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Diaz-Vanegas C, Héry M, Desoeuvre A, Bruneel O, Joulian C, Jacob J, Battaglia-Brunet F, Casiot C. Towards an understanding of the factors controlling bacterial diversity and activity in semi-passive Fe- and As-oxidizing bioreactors treating arsenic-rich acid mine drainage. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2023; 99:fiad089. [PMID: 37632198 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiad089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Semi-passive bioreactors based on iron and arsenic oxidation and coprecipitation are promising for the treatment of As-rich acid mine drainages. However, their performance in the field remains variable and unpredictable. Two bioreactors filled with distinct biomass carriers (plastic or a mix of wood and pozzolana) were monitored during 1 year. We characterized the dynamic of the bacterial communities in these bioreactors, and explored the influence of environmental and operational drivers on their diversity and activity. Bacterial diversity was analyzed by 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding. The aioA genes and transcripts were quantified by qPCR and RT-qPCR. Bacterial communities were dominated by several iron-oxidizing genera. Shifts in the communities were attributed to operational and physiochemical parameters including the nature of the biomass carrier, the water pH, temperature, arsenic, and iron concentrations. The bioreactor filled with wood and pozzolana showed a better resilience to disturbances, related to a higher bacterial alpha diversity. We evidenced for the first time aioA expression in a treatment system, associated with the presence of active Thiomonas spp. This confirmed the contribution of biological arsenite oxidation to arsenic removal. The resilience and the functional redundancy of the communities developed in the bioreactors conferred robustness and stability to the treatment systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Diaz-Vanegas
- HydroSciences Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France
- French Geological Survey (BRGM), Water, Environment, Process and Analyses Division, Orléans, France
| | - Marina Héry
- HydroSciences Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Angélique Desoeuvre
- HydroSciences Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Odile Bruneel
- HydroSciences Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Catherine Joulian
- French Geological Survey (BRGM), Water, Environment, Process and Analyses Division, Orléans, France
| | - Jérôme Jacob
- French Geological Survey (BRGM), Water, Environment, Process and Analyses Division, Orléans, France
| | | | - Corinne Casiot
- HydroSciences Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France
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Ilin AM, van der Graaf CM, Yusta I, Sorrentino A, Sánchez-Andrea I, Sánchez-España J. Glycerol amendment enhances biosulfidogenesis in acid mine drainage-affected areas: An incubation column experiment. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:978728. [PMID: 36105607 PMCID: PMC9464833 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.978728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial sulfate (SO42−) reduction in Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) environments can ameliorate the acidity and extreme metal concentrations by consumption of protons via the reduction of SO42− to hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and the concomitant precipitation of metals as metal sulfides. The activity of sulfate-reducing bacteria can be stimulated by the amendment of suitable organic carbon sources in these generally oligotrophic environments. Here, we used incubation columns (IC) as model systems to investigate the effect of glycerol amendment on the microbial community composition and its effect on the geochemistry of sediment and waters in AMD environments. The ICs were built with natural water and sediments from four distinct AMD-affected sites with different nutrient regimes: the oligotrophic Filón Centro and Guadiana acidic pit lakes, the Tintillo river (Huelva, Spain) and the eutrophic Brunita pit lake (Murcia, Spain). Physicochemical parameters were monitored during 18 months, and the microbial community composition was determined at the end of incubation through 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. SEM-EDX analysis of sediments and suspended particulate matter was performed to investigate the microbially-induced mineral (neo)formation. Glycerol amendment strongly triggered biosulfidogenesis in all ICs, with pH increase and metal sulfide formation, but the effect was much more pronounced in the ICs from oligotrophic systems. Analysis of the microbial community composition at the end of the incubations showed that the SRB Desulfosporosinus was among the dominant taxa observed in all sulfidogenic columns, whereas the SRB Desulfurispora, Desulfovibrio and Acididesulfobacillus appeared to be more site-specific. Formation of Fe3+ and Al3+ (oxy)hydroxysulfates was observed during the initial phase of incubation together with increasing pH while formation of metal sulfides (predominantly, Zn, Fe and Cu sulfides) was observed after 1–5 months of incubation. Chemical analysis of the aqueous phase at the end of incubation showed almost complete removal of dissolved metals (Cu, Zn, Cd) in the amended ICs, while Fe and SO42− increased towards the water-sediment interface, likely as a result of the reductive dissolution of Fe(III) minerals enhanced by Fe-reducing bacteria. The combined geochemical and microbiological analyses further establish the link between biosulfidogenesis and natural attenuation through metal sulfide formation and proton consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. M. Ilin
- Department of Geology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena s/n, Leioa, Spain
- *Correspondence: A. M. Ilin, ; J. Sánchez-España,
| | - C. M. van der Graaf
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University (WUR), Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - I. Yusta
- Department of Geology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena s/n, Leioa, Spain
| | - A. Sorrentino
- ALBA Synchrotron Light Source, Cerdanyola del Vallés, Barcelona, Spain
| | - I. Sánchez-Andrea
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University (WUR), Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - J. Sánchez-España
- Mine Wastes and Environmental Geochemistry Research Group, Department of Geological Resources for the Ecological Transition, (CN IGME-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: A. M. Ilin, ; J. Sánchez-España,
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