Integrated Bioremediation Strategy for Mine Tailings and Drainage
摘要
This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of an integrated remediation strategy for a mine site presenting both historic mine waste dumps and AMD. A microbial consortium from an SRB bioreactor treating a real AMD using glycerol as an electron donor was adapted to grass compost as the sole energy source. It was then used as inoculum to assess the feasibility of treating the AMD of the studied site with compost as an energy source: increasing pH and precipitating metals (Fe, Co, Ni), and arsenic. The first experiments using garden grass compost showed a slow but effective reduction of sulfate (800 mg/L in one month) and validated the ability of the SRB consortium to use grass compost as an energy and carbon source in the presence of AMD containing 200 mg/L Fe and presenting acidic pH (pH 2.5). Subsequent experiments aim to test compost obtained with the aerial parts of plants from an onsite phytostabilization pilot plot. The following parameters will help determine the efficiency/feasibility of the approach: mass balance of metals, arsenic, carbon, and sulfur in liquid and solid phases.