Biotreatment and bioassessment of heavy metal removal byaasulphate reducing bacteria in fixed bed reactors

In this work a batch-optimised mixture (w/w %: 6% leaves, 9% compost, 3% Fe(0), 30% silica sand, 30% perlite, 22% limestone) was investigated in a continuous fixed bed column reactor for the treatment of synthetic acid-mine drainage (AMD). A column reactor was inoculated with sulphate-reducing bacte...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Water research (Oxford) 2010-01, Vol.44 (1), p.151-158
Main Authors: Cruz Viggi, C, Pagnanelli, F, Cibati, A, Uccelletti, D, Palleschi, C, Toro, L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bacteria
Cadmium
Caenorhabditis elegans
Degradation
Heavy metals
Nematoda
Nematodes
Reactors
Sand
Sulfates
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Summary:In this work a batch-optimised mixture (w/w %: 6% leaves, 9% compost, 3% Fe(0), 30% silica sand, 30% perlite, 22% limestone) was investigated in a continuous fixed bed column reactor for the treatment of synthetic acid-mine drainage (AMD). A column reactor was inoculated with sulphate-reducing bacteria and fed with a solution containing sulphate and heavy metals (As(V), Cd, Cr(VI), Cu and Zn). At steady state, sulphate abatement was 50 plus or minus 10%, while metals were totally removed. A degradation rate constant (k) of 0.015c 0.001ha super(-1) for sulphate removal was determined from column data by assuming a first order degradation rate. Reduction of AMD toxicity was assessed by using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a test organism. A lethality assay was performed with the toxicants before and after the treatment, showing that only 5% of the animals were still alive after 48h in presence of the contaminants, while the percentage increased to 73% when the nematodes were exposed to the solution eluted from the column.
ISSN:0043-1354
DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2009.09.013