Table 5.

Specific rates of ferrous iron oxidation by the type strains of L. ferrooxidans and At. ferrooxidans grown on pyrite.

Bacterium	Fe2+ oxidation (mg min−1 g−1 protein)	RLU* (μg protein−1)
L. FERROOXIDANS (PYRITE; PLANKTONIC CELLS)
Week 1	527 ± 7.8	5,112
Week 2	283 ± 6.1	2,291
AT. FERROOXIDANS (PYRITE; PLANKTONIC CELLS)
Week 1	562 ± 1.0	5,486
Week 2	240 ± 1.0	2,444
At. ferrooxidans: pyrite
Planktonic cells	224 ± 1.0	n.d.
Attached cells	307 ± 1.0	n.d.

*Relative light units (measurement of ATP concentration).