Recent Developments for Remediating Acidic Mine Waters Using Sulfidogenic Bacteria. (3rd October 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nancucheo, Ivan; Bitencourt, José A. P.; Sahoo, Prafulla K.; Alves, Joner Oliveira; Siqueira, José O.; Oliveira, Guilherme
• Other Names: Hlihor Raluca M. Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: BioMed research international. Volume 2017(2017)
• Publication Date: 2017-10-03
• Subjects: Medicine -- Periodicals; Biology -- Periodicals; Biotechnology -- Periodicals; Life sciences -- Periodicals; 610.5
• DOI: 10.1155/2017/7256582
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2314-6133

Abstract

Abstract : Acidic mine drainage (AMD) is regarded as a pollutant and considered as potential source of valuable metals. With diminishing metal resources and ever-increasing demand on industry, recovering AMD metals is a sustainable initiative, despite facing major challenges. AMD refers to effluents draining from abandoned mines and mine wastes usually highly acidic that contain a variety of dissolved metals (Fe, Mn, Cu, Ni, and Zn) in much greater concentration than what is found in natural water bodies. There are numerous remediation treatments including chemical (lime treatment) or biological methods (aerobic wetlands and compost bioreactors) used for metal precipitation and removal from AMD. However, controlled biomineralization and selective recovering of metals using sulfidogenic bacteria are advantageous, reducing costs and environmental risks of sludge disposal. The increased understanding of the microbiology of acid-tolerant sulfidogenic bacteria will lead to the development of novel approaches to AMD treatment. We present and discuss several important recent approaches using low sulfidogenic bioreactors to both remediate and selectively recover metal sulfides from AMD. This work also highlights the efficiency and drawbacks of these types of treatments for metal recovery and points to future research for enhancing the use of novel acidophilic and acid-tolerant sulfidogenic microorganisms in AMD treatment.