LixKit® Determination of Metabolically Active Microorganisms in Leaching Solutions

LixKit is a rapid, reliable and effective method for detection of the presence of acidophilic microorganisms in solutions from heap or dump leaching and in acid mine drainages.

Benefits of LixKit

• Rapid determination (10 minutes)


• Easy operation (kit ready for use)


• High reproducibility


• Allows measurements in the field


• Determines the metabolic activity of leaching microorganisms -'health' of the microflora


• Facilitates the metallurgical and operational decisions
  

Assay Principles
This technique detects the level of active leaching microorganisms by measuring the ATP present in them. This is done by an enzymatic reaction with Luciferin/Luciferase, enzyme that the fireflies have to produce their characteristic light.

With this technique, the amount of light produced is proportional to the amount of microorganisms present in the solution.

The method comprises the following steps:
a) concentrating acidophilic microorganisms from a given volume of aqueous sample;

b) removing the inhibitory agents for the bioluminescence reaction by washing the previously concentrated acidophilic microorganisms by means of two treatments with aqueous washing agents; and

c) extracting adenosine-triphosphate (ATP) from the acidophilic microorganisms and measuring the generated light by such ATP by means of a luminometer