Bioremediation for Acid Mine Drainage: Organic Solid Waste as Carbon Sources For Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria: A Review

Abstract

Biological sulfate reduction has been slowly replacing chemical unit processes to treat acid mine drainage (AMD). Bioremediations for AMD treatment are favored due to their low capital and maintenance cost. This paper describes the available AMD treatment, current SRB commercialization such as THIOPAQ® and BioSulphide® technologies, and also the factors and limitations faced. THIOPAQ® and BioSulphide® technologies use expensive carbon sources such as hydrogen as the electron donor. This paper discusses the possibility of organic solid waste as an alternative substrate as it is cheaper and abundant. A possible AMD treatment system setup was also proposed to test the efficiency of sulfate-reducing bacteria utilizing organic solid substrate.

Competitive Growth of Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria with Bioleaching Acidophiles for Bioremediation of Heap Bioleaching Residue

“…This process is also particularly effective for removing heavy metals such as cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, zinc, and iron to low concentrations, as also previously reported [27]. Researchers have tried to use SRB to remediate the AMD in the last several years, but most were the ex situ treatment after the AMD had already come out from the sulfide waste rocks [13][14][15]. Here, the source control to inhibit the oxidation of sulfide minerals directly in the waste ore was carried out.…”

“…For the rehabilitation of acidic waste rocks, one layer of lime and organic matter will be useful to inhibit the microbial assisted sulfide mineral oxidation in the oxidation front of the waste rocks, and therefore provide a protection layer for upper plant growth. For the remediation of mining acidic Researchers have tried to use SRB to remediate the AMD in the last several years, but most were the ex situ treatment after the AMD had already come out from the sulfide waste rocks [13][14][15]. Here, the source control to inhibit the oxidation of sulfide minerals directly in the waste ore was carried out.…”

“…Pyrite usually acts as the most important source of AMD, since it is the most abundant sulfide minerals on earth [10].SRB bacteria are usually employed to treat an AMD solution by growing SRB in the AMD solution, through the microbial process of metal-and sulfate-reducing, and producing alkalinity, and attenuating the movement of metals by the precipitation of sulfide minerals [11,12]. These processes are exploited in ex situ treatment of AMD after it comes out from the rocks [13][14][15]. However, a few researchers have used the SRB directly to treat the acid-generating waste rocks in situ to inhibit the oxidation of sulfide minerals and to trigger the co-precipitation of metal with sulfide, for source control of the AMD, and further rehabilitation of the waste rocks.…”

Sulphate removal technologies for the treatment of mine-impacted water

“…SRB also require an electron donor in the form of simple organic substrates, including lactate and acetate (Jamil and Clarke, 2013). These organic substrates are converted to bicarbonate, which increases the pH of the treated water.…”

Uma revisão sobre: tratamento biológico de drenagem de mina — cenário atualizado, perspectivas e recomendações de futuros trabalhos

“…Águas residuárias e resíduos sólidos orgânicos podem proporcionar a condição redox adequada às espécies do consórcio anaeróbio que promovem a redução de sulfato (WENDT-POTTHOFF;NEU, 1998). Entre as fontes de carbono já testadas no tratamento biológico de DM, têm-se esgoto doméstico, esterco animal, serragem, casca de cereais, soro de leite, vinhaça, lodo de esgoto e resíduos sólidos municipais (HAO et al, 2014;JAMIL;CLARKE, 2013;KEFENI;MSAGATI;MAMBA, 2017;KUMAR et al, 2015;KUMAR et al, 2011;MOCKAITIS et al, 2014;MOODLEY et al, 2017;PLACE;FIGUEROA;WILDEMAN, 2006). Tais pesquisas mostram que o uso de substratos mistos, além de conferir vantagens econômicas, pode também favorecer a redução de sulfato.…”