DAI Xiangxin, GUI Mengyao, Du Junyi, Wu Daishe

(Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Ministry of Education, School of Resources Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China)

Abstract: The growth of sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB), that obtained by the laboratory screening and culturing, was investigated with maltodextrin, sludge, ethanol, or sodium lactate as carbon source, respectively. The effect of different carbon sources on the in-situ control of acid mine drainage was analyzed by column leaching experiment in simulated field environment. The results showed that the ability of SRB to reduce sulfate was reduced in the order of ethanol > maltodextrin > sodium lactate > sludge in terms of different carbon sources, with sulphate removals of 91.9%, 86.9%, 83.4%, and 65.0%, respectively. Simulation experiments showed that the immediate addition of carbon source after the inoculation of SRB can effectively control sulphate release from sulfur-containing ores and the production of acid mine drainage. When ethanol, maltodextrin, sodium lactate, or sludge was used as the carbon source, the amount of sulphate release by rainwater leaching was reduced by 84.8%, 76.2%, 69.9%, and 54.0%, respectively. Considering the cost and pollution control ability, maltodextrin is an ideal carbon source which forms biofilms on the surface of ores after seven days of culturing. The dominant bacteria in the biofilm, including Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes, can effectively control the oxidation of sulfur and the generation of acid drainage.

Key words: SRB; maltodextrin; copper mine refuse; AMD; pollution control; biofilm

EARTH AND ENVIRONMENT Vol.49, No.1, Tot No.339, 2021, Page 73-81