Study on the Effectiveness of Sulfate Reducing Bacteria to Remove Heavy Metals (Fe, Mn, Cu, Cr) in Acid Mine Drainage

Yanrong Dong (), Ziqing Gao, Junzhen Di, Dong Wang, Zhenhua Yang, Yunfeng Wang and Zhoufei Xie
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Yanrong Dong: College of Civil Engineering, Liaoning Technical University, Fuxin 123000, China
Ziqing Gao: College of Civil Engineering, Liaoning Technical University, Fuxin 123000, China
Junzhen Di: College of Civil Engineering, Liaoning Technical University, Fuxin 123000, China
Dong Wang: College of Mining, Liaoning Technical University, Fuxin 123000, China
Zhenhua Yang: College of Mining, Liaoning Technical University, Fuxin 123000, China
Yunfeng Wang: College of Civil Engineering, Liaoning Technical University, Fuxin 123000, China
Zhoufei Xie: College of Civil Engineering, Liaoning Technical University, Fuxin 123000, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 6, 1-17

Abstract: Aiming at the problem of environmental pollution caused by heavy metals such as Fe, Mn, Cu, and Cr, Sulfate Reducing Bacteria (SRB) were enriched in mining soil. SRB was added to AMD containing different concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu, and Cr by batch experiments to explore the potential of SRB for treating heavy metals in AMD. Testing combining Scanning Electron Microscopy–Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) revealed the mechanism by which heavy metal ions were removed by SRB. The results showed that SRB had a strong ability to remove total Fe in the concentration range of 0–300 mg/L, and the removal percentage of total Fe reached to 92.16–93.17%. SRB had a good removal effect on total Cu, in the concentration range of 0–20 mg/L, and the removal percentage of total Cu reached to 79.79–81.80%. SRB had a good removal effect on total Cr as well; SRB activity would probably not be inhibited for total Cr concentrations below 500 mg/L. The ability to solidify different heavy metal ions using SRB was as follows: total Cr > total Fe > total Mn > total Cu. When SRB removed Fe 2+ there was precipitation at the same time, appearing as black granules. This precipitation consisted mainly of FeS, and contained small amounts of Fe 3 (PO 4 ) 2 -8H 2 O, FeCO 3 , Fe(OH) 2 , Fe(OH) 3 , and Fe 2 S as well.

Keywords: mining area; Sulfate Reducing Bacteria (SRB); heavy metal ions; removal mechanism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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