Actual acid mine drainage (AMD) containing a high concentration of sulfate (∼1,000 mg·L−1), dissolved metals, uranium, rare earth elements and yttrium (REY) was treated using a down-flow fixed-structured bed biological reactor (DFSBR). The reactor was operated in a continuous flow mode for 175 days and the temperature was maintained at 30 °C. The synthetic AMD was gradually replaced by the actual AMD in 20, 50 and 75% of the total medium volume. Sugarcane vinasse was used as the electron donor and the influent pH of the reactor was decreased from 6.9 to 4.6 until the system collapsed. REY elements and transition metals were removed from the actual AMD and precipitated in the down-flow fixed-structured bed reactor. Sulfate reduction achieved 67 ± 22% in Phase II and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal was above 56% in Phases I and II. Removal of La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm and Y was higher than 70% in both Phases II and III while Fe, Al, Si and Mn were removed with efficiencies of 79, 67, 48 and 25%, respectively. The results highlighted the potential use of DFSBR in the treatment of AMD, providing possibilities for simultaneous sulfate reduction and metal and REY recovery in a single unit.

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Uma forma eficiente de tratar efluentes provindos de drenagem ácida de mina (DAM), frente aos tratamentos convencionais de neutralização da acidez, é por meio da aplicação de processos biológicos anaeróbios que utilizam bactérias redutoras de sulfato (BRS) apresentando remoção de sulfato, alcalinização do meio e precipitação de metais. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo o monitoramento da concentração total dos metais Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Se, V, W e Zn e a avaliação das respectivas eficiências de remoção destes metais em um reator de leito fixo-estruturado e fluxo descendente (DFSBR), utilizado para tratar efluentes oriundos de DAM sintética rica em sulfato. A digestão anaeróbia empregada para o tratamento de DAM obteve um elevado desempenho com eficiências médias de remoção, nas Fases de II a IV, de 92 ± 4, 87 ± 8, 71 ± 21, 61 ± 24, 92 ± 4 e 86 ± 8 para Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni e Zn, respectivamente. O tratamento anaeróbico de DAM pelo reator DFSBR revela-se como uma alternativa promissora para a remoção de metais, além da redução de sulfato e elevação do pH, de acordo com as condições descritas neste estudo, e uma opção promissora e complementar para a remoção de manganês, comumente considerado de difícil remoção em DAMs reais, empregando processos físico-químicos convencionais.

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