1
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Hidalgo-Ulloa A, van der Graaf CM, Sánchez-Andrea I, Weijma J, Buisman CJN. Biological S 0 reduction at neutral and acidic conditions: Performance and microbial community shifts in a H 2/CO 2-fed bioreactor. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 263:122156. [PMID: 39121561 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.122156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2024] [Revised: 07/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
Sulfidogenesis is a promising technology for the selective recovery of chalcophile bulk metals (e.g. Cu, Zn, and Co) from metal-contaminated waters such as acid mine drainage (AMD) and metallurgy waste streams. The use of elemental sulfur (S0) instead of sulfate (SO42-) as electron acceptor reduces electron donor requirements four-fold, lowering process costs, and expanding the range of operating conditions to a more acidic pH. We previously reported autotrophic S0 reduction using an industrial mesophilic granular sludge as inoculum under thermoacidophilic conditions. Here, we examined the effect of pH on the S0 reduction performance of the same inoculum, in a gas-lift reactor run at 30°C under neutral (pH 6.9) and acidic (pH 3.8) conditions, continuously fed with mineral media and H2 and CO2. Steady-state volumetric sulfide production rates (VSPR) dropped 2.5-fold upon transition to acidic pH, from 1.79 ± 0.18 g S2-·L-1·d-1 to 0.71 ± 0.07 g S2-·L-1·d-1. Microbial community composition was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. At neutral pH (6.9), the high relative abundance of the S0-reducing genus Sulfurospirillum, previously known only for heterotrophic members, combined with the presence of Acetobacterium and detection of acetate, suggests an important role for heterotrophic S0 reduction facilitated by acetogenesis. Conversely, at acidic pH (3.9), S0 reduction appeared autotrophic, as indicated by the high relative abundance of Desulfurella.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Hidalgo-Ulloa
- Department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Jan Weijma
- Department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, the Netherlands
| | - Cees J N Buisman
- Department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, the Netherlands.
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2
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Hu C, Yang Z, Chen Y, Tang J, Zeng L, Peng C, Chen L, Wang J. Unlocking soil revival: the role of sulfate-reducing bacteria in mitigating heavy metal contamination. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2024; 46:417. [PMID: 39240407 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-024-02190-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 08/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024]
Abstract
Soil contamination with heavy metals from industrial and mining activities poses significant environmental and public health risks, necessitating effective remediation strategies. This review examines the utilization of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) for bioremediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils. Specifically, it focuses on SRB metabolic pathways for heavy metal immobilization, interactions with other microorganisms, and integration with complementary remediation techniques such as soil amendments and phytoremediation. We explore the mechanisms of SRB action, their synergistic relationships within soil ecosystems, and the effectiveness of combined remediation approaches. Our findings indicate that SRB can effectively immobilize heavy metals by converting sulfate to sulfide, forming stable metal sulfides, thereby reducing the bioavailability and toxicity of heavy metals. Nevertheless, challenges persist, including the need to optimize environmental conditions for SRB activity, address their sensitivity to acidic conditions and high heavy metal concentrations, and mitigate the risk of secondary pollution from excessive carbon sources. This study underscores the necessity for innovative and sustainable SRB-based bioremediation strategies that integrate multiple techniques to address the complex issue of heavy metal soil contamination. Such advancements are crucial for promoting green mining practices and environmental restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Hu
- School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhendong Yang
- School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, Sichuan, China.
- Sichuan Provincial Engineering Research Center of City Solid Waste Energy and Building Materials Conversion and Utilization Technology, Chengdu, 610106, Sichuan, China.
| | - Yijing Chen
- School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiayi Tang
- School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, Sichuan, China
| | - Li Zeng
- School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, Sichuan, China
- Sichuan Provincial Engineering Research Center of City Solid Waste Energy and Building Materials Conversion and Utilization Technology, Chengdu, 610106, Sichuan, China
| | - Cong Peng
- School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, Sichuan, China
| | - Liudong Chen
- School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, Sichuan, China
| | - Jing Wang
- School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, Sichuan, China
- Sichuan Provincial Engineering Research Center of City Solid Waste Energy and Building Materials Conversion and Utilization Technology, Chengdu, 610106, Sichuan, China
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3
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Gou J, Xia J, Li Y, Qiu Y, Jiang F. A novel sulfidogenic process via sulfur reduction to remove arsenate in acid mine drainage: Insights into the performance and microbial mechanisms. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 254:121423. [PMID: 38461598 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Biological sulfidogenic processes based on sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are not suitable for arsenic (As)-containing acid mine drainage (AMD) treatment because of the formation of the mobile thioarsenite during sulfate reduction. In contrast, biological sulfidogenic processes based on sulfur-reducing bacteria (S0RB) produce sulfide without pH increase, which could achieve more effective As removal than the SRB-based process. However, the reduction ability and toxicity tolerance of S0RB to As remains mysterious, which may substantially affect the practical applicability of this process when treating arsenate (As(V))-containing AMD. Thus, this study aims to develop a biological sulfur reduction process driven by S0RB, and explore its long-term performance on As(V) removal and microbial community evolution. Operating under moderately acidic conditions (pH=4.0), the presence of 10 mg/L As(V) significantly suppressed the activity of S0RB, leading to the failure of As(V) removal. Surprisingly, a drop in pH to 3.0 enhanced the tolerance of S0RB to As toxicity, allowing for efficient sulfide production (396±102 mg S/L) through sulfur reduction. Consequently, effective and stable removal of As(V) (99.9 %) was achieved, even though the sulfidogenic bacteria were exposed to high levels of As(V) (42 mg/L) in long-term trials. Spectral and spectroscopic analysis showed that As-bearing sulfide minerals were present in the bioreactor. Remarkably, the presence of As(V) induced notable changes in the microbial community composition, with Desulfurella and Clostridium identified as predominate sulfur reducers. The qPCR result further revealed an increase in the concentration of functional genes related to As transport (asrA and arsB) in the bioreactor sludge as the pH decreased from 4.0 to 3.0. This suggests the involvement of microorganisms carrying asrA and arsB in an As transport process. Furthermore, metagenomic binning demonstrated that Desulfurella contained essential genes associated with sulfur reduction and As transportation, indicating its genetic potential for sulfide production and As tolerance. In summary, this study underscores the effectiveness of the biological sulfur reduction process driven by S0RB in treating As(V)-contaminated AMD. It offers insights into the role of S0RB in remediating As contamination and provides valuable knowledge for practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahua Gou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Juntao Xia
- Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Yu Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety and MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, School of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yanying Qiu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Feng Jiang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; Guangdong Provincial International Joint Research Center on Urban Water Management and Treatment, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
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4
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Zeng J, Xu S, Lin K, Yao S, Yang B, Peng Z, Hao T, Yu X, Zhu T, Jiang F, Sun J. Long-term stable and efficient degradation of ornidazole with minimized by-product formation by a biological sulfidogenic process based on elemental sulfur. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 249:120940. [PMID: 38071904 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Conventional biological treatment processes cannot efficiently and completely degrade nitroimidazole antibiotics, due to the formation of highly antibacterial and carcinogenic nitroreduction by-products. This study investigated the removal of a typical nitroimidazole antibiotic (ornidazole) during wastewater treatment by a biological sulfidogenic process based on elemental sulfur (S0-BSP). Efficient and stable ornidazole degradation and organic carbon mineralization were simultaneously achieved by the S0-BSP in a 798-day bench-scale trial. Over 99.8 % of ornidazole (200‒500 μg/L) was removed with the removal rates of up to 0.59 g/(m3·d). Meanwhile, the efficiencies of organic carbon mineralization and sulfide production were hardly impacted by the dosed ornidazole, and their rates were maintained at 0.15 kg C/(m3·d) and 0.49 kg S/(m3·d), respectively. The genera associated with ornidazole degradation were identified (e.g., Sedimentibacter, Trichococcus, and Longilinea), and their abundances increased significantly. Microbial degradation of ornidazole proceeded by several functional genes, such as dehalogenases, cysteine synthase, and dioxygenases, mainly through dechlorination, denitration, N-heterocyclic ring cleavage, and oxidation. More importantly, the nucleophilic substitution of nitro group mediated by in-situ formed reducing sulfur species (e.g., sulfide, polysulfides, and cysteine hydropolysulfides), instead of nitroreduction, enhanced the complete ornidazole degradation and minimized the formation of carcinogenic and antibacterial nitroreduction by-products. The findings suggest that S0-BSP can be a promising approach to treat wastewater containing multiple contaminants, such as emerging organic pollutants, organic carbon, nitrate, and heavy metals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajia Zeng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, School of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Source Management and Technology, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Emerging Contaminants Detection and Control in Water Environment, Shenzhen Academy of Environmental Sciences, Shenzhen 518001, China
| | - Shuqun Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, School of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Keyue Lin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, School of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Si Yao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, School of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Bin Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, School of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zhanhui Peng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, School of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Tianwei Hao
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macau 999078, China
| | - Xiaoyu Yu
- Guangdong Polytechnic of Environmental Protection Engineering, Foshan 528216, China
| | - Tingting Zhu
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Source Management and Technology, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Emerging Contaminants Detection and Control in Water Environment, Shenzhen Academy of Environmental Sciences, Shenzhen 518001, China
| | - Feng Jiang
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
| | - Jianliang Sun
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, School of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
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5
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Hidalgo-Ulloa A, van der Graaf CM, Sanchez-Andrea I, Buisman CJN. Continuous single-stage elemental sulfur reduction and copper sulfide precipitation under thermoacidophilic conditions. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 236:119948. [PMID: 37098320 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.119948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Metal sulfide precipitation is a viable technology for high-yield metal recovery from hydrometallurgical streams, with the potential to streamline the process design. A single-stage elemental sulfur (S0)-reducing and metal sulfide precipitating process can optimize the operational and capital costs associated with this technology, boosting the competitiveness of this technology for wider industrial application. However, limited research is available on biological sulfur reduction at high temperature and low pH, frequent conditions of hydrometallurgical process waters. Here we assessed the sulfidogenic activity of an industrial granular sludge previously shown to reduce S0 under hot (60-80 °C) and acidic conditions (pH 3.6). A 4 L gas-lift reactor was operated for 206 days and fed continuously with culture medium and copper. During the reactor operation, we explored the effect of the hydraulic retention time, copper loading rates, temperature, and H2 and CO2 flow rates on the volumetric sulfide production rates (VSPR). A maximum VSPR of 274 ± 6 mg·L-1·d-1 was reached, a 3.9-fold increase of the VSPR previously reported with this inoculum in batch operation. Interestingly, the maximum VSPR was achieved at the highest copper loading rates. At the maximum copper loading rate (509 mg·L-1·d-1), a 99.96% copper removal efficiency was observed. 16 s rRNA gene amplicon sequencing revealed an increased abundance of reads assigned to Desulfurella and Thermoanaerobacterium in periods of higher sulfidogenic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Hidalgo-Ulloa
- Department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands.
| | | | | | - Cees J N Buisman
- Department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands
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6
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Razia S, Hadibarata T, Lau SY. Acidophilic microorganisms in remediation of contaminants present in extremely acidic conditions. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 2023; 46:341-358. [PMID: 36602611 DOI: 10.1007/s00449-022-02844-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Acidophiles are a group of microorganisms that thrive in acidic environments where pH level is far below the neutral value 7.0. They belong to a larger family called extremophiles, which is a group that thrives in various extreme environmental conditions which are normally inhospitable to other organisms. Several human activities such as mining, construction and other industrial processes release highly acidic effluents and wastes into the environment. Those acidic wastes and wastewaters contain different types of pollutants such as heavy metals, radioactive, and organic, whose have adverse effects on human being as well as on other living organisms. To protect the whole ecosystem, those pollutants containing effluents or wastes must be clean properly before releasing into environment. Physicochemical cleanup processes under extremely acidic conditions are not always successful due to high cost and release of toxic byproducts. While in case of biological methods, except acidophiles, no other microorganisms cannot survive in highly acidic conditions. Therefore, acidophiles can be a good choice for remediation of different types of contaminants present in acidic conditions. In this review article, various roles of acidophilic microorganisms responsible for removing heavy metals and radioactive pollutants from acidic environments were discussed. Bioremediation of various acidic organic pollutants by using acidophiles was also studied. Overall, this review could be helpful to extend our knowledge as well as to do further relevant novel studies in the field of acidic pollutants remediation by applying acidophilic microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sultana Razia
- Environmental Engineering Program, Faculty of Engineering and Science, Curtin University, Miri, Malaysia
| | - Tony Hadibarata
- Environmental Engineering Program, Faculty of Engineering and Science, Curtin University, Miri, Malaysia.
| | - Sie Yon Lau
- Department of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Science, Curtin University, Miri, Malaysia
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7
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Li Y, Zhao Q, Liu M, Guo J, Xia J, Wang J, Qiu Y, Zou J, He W, Jiang F. Treatment and remediation of metal-contaminated water and groundwater in mining areas by biological sulfidogenic processes: A review. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 443:130377. [PMID: 36444068 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Heavy metal pollution in the mining areas leads to serious environmental problems. The biological sulfidogenic process (BSP) mediated by sulfidogenic bacteria has been considered an attractive technology for the treatment and remediation of metal-contaminated water and groundwater. Notwithstanding, BSP driven by different sulfidogenic bacteria could affect the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the treatment performance in practical applications, such as the microbial intolerance of pH and metal ions, the formation of toxic byproducts, and the consumption of organic electron donors. Sulfur-reducing bacteria (S0RB)-driven BSP has been demonstrated to be a promising alternative to the commonly used sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB)-driven BSP for treating metal-contaminated wastewater and groundwater, due to the cost-saving in chemical addition, the high efficiency in sulfide production and metal removal efficiency. Although the S0RB-driven BSP has been developed and applied for decades, the present review works mainly focus on the developments in SRB-driven BSP for the treatment and remediation of metal-contaminated wastewater and groundwater. Accordingly, a comprehensive review for metal-contaminated wastewater treatment and groundwater remediation should be provided with the incorporation of the SRB- and S0RB-driven BSP. To identify the bottlenecks and to improve BSP performance, this paper reviews sulfidogenic bacteria presenting in metal-contaminated water and groundwater; highlight the critical factors for the metabolism of sulfidogenic bacteria during BSP; the ecological roles of sulfidogenic bacteria and the mechanisms of metal removal by sulfidogenic bacteria; and the application of the present sulfidogenic systems and their drawbacks. Accordingly, the research knowledge gaps, current process limitations, and future prospects were provided for improving the performance of BSP in the treatment and remediation of metal-contaminated wastewater and groundwater in mining areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Li
- School of Environment, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Qingxia Zhao
- School of Environment, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Ming Liu
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Urban Ecological Environment Simulation and Protection, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, Guangzhou 510655, China
| | - Jiahua Guo
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Juntao Xia
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Jinting Wang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Water Technology Lab, Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Control & Treatment of Heavy Metal Pollution, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yanying Qiu
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Jiahui Zou
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Weiting He
- School of Environment, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Feng Jiang
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
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8
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Wu X, Zhou Y, Liang M, Lu X, Chen G, Zan F. Insights into the role of biochar on the acidogenic process and microbial pathways in a granular sulfate-reducing up-flow sludge bed reactor. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2022; 355:127254. [PMID: 35525408 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2022.127254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In this study, the effect of biochar on sulfate reduction and anaerobic acidogenic process was explored in a granular sulfate-reducing up-flow sludge bed reactor in both long-term operation and batch tests. Both bioreactors had a high sulfate reduction efficiency of over 95% during the long-term operation, while the reactor with biochar addition showed higher sulfate reduction efficiency and stronger robustness against volatile fatty acids accumulation with a higher organic loading and sulfate loading rate. Batch tests showed that adding biochar significantly lessened the lag phase of the sulfate-reducing process, accelerated the adaption of acidogens, and facilitated both production and utilization of volatile fatty acids. The microbial pathways proved that biochar could regulate the acidification fermentation pathway and facilitate the enrichment of assimilative desulfurization bacteria. Overall, this study revealed that the acidogenic sulfate-reducing metabolic pathway could be enhanced by biochar, offering a potential application for effective sulfate-laden wastewater treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohui Wu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Low-Carbon Water Environment Technology Center (HUST-SUKE), Green Environmental Remediation Technology Center (HUST-Hikee), and Key Laboratory of Water & Wastewater Treatment (HUST), MOHURD, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yawu Zhou
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Low-Carbon Water Environment Technology Center (HUST-SUKE), Green Environmental Remediation Technology Center (HUST-Hikee), and Key Laboratory of Water & Wastewater Treatment (HUST), MOHURD, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Muxiang Liang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Low-Carbon Water Environment Technology Center (HUST-SUKE), Green Environmental Remediation Technology Center (HUST-Hikee), and Key Laboratory of Water & Wastewater Treatment (HUST), MOHURD, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiejuan Lu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Low-Carbon Water Environment Technology Center (HUST-SUKE), Green Environmental Remediation Technology Center (HUST-Hikee), and Key Laboratory of Water & Wastewater Treatment (HUST), MOHURD, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Guanghao Chen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Control & Treatment of Heavy Metal Pollution (Hong Kong Branch), and Water Technology Center, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
| | - Feixiang Zan
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Low-Carbon Water Environment Technology Center (HUST-SUKE), Green Environmental Remediation Technology Center (HUST-Hikee), and Key Laboratory of Water & Wastewater Treatment (HUST), MOHURD, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
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9
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Guo G, Li Z, Chen L, Ling Q, Zan F, Isawi H, Hao T, Ma J, Wang Z, Chen G, Lu H. Advances in elemental sulfur-driven bioprocesses for wastewater treatment: From metabolic study to application. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 213:118143. [PMID: 35149365 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Elemental sulfur (S0) is known to be an abundant, non-toxic material with a wide range of redox states (-2 to +6) and may serve as an excellent electron carrier in wastewater treatment. In turn, S0-driven bioprocesses, which employ S0 as electron donor or acceptor, have recently established themselves as cost-effective therefore attractive solutions for wastewater treatment. Numerous related processes have, to date, been developed from laboratory experiments into full-scale applications, including S0-driven autotrophic denitrification for nitrate removal and S0-reducing organic removal. Compared to the conventional activated sludge process, these bioprocesses require only a small amount of organic matter and produce very little sludge. There have been great efforts to characterize chemical and biogenic S0 and related functional microorganisms in order to identify the biochemical pathways, upgrade the bioprocesses, and assess the impact of the operating factors on process performance, ultimately aiming to better understand and to optimize the processes. This paper is therefore a comprehensive overview of emerging S0-driven biotechnologies, including the development of S0-driven autotrophic denitrification and S0-based sulfidogenesis, as well as the associated microbiology and biochemistry. Also reviewed here are the physicochemical characteristics of S0 and the effects that environmental factors such as pH, influent sulfur/nitrate ratio, temperature, S0 particle size and reactor configurations have on the process. Research gaps, challenges of process applications and potential areas for future research are further proposed and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Guo
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Water and Wastewater Treatment (HUST), MOHURD, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Zhaoling Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Water and Wastewater Treatment (HUST), MOHURD, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Lei Chen
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Water and Wastewater Treatment (HUST), MOHURD, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Qingshan Ling
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Water and Wastewater Treatment (HUST), MOHURD, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Feixiang Zan
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Water and Wastewater Treatment (HUST), MOHURD, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Heba Isawi
- Desert Research Center, Water Resources and Desert Soils Division, Egyptian Desalination Research Center of Excellence (EDRC), Cairo, Egypt
| | - Tianwei Hao
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macau, China.
| | - Jie Ma
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Water and Wastewater Treatment (HUST), MOHURD, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Zongping Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Water and Wastewater Treatment (HUST), MOHURD, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Guanghao Chen
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Hui Lu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
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10
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Pereira GF, Pilz-Junior HL, Corção G. The impact of bacterial diversity on resistance to biocides in oilfields. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23027. [PMID: 34845279 PMCID: PMC8630110 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02494-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Extreme conditions and the availability of determinate substrates in oil fields promote the growth of a specific microbiome. Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and acid-producing bacteria (APB) are usually found in these places and can harm important processes due to increases in corrosion rates, biofouling and reservoir biosouring. Biocides such as glutaraldehyde, dibromo-nitrilopropionamide (DBNPA), tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium sulfate (THPS) and alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride (ADBAC) are commonly used in oil fields to mitigate uncontrolled microbial growth. The aim of this work was to evaluate the differences among microbiome compositions and their resistance to standard biocides in four different Brazilian produced water samples, two from a Southeast Brazil offshore oil field and two from different Northeast Brazil onshore oil fields. Microbiome evaluations were carried out through 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. To evaluate the biocidal resistance, the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of the standard biocides were analyzed using enriched consortia of SRB and APB from the produced water samples. The data showed important differences in terms of taxonomy but similar functional characterization, indicating the high diversity of the microbiomes. The APB and SRB consortia demonstrated varying resistance levels against the biocides. These results will help to customize biocidal treatments in oil fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Feix Pereira
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Rua Sarmento Leite 500, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil.,Dorf Ketal Research and Development Center, Rua da Pedreira 559, Nova Santa Rita, RS, 92480-000, Brazil
| | - Harry Luiz Pilz-Junior
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Rua Sarmento Leite 500, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil
| | - Gertrudes Corção
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Rua Sarmento Leite 500, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil.
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11
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Guo J, Li Y, Sun J, Sun R, Zhou S, Duan J, Feng W, Liu G, Jiang F. pH-dependent biological sulfidogenic processes for metal-laden wastewater treatment: Sulfate reduction or sulfur reduction? WATER RESEARCH 2021; 204:117628. [PMID: 34507021 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2021] [Revised: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Both biological sulfate reduction process and sulfur reduction process are attractive technologies for metal-laden wastewater treatment. However, the acidity stress of metal-laden wastewater could affect the sulfidogenic performance and the microbial community, weaken the stability, efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the biological sulfidogenic processes (BSP). In this study, long-term lab-scale trials were conducted with a sulfate-reducing bioreactor and a sulfur-reducing bioreactor to evaluate the effects of acidity on sulfidogenic activities and the microbial community of the BSP. In the 300-day trial, the sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB)-driven BSP was stable in terms of sulfidogenic performance and microbial community with the decline of pH, while the sulfur-reducing bacteria (S0RB)-driven BSP achieved high-rate and low-cost sulfide production under neutral conditions but unstable under acidic conditions. With the decline of pH, the sulfide production rate (SPR) of the SRB-driven BSP stably increased from 30 to 83 mg S/L-h; while it decreased from 56 to 37 mg S/L-h in the S0RB-driven BSP with high fluctuation. The results of estimation were consistent with the thermodynamical calculations, in which the sulfur reduction process showed a better performance at pH 5-7, while the sulfate reduction process might gain more energy when pH<5. The stable sulfidogenic performance and microbial community diversity of the SRB-driven BSP could be attributed to the alkalinity produced in sulfate reduction to buffer the acidic stress. In comparison, the microbial community in the S0RB-driven BSP was significantly re-shaped by acidity stress, and the predominant sulfidogenic bacterium changed from Desulfovibrio at neutral condition, to Desulfurella at pH≤5.4. The stability of the microbial community significantly affected the SPR and the operational cost. Nevertheless, the organic consumption for sulfide production of the S0RB-driven BSP was still less than the SRB-driven BSP even in acidic conditions. Collectively, the S0RB-driven BSP was recommended under neutral or mild acid conditions, while the SRB-driven BSP was more suitable under fluctuating pH conditions, especially at low pH. Overall, this study presented the long-term performance of SRB- and S0RB-driven BSP under varying pH conditions, and provided guidance to determine the suitable BSP and operational cost for different metal-laden wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahua Guo
- Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Yu Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety and MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, School of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jianliang Sun
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety and MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, School of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Rongrong Sun
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming, Guangdong 525000, China
| | - Shunjie Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety and MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, School of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jiajun Duan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety and MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, School of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Wenwen Feng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety and MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, School of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Guangli Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Feng Jiang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
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12
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Wang B, Kuang S, Shao H, Wang L, Wang H. Anaerobic-petroleum degrading bacteria: Diversity and biotechnological applications for improving coastal soil. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2021; 224:112646. [PMID: 34399124 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Due to the industrial emissions and accidental spills, the critical material for modern industrial society petroleum pollution causes severe ecological damage. The prosperous oil exploitation and transportation causes the recalcitrant, hazardous, and carcinogenic sludge widespread in the coastal wetlands. The costly physicochemical-based remediation remains the secondary and inadequate treatment for the derivatives along with the tailings. Anaerobic microbial petroleum degrading biotechnology has received extensive attention for its cost acceptable, eco-friendly, and fewer health hazards. As a result of the advances in biotechnology and microbiology, the anaerobic oil-degrading bacteria have been well developing to achieve the same remediation effects with lower operating costs. This review summarizes the advantages and potential scenarios of the anaerobic degrading bacteria, such as sulfate-reducing bacteria, denitrifying bacteria, and metal-reducing bacteria in the coastal area decomposing the alkanes, alkenes, aromatic hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic, and related derivatives. In the future, a complete theoretical basis of microbiological biotechnology, molecular biology, and electrochemistry is necessary to make efficient and environmental-friendly use of anaerobic degradation bacteria to mineralize oil sludge organic wastes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingchen Wang
- College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, PR China
| | - Shaoping Kuang
- College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, PR China.
| | - Hongbo Shao
- College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, PR China; Institute of Agriculture Resources and Environment, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences (JAAS), Nanjing 210014, PR China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Bioresources of Saline Soils, Jiangsu Synthetic Innovation Center for Coastal Bio-agriculture, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng 224002, China.
| | - Lei Wang
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, PR China
| | - Huihui Wang
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, PR China
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13
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Li G, Liang Z, Sun J, Qiu Y, Qiu C, Liang X, Zhu Y, Wang P, Li Y, Jiang F. A pilot-scale sulfur-based sulfidogenic system for the treatment of Cu-laden electroplating wastewater using real domestic sewage as electron donor. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 195:116999. [PMID: 33714911 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.116999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Elemental sulfur (S0) reduction process has been demonstrated as an attractive and cost-efficient approach for metal-laden wastewater treatment in lab-scale studies. However, the system performance and stability have not been evaluated in pilot- or large-scale wastewater treatment. Especially, the sulfide production rate and microbial community structure may significantly vary from lab-scale system to pilot- or large-scale systems using real domestic sewage as carbon source, which brings questions to this novel technology. In this study, therefore, a pilot-scale sulfur-based sulfidogenic treatment system was newly developed and applied for the treatment of Cu-laden electroplating wastewaters using domestic sewage as carbon source. During the 175-d operation, >99.9% of Cu2+ (i.e., 5580 and 1187 mg Cu/L for two types of electroplating wastewaters) was efficiently removed by the biogenic hydrogen sulfide that produced through S0 reduction. Relatively high level of sulfide production (200 mg S/L) can be achieved by utilizing organics in raw domestic sewage, which was easily affected by the organic content and pH value of the domestic sewage. The long-term feeding of domestic sewage significantly re-shaped the microbial community in sulfur-reducing bioreactors. Compared to the reported lab-scale bioreactors, higher microbial community diversity was found in our pilot-scale bioreactors. The presence of hydrolytic, fermentative and sulfur-reducing bacteria was the critical factor for system stability. Accordingly, a two-step ecological interaction among fermentative and sulfur-reducing bacteria was newly proposed for sulfide production: biodegradable particulate organic carbon (BPOC) was firstly degraded to dissolved organic carbon (DOC) by the hydrolytic and fermentative bacteria. Then, sulfur-reducing bacteria utilized the total DOC (both DOC degraded from BPOC and the original DOC present in domestic sewage) as electron donor and reduced the S0 to sulfide. Afterwards, the sulfide precipitated Cu2+ in the post sedimentation tank. Compared with other reported technologies, the sulfur-based treatment system remarkable reduced the total chemical cost by 87.5‒99.6% for the same level of Cu2+ removal. Therefore, this pilot-scale study demonstrated that S0 reduction process can be a sustainable technology to generate sulfide for the co-treatment of Cu-laden electroplating wastewater and domestic sewage, achieving higher Cu2+removal and higher cost-effectiveness than the conventional technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guibiao Li
- School of Environment, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Zhensheng Liang
- School of Environment, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Jianliang Sun
- School of Environment, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Yanying Qiu
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Chuyin Qiu
- School of Environment, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Xiaomin Liang
- Guangzhou Zhiye Synthetic Inorganic Salt Material. Co., Ltd, Guangzhou, 511400, China
| | - Yuhang Zhu
- Guangzhou Zhiye Synthetic Inorganic Salt Material. Co., Ltd, Guangzhou, 511400, China
| | - Peng Wang
- Water Desalination and Reuse Center, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yu Li
- School of Environment, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Feng Jiang
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China.
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14
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Hidalgo-Ulloa A, Sánchez-Andrea I, Buisman C, Weijma J. Sulfur Reduction at Hyperthermoacidophilic Conditions with Mesophilic Anaerobic Sludge as the Inoculum. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:14656-14663. [PMID: 33136376 PMCID: PMC7676295 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c02557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Sulfur reduction at hyperthermoacidophilic conditions represents a promising opportunity for metal sulfide precipitation from hot acidic metallurgical streams, avoiding costly cooling down. The suitability of mesophilic anaerobic sludges as the inoculum for sulfur-reducing bioreactors operated at high temperature and low pH was explored. We examined sludges from full-scale anaerobic reactors for sulfur-reducing activity at pH 2.0-3.5 and 70 or 80 °C, with H2 as an electron donor. At pH 3.5 in batch experiments, sulfidogenesis started within 4 days, reaching up to 100-200 mg·L-1 of dissolved sulfide produced after 19-24 days, depending on the origin of the sludge. Sulfidogenesis resumed after removing H2S by flushing with nitrogen gas, indicating that sulfide was limiting the conversion. The best performing sludge was used to inoculate a 4 L gas-lift reactor fed with H2 as the electron donor, CO2 as the carbon source, and elemental sulfur as the electron acceptor. The reactor was operated in semibatch mode at a pH 3.5 and 80 °C, and stable sulfide production rates of 60-80 mg·L-1·d-1 were achieved for a period of 24 days, without formation of methane or acetate. Our results reveal the potential of mesophilic anaerobic sludges as seed material for sulfur-reducing bioprocesses operated at hyperthermoacidophilic conditions. The process needs further optimization of the volumetric sulfide production rate to gain relevance for practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Hidalgo-Ulloa
- Department
of Environmental Technology, Wageningen
University & Research, Wageningen 6708 WG, the Netherlands
| | - Irene Sánchez-Andrea
- Laboratory
of Microbiology, Wageningen University &
Research, Wageningen 6708 WE, the Netherlands
| | - Cees Buisman
- Department
of Environmental Technology, Wageningen
University & Research, Wageningen 6708 WG, the Netherlands
| | - Jan Weijma
- Department
of Environmental Technology, Wageningen
University & Research, Wageningen 6708 WG, the Netherlands
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15
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Sun R, Zhang L, Wang X, Ou C, Lin N, Xu S, Qiu YY, Jiang F. Elemental sulfur-driven sulfidogenic process under highly acidic conditions for sulfate-rich acid mine drainage treatment: Performance and microbial community analysis. WATER RESEARCH 2020; 185:116230. [PMID: 32784032 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Revised: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Elemental sulfur-driven sulfidogenic process has been demonstrated to be more economical and energy-efficient than sulfate-driven sulfidogenic process when treating metal-laden wastewater. In previous studies, we observed that the polysulfide-involved indirect sulfur reduction ensured the superiority of sulfur over sulfate as the electron acceptor in the sulfidogenic process under neutral or weak-alkaline conditions. However, realizing high-rate sulfur reduction process for acid mine drainage (AMD) treatment without pH amelioration is still a great challenge because polysulfide cannot exist under acidic conditions. In this study, a laboratory-scale sulfur-packed bed reactor was therefore continuously operated with a constant sulfate concentration (~1300 mg S/L) and decreasing pH from 7.3 to 2.1. After 400 days of operation, a stable sulfide production rate (38.2 ± 7.6 mg S/L) was achieved under highly acidic conditions (pH 2.6-3.5), which is significantly higher than those reported in sulfate reduction under similar conditions. In the presence of high sulfate content, elemental sulfur reduction could dominate over sulfate reduction under neutral and acidic conditions, especially when the pH ≥ 6.5 or ≤ 3.5. The decreasing pH significantly reduced the diversity of microbial community, but did not substantially influence the abundance of functional genes associated with organic and sulfur metabolisms. The predominant sulfur-reducing genera shifted from Desulfomicrobium under neutral conditions to Desulfurella under highly acidic conditions. The high-rate sulfur reduction under acidic conditions could be attributed to the combined results of high abundance of Desulfurella and low abundance of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). Accordingly, sulfur reduction process can be developed to achieve efficient and economical treatment of AMD under highly acidic conditions (pH ≤ 3.5).
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongrong Sun
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China; School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming, Guangdong, China
| | - Liang Zhang
- Advanced Environmental Biotechnology Centre, Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, 637141, Singapore
| | - Xiaoyi Wang
- School of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chunxi Ou
- School of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Nini Lin
- School of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuqun Xu
- School of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yan-Ying Qiu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Feng Jiang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, China.
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16
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Sun R, Li Y, Lin N, Ou C, Wang X, Zhang L, Jiang F. Removal of heavy metals using a novel sulfidogenic AMD treatment system with sulfur reduction: Configuration, performance, critical parameters and economic analysis. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 136:105457. [PMID: 31926438 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 12/24/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
A novel sulfidogenic acid mine drainage (AMD) treatment system with a sulfur reduction process was developed. During the 220-d operation, >99.9% of 380-mg/L ferric, 150-mg/L aluminum, 110-mg/L zinc, 20-mg/L copper and 2.5-mg/L lead ions, and 42.6-44.4% of 100-mg/L manganese ions in the synthetic AMD were step-by-step removed in the developed system with three pre-posed metal precipitators and a sulfur reduction reactor. Among them, zinc, copper and lead ions were removed by the biogenic hydrogen sulfide that produced through elemental sulfur reduction; while ferric, aluminum and manganese ions were removed by the alkali precipitation. Compared with the reported sulfate reduction reactors, the sulfur reduction reactor significantly reduced the chemical cost by 25.6-78.9% for sulfide production, and maintained a high sulfide production rate (1.12 g S2-/L-d). The pH level in the sulfidogenic reactor driven by sulfur-reducing bacteria posed a significant effect on the sulfide production rate. Under a nearly neutral condition (pH 7.0-7.5), elemental sulfur dissolved into polysulfide to increase the bioavailability of S0. At acidic conditions (pH < 6.0), polysulfide formation was limited and sulfate reduction became dominant. Therefore, maintaining the sulfidogenic reactor driven by sulfur-reducing bacteria at neutral condition is essential to realize high-rate and low-cost AMD treatment. Moreover, the escape of residual hydrogen sulfide from the system was eliminated by employing a 17% recirculation from effluent to the sulfidogenic reactor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongrong Sun
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yu Li
- School of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Nini Lin
- School of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Chunxi Ou
- School of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xiaoyi Wang
- School of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Liang Zhang
- Advanced Environmental Biotechnology Centre, Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Feng Jiang
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
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