid, L(+)-tartaric acid, citric acid, tetrahydrofolic acid, and L-methionine). The production of organic acids by Y1 bacteria was promoted by EMS with the carbon source. This study demonstrated for the first time that metabolic characteristics and carbon source metabolic pathways of Y1 in bioleaching of Mn from EMS.