Survival mechanisms of microorganisms occurring in acid mine drainage: sulfur, iron, carbon, and nitrogen metabolic pathways

Abstract

Highlights• aMD environment has low ph, high concentration of metals and low availability of nutrients • Iron and sulfur are the major energy sources for microorganisms living in aMD environments, characterizing them as chemolithotrophs • special metabolic mechanisms allow aMD microorganisms to survive and thrive in conditions of low ph, high metal concentrations and lack of nutrients