Metagenomic Analysis of the Microbiota Associated with Copper Mine Environment

• Grant number: 13/03382-1
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): August 01, 2013
• Effective date (End): February 28, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Molecular Genetics and Genetics of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Laura Maria Mariscal Ottoboni
• Grantee: Daniel Bedo Assumpção Castro
• Home Institution: Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética (CBMEG). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Mining in Brazil has highlighted its importance when it is considered the geodiversity, the range of different ores produced and the large investments that the sector will receive in coming years. Copper appears as a fundamental raw material for the development and maintenance of several national industries and as one of the major exported ore. The most employed processing of ores are pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical. Both processes are air, earth and water polluters when not utilized correctly, being the acid mine drainage one of the greatest environmental impact of mining. Acid mine drainage is characterized by a liquid rich in metals and low pH produced in the presence of microorganisms, sulphide minerals, water and oxygen. An alternative with low cost, ease of operation and capacity to increase the exploitation of low sulfide content ores, and in consequence increase the production, is the biohydrometallurgical processing, which uses microorganisms to dissolve many ores in a controlled manner. Currently some researches focus on understanding the biodiversity and distribution of microbial communities in acid mine drainage, but few studies aim to assess the genomes present in copper mining environments. Therefore this project proposes a metagenomics evaluation (technique that allows the simultaneous knowledge of several genomes in a sample through next generation sequencing) in environments of acid copper mine drainage to identify genes and metabolic pathways important for the survival of microorganisms (tolerance to extreme environment) and of interest for biotechnological, industrial and environmental applications.

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

CASTRO, Daniel Bedo Assumpção. Metagenomic analysis of the microbiota associated with copper mine environments. 2015. Master's Dissertation.