About this Research Topic

Background

Sulfidogenic processes encompass the generation of sulfide/hydrogen sulfide by the reduction of diverse sulfur-containing compounds. Several microorganisms are able to reduce sulfur-containing compounds while oxidizing inorganic and/or organic carbons sources to grow. Sulfidogenesis may be mediated by prokaryotic microorganisms via desulfhydration; polysulfide, sulfate, thiosulfate, sulfite, sulfur respiration; and sulfur disproportionation. The physiological versatility of microorganisms able to respire sulfur compounds makes them a powerful tool for application in a wide range of pH values and temperature within a broad range of carbon and energy sources.

This flexibility has triggered the interest of the scientific community, and an association between microbiology and engineering techniques has been applied to design and optimize biotechnological processes that aim at biological sulfide production. The application of such conversion has many possibilities, and it includes, but is not limited to, sulfate reduction coupled to autotrophic denitrification in sulfate and nitrogen rich wastewaters (such as in SANI technology), recycling of sulfide in biodesulfurization technologies, PHA production, or biological treatment of waste streams rich in heavy metals. In the latter, bio sulfide is produced and precipitated with the metals in the waste stream, allowing for its recovery, which is promising both for treating mining wastes (such as acid mine drainage), or in an urban mining context. The extensive possibilities for the application of biosulfidogenis make it a remarkable process for tackling environmental issues and harvesting added-value products, therefore contributing to a circular economy.

Thus, sulfidogenic processes with the employment of sulfur compounds respirers have been successfully developed and applied for multiple scientific and commercial-scale operations in various parts of the world. Despite biosulfidogenic processes being known for a long time, recent advances in microbial physiology and in engineering strategies have extended the horizon of this technology.

This Research Topic aims to gather research on biosulfidogenesis and related studies, from field-based to lab work and pilot-scale studies, bringing forth the recent advancements with regard to the environmental conditions of biosulfidogenesis (e.g. T and pH limits, carbon sources), ecological behaviour of microorganisms that play a role in sulfur cycle, recovery of resources from sulfate-rich wastewater, as well as in the design and scale-up applications of such biological conversion, and the microbial interactions and/or performance in those processes.

We, therefore, encourage potential contributors to submit their most recent findings and studies as Original Research, Reviews, and Mini-Reviews.

Keywords: Sulfur Cycle, Sulfidogenesis, Sulfur Reduction, Sulfate Reduction, Sulfur Disproportionation

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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