Akademik

small rod-shaped bacteria living in sewage or soil and oxidizing sulfur

1. capitalized : a genus of small rod-shaped bacteria (family Thiobacteriaceae) that live in water, sewage, and soils, derive energy from oxidation of sulfides, thiosulfates, or elemental sulfur, and obtain carbon from carbon dioxide, bicarbonates, or carbonates in solution

2. plural thiobacilli : any member of the genus Thiobacillus

/thuy'oh beuh sil"euhs/, n., pl. thiobacilli /-sil"uy/. Bacteriol.

any of several rod-shaped bacteria of the genus Thiobacillus, inhabiting soil, sewage, etc., that derive energy from oxidation of sulfur or sulfur compounds.

[1975-80; NL; see THIO-, BACILLUS]

thiobacillˈus noun

Any of several rod-shaped bacteria, genus Thiobacillus, that live in soil, sewage, etc and that derive energy from the oxidation of sulphur or sulphur compounds (Thiobacillus ferrooxidans a thiobacillus that, in the presence of water, converts copper sulphide ores into copper sulphate (see ↑bacterial leaching under ↑leach¹))

Main Entry: ↑thio-