Selective removal of transition metals from acidic mine waters by novel consortia of acidophilic sulfidogenic bacteria.

ABSTRACT: Two continuous-flow bench-scale bioreactor systems populated by mixed communities of acidophilic sulfate-reducing bacteria were constructed and tested for their abilities to promote the selective precipitation of transition metals (as sulfides) present in synthetic mine waters, using glycerol as electron donor. The objective with the first system (selective precipitation of copper from acidic mine water containing a variety of soluble metals) was achieved by maintaining a bioreactor pH of ≈ 2.2-2.5. The second system was fed with acidic (pH 2.5) synthetic mine water containing 3 mM of both zinc and ferrous iron, and varying concentrations (0.5-30 mM) of aluminium. Selective precipitation of zinc sulfide was possible by operating the bioreactor at pH 4.0 and supplementing the synthetic mine

SUBMITTER: Nancucheo I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3815270 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature