Effect of sediment size on bioleaching of heavy metals from contaminated sediments of Izmir Inner Bay

The effect of sediment size on metals bioleaching from bay sediments was investigated by using fine (< 45 μm), medium (45-300 μm), and coarse (300-2000 μm) size fractions of a sediment sample contaminated with Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn. Chemical speciation of the metals in bulk and size fractions of sediment were studied before and after bioleaching. Microbial activity was provided with mixed cultures of Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. The bioleaching process was carried out in flask experiments for 48 days, by using 5% (W/V) of solid concentration in suspension. Bioleaching was found to be efficient for the removal of selected heavy metals from every size fraction of sediments, where the experiments with the smaller particles resulted in the highest solubilization ratios. At the end of the experimental period, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn were solubilized to the ratios of 68%, 88%, 72%, and 91% from the fine sediment, respectively. Higher removal efficiencies can be explained by the larger surface area provided by the smaller particles. The changes in the chemical forms of metals were determined and most of the metal releases were observed from the reducible and organic fractions independent from grain size. Higher concentrations were monitored in the residual fraction after bioleaching period, suggesting they are trapped in this fraction, and cannot be solubilized under natural conditions.     

Heavy metals partitioning in the sediments of Izmir Inner Bay

Izmir Bay is known to be polluted by high concentrations of heavy metals and organic pollutants.Sediment samples taken from 7 different stations in Izmir Inner Bay were analyzed for their total organic matter content and,Cu,Cr Pb and Zn.In addition,the chemical distribution of the metals were determined by means of the BCR(Community Bureau of Reference)Extraction Procedure (developed by European Commission for Standards,Measurement and Testing) which allows the determination of metals bound as four fractions;exchangeable and acid soluble,reducible(bound to iron-manganese oxides),oxidizable(bound to organics)and residual.The results show that Izmir Inner Bay contains sediments with high metal concentrations.According to the chemical distribution of metals,Cr and Cu tend to accumulate mostly on the organic fraction of the sediment.Pb is mostly found in the reducible fraction where Zn is mobile in the sediment,and it is distributed evenly on each fraction.     

Source identification of heavy metals and arsenic in biodegradable fractions of municipal solid waste: a case study of Izmir metropolitan city

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - This case study aims to identify the sources of natural and anthropogenic As and heavy metals (HMs) in biodegradable wastes to develop controls on...