Effect of alkalinity source on mechanisms of iron, manganese and zinc removal from acid mine drainage by sulfate-reducing bioreactors

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of two different sources of alkalinity source on the mechanisms of metal removal in sulfate-reducing bioreactors. Four upward-flow sulfate-reducing bioreactors each containing a 23 L mixture of organic waste materials and either waste mussel shells or limestone as an alkaline amendment were tested at hydraulic retentions of 3.3 and 10 days to treat acidic mine drainage (pH 2.9, 30 mg/L Fe, 16 mg/L Mn, 5 mg/L Zn) for ten months. A combination of methods was used to examine the effect of alkalinity source on the fate of these metals. Consistent with the monitoring data of the effluent that showed circumneutral pH and low metal concentrations, higher concentrations of Fe, Zn and Mn were found in the spent than the initial substrate, with greater metal and acidity removal in l reactors containing mussel shells (at similar residence times). Sequential extraction procedures found that Fe was mainly in the oxidizable and the residual fractions, Zn in the reducible and residual, and Mn in the exchangeable, reducible and acid extractable fractions. SEM analyses confirmed the presence of pyrite in the substrate, and the use of PHREEQC supported the interpretation that precipitation of iron sulfide and oxyhydroxide minerals, manganese carbonates and zinc sulfide occurred within the substrate for both alkalinity sources. Adsorption edge experiments on the initial substrates confirmed the potential for Zn and Mn to adsorb onto organic materials. Alkalinity source greatly affected system performance with the mussel shell reactors outperforming limestone on a volumetric basis, with the inner surfaces of the mussel shells appearing to be important for greater ongoing alkalinity release, and the outer shells important as metal sorption sites not available in limestone reactors.

Download Full-text

ACID MINE DRAINAGE TREATMENT AND METAL REMOVAL BASED ON A BIOLOGICAL SULFATE-REDUCING PROCESS

Brazilian Journal of Chemical Engineering ◽

10.1590/0104-6632.20180352s20160615 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 35 (2) ◽

pp. 543-552 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

E. S. Castro Neto ◽

A.B.S. Aguiar ◽

R.P. Rodriguez ◽

G.P. Sancinetti

Keyword(s):

Acid Mine Drainage ◽

Mine Drainage ◽

Metal Removal ◽

Sulfate Reducing ◽

Acid Mine ◽

Acid Mine Drainage Treatment

Download Full-text

Biological treatment of heavy metals in acid mine drainage using sulfate reducing bioreactors

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2006.502 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 54 (2) ◽

pp. 179-185 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

R. Sierra-Alvarez ◽

S. Karri ◽

S. Freeman ◽

J.A. Field

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

Heavy Metal ◽

Acid Mine Drainage ◽

Biological Treatment ◽

Mine Drainage ◽

Metal Removal ◽

Abandoned Mines ◽

Synthetic Wastewater ◽

Sulfate Reducing ◽

Acid Mine

The uncontrolled release of acid mine drainage (AMD) from abandoned mines and tailing piles threatens water resources in many sites worldwide. AMD introduces elevated concentrations of sulfate ions and dissolved heavy metals as well as high acidity levels to groundwater and receiving surface water. Anaerobic biological processes relying on the activity of sulfate reducing bacteria are being considered for the treatment of AMD and other heavy metal containing effluents. Biogenic sulfides form insoluble complexes with heavy metals resulting in their precipitation. The objective of this study was to investigate the remediation of AMD in sulfate reducing bioreactors inoculated with anaerobic granular sludge and fed with an influent containing ethanol. Biological treatment of an acidic (pH 4.0) synthetic AMD containing high concentrations of heavy metals (100 mg Cu2+l−1; 10 mg Ni2+l−1, 10 mg Zn2+l−1) increased the effluent pH level to 7.0–7.2 and resulted in metal removal efficiencies exceeding 99.2%. The highest metal precipitation rates attained for Cu, Ni and Zn averaged 92.5, 14.6 and 15.8 mg metal l−1 of reactor d−1. The results of this work demonstrate that an ethanol-fed sulfidogenic reactor was highly effective to remove heavy metal contamination and neutralized the acidity of the synthetic wastewater.

Download Full-text

Effects of Cattails and Hydraulic Loading on Heavy Metal Removal from Closed Mine Drainage by Pilot-Scale Constructed Wetlands

Water ◽

10.3390/w13141937 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (14) ◽

pp. 1937

Author(s):

Thuong Thi Nguyen ◽

Satoshi Soda ◽

Akihiro Kanayama ◽

Takaya Hamai

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metal ◽

Constructed Wetlands ◽

Mine Drainage ◽

Metal Removal ◽

Heavy Metal Removal ◽

Pilot Scale ◽

Sulfate Reducing ◽

A Minor ◽

Reducing Bacteria ◽

Translocation Factors

This study demonstrated heavy metal removal from neutral mine drainage of a closed mine in Kyoto prefecture in pilot-scale constructed wetlands (CWs). The CWs filled with loamy soil and limestone were unplanted or planted with cattails. The hydraulic retention time (HRT) in the CWs was shortened gradually from 3.8 days to 1.2 days during 3.5 months of operation. A short HRT of 1.2 days in the CWs was sufficient to achieve the effluent standard for Cd (0.03 mg/L). The unplanted and the cattail-planted CWs reduced the average concentrations of Cd from 0.031 to 0.01 and 0.005 mg/L, Zn from 0.52 to 0.14 and 0.08 mg/L, Cu from 0.07 to 0.04 and 0.03 mg/L, and As from 0.011 to 0.006 and 0.006 mg/L, respectively. Heavy metals were removed mainly by adsorption to the soil in both CWs. The biological concentration factors in cattails were over 2 for Cd, Zn, and Cu. The translocation factors of cattails for all metals were 0.5–0.81. Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) belonging to Deltaproteobacteria were detected only from soil in the planted CW. Although cattails were a minor sink, the plants contributed to metal removal by rhizofiltration and incubation of SRB, possibly producing sulfide precipitates in the rhizosphere.

Download Full-text

The Use of Mussel Shells in Upward-Flow Sulfate-Reducing Bioreactors Treating Acid Mine Drainage

Mine Water and the Environment ◽

10.1007/s10230-014-0289-1 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 34 (4) ◽

pp. 442-454 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Benjamin Uster ◽

Aisling D. O’Sullivan ◽

Su Young Ko ◽

Alex Evans ◽

James Pope ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acid Mine Drainage ◽

Mine Drainage ◽

Upward Flow ◽

Sulfate Reducing ◽

Acid Mine ◽

Mussel Shells

Download Full-text

Effectiveness of sulfate-reducing passive bioreactors for treating highly contaminated acid mine drainage: II. Metal removal mechanisms and potential mobility

Applied Geochemistry ◽

10.1016/j.apgeochem.2008.08.014 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 23 (12) ◽

pp. 3545-3560 ◽

Cited By ~ 51

Author(s):

Carmen-Mihaela Neculita ◽

Gérald J. Zagury ◽

Bruno Bussière

Keyword(s):

Acid Mine Drainage ◽

Mine Drainage ◽

Metal Removal ◽

Sulfate Reducing ◽

Acid Mine ◽

Removal Mechanisms ◽

Potential Mobility

Download Full-text

Treatment of a complex landfill leachate with peat

Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering ◽

10.1139/l78-010 ◽

1978 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 83-97 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Robert D. Cameron

Keyword(s):

Chemical Oxygen Demand ◽

Ferric Chloride ◽

Landfill Leachate ◽

Metal Removal ◽

Oxygen Demand ◽

Treatment Method ◽

Manganese Concentration ◽

Chemical Pretreatment ◽

Iron Manganese

The use of cheap, locally available peat as a treatment method for landfill leachate was investigated by passing leachate through plexiglass columns filled with an amorphous-granular peat. Preliminary adjustment of pH showed that reducing pH to 4.8 dramatically reduced adsorption. Increasing the pH to 8.4, metal removal was increased owing to filtration of precipitated metals. The best adsorption of metals occurred at the 'natural' pH of 7.1. Manganese was found to be the limiting pollutant. At the 0.05 mg/ℓ maximum acceptable manganese concentration 94% of the total metals were removed, requiring 159 kg of peat per 1000 ℓ of leachate.Resting the peat for 1 month did significantly increase removal capacity.Desorption of some contaminants occurred when water was percolated through the peat. The desorption test effluent was not toxic to fish although iron, lead and COD (chemical oxygen demand) exceeded acceptable values.Chemical pretreatment using lime and ferric chloride achieved significant iron, manganese and calcium removals. Chemical pretreatment followed by peat adsorption offered no advantage other than reducing toxicity to fish.Peat treatment alone was effective in reducing concentrations to a level that was non-toxic to fish.

Download Full-text

Identification of a Bacterial Consortium with Biotechnological Potential for Arsenic Bioremediation

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.825.540 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 825 ◽

pp. 540-543

Author(s):

Mariana Moreira ◽

Silvana de Queiroz Silva ◽

Mônica Cristina Teixeira

Keyword(s):

Burkholderia Cepacia ◽

Iron Sulfide ◽

Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis ◽

Dna Amplification ◽

Bacterial Consortium ◽

Universal Primers ◽

Ribosomal Database Project ◽

Sulfate Reducing ◽

Gradient Gel Electrophoresis ◽

Reducing Bacteria

The objective of this work was to identify one bacterial consortium adapted to the cultivation in the presence of trivalent arsenic (AsIII). Samples were cultured in flasks containing modified Postgate C liquid medium (selective for sulfate-reducing bacteria, SRB). Six different As concentrations were used: 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 8.0 and 16 mg l-1. The growth of sulfate reducing microorganisms was indirectly observed by the formation of an iron sulfide black precipitate and also by the Eh measures.100 ml aliquots of cultured media were centrifuged and stored at-20°C for DNA extraction by phenol/chloroform method. Universal primers 968F-GC 1392R (Bacteria domain) were used for 16S ribosomal DNA amplification. Microbial diversity was evaluated by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). After DGGE analysis 7 different bands were selected, cut, sequenced and analyzed using the Ribosomal Database Project Release. Consortium microorganisms identified were: Pantoea agglomerans, Enterobacter sp, Citrobacter sp, Cupriavidusmetallidurans, Ralstonia sp, Burkholderia cepacia and Bacillus sp. Thus the microbial consortium here identified is a good candidate for bioremediation of arsenic contaminated areas and effluents.

Download Full-text

Metal Removal from Acid Waters by an Endemic Microalga from the Atacama Desert for Water Recovery

Minerals ◽

10.3390/min8090378 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (9) ◽

pp. 378 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Marcela Martínez ◽

Yanett Leyton ◽

Luis Cisternas ◽

Carlos Riquelme

Keyword(s):

Mine Drainage ◽

Metal Removal ◽

Atacama Desert ◽

Mining Industry ◽

Mining Activity ◽

Water Recovery ◽

Metallic Ions ◽

Mineral Extraction ◽

High Concentrations ◽

Acid Waters

The environmental problems generated by waste from the mining industry in the mineral extraction for business purposes are known worldwide. The aim of this work is to evaluate the microalga Muriellopsis sp. as a potential remover of metallic ions such as copper (Cu2+), zinc (Zn2+) and iron (Fe2+), pollutants of acid mine drainage (AMD) type waters. For this, the removal of these ions was verified in artificial acid waters with high concentrations of the ions under examination. Furthermore, the removal was evaluated in waters obtained from areas contaminated by mining waste. The results showed that Muriellopsis sp. removed metals in waters with high concentrations after 4–12 h and showed tolerance to pH between 3 and 5. These results allow proposing this species as a potential bioremediator for areas contaminated by mining activity. In this work, some potential alternatives for application in damaged areas are proposed as a decontamination plan and future prevention.

Download Full-text

Understanding the biogeochemical mechanisms of metal removal from acid mine drainage with a subsurface limestone bed at the Motokura Mine, Japan

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-78069-9 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Shigeshi Fuchida ◽

Kohei Suzuki ◽

Tatsuya Kato ◽

Masakazu Kadokura ◽

Chiharu Tokoro

Keyword(s):

Acid Mine Drainage ◽

Mine Drainage ◽

Metal Removal ◽

Theoretical Calculations ◽

Exchange Capacity ◽

Treatment Technique ◽

Manganese Compound ◽

Edge Structure ◽

Acid Mine ◽

Copper Zinc

AbstractSubsurface limestone beds (SLBs) are used as a passive treatment technique to remove toxic metals from acid mine drainage (AMD). In this study, we investigated the mechanisms and thermodynamics of metal (manganese, copper, zinc, cadmium, and lead) precipitation in the SLB installed at the Motokura Mine. Field surveys in 2017 and 2018 showed that the pH of the SLB influent (initially 5–6) increased to approximately 8 in the drain between 24 and 45 m from the inlet. This increase was caused by limestone dissolution and resulted in the precipitation of hydroxides and/or carbonates of copper, zinc, and lead, as expected from theoretical calculations. Manganese and cadmium were removed within a pH range of approximately 7–8, which was lower than the pH at which they normally precipitate as hydroxides (pH 9–10). X-ray absorption near-edge structure analysis of the sediment indicated that δ-MnO2, which has a high cation-exchange capacity, was the predominant tetravalent manganese compound in the SLB rather than trivalent compound (MnOOH). Biological analysis indicates that microorganism activity of the manganese-oxidizing bacteria in the SLB provided an opportunity for δ-MnO2 formation, after which cadmium was removed by surface complexation with MnO2 (≡ MnOH0 + Cd2+ ⇄ ≡ MnOCd+ + H+). These findings show that biological agents contributed to the precipitation of manganese and cadmium in the SLB, and suggest that their utilization could enhance the removal performance of the SLB.

Download Full-text