Biological treatment of a synthetic gold milling effluent

This paper reports on biological sludge acclimatisation and the results concerning the removal of free cyanide, thiocyanate and metallocyanides (copper, iron and zinc) from a synthetic gold milling effluent. The experiments were carried out in a continuous bench-scale bioreactor, and the experimental set-up consisted of two identical units, one of which served as control. The acclimatisation of the biomass was based on a stepwise procedure, in which the proportion of synthetic solution in the influent was gradually increased. The reactors were fed with a mixture of synthetic effluent and sewage, and the treatment efficiency was evaluated through the monitoring of the following parameters: chemical oxygen demand (COD), free cyanide, thiocyanate, copper, iron and zinc concentrations. A well adapted microbial consortium was obtained at the end of the acclimatisation period, which was able to remove more than 95% of free cyanide, thiocyanate, copper and zinc, originally found in the influent. These removal efficiencies were obtained when the reactor was operated with a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of about 8 h. The performance results of experiments carried out with lower HRT (5 h) and higher dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration (6.5 mg litre(-1)) are also presented and discussed in this study.     

Arsenic speciation in arsenic-rich Brazilian soils from gold mining sites under anaerobic incubation

BACKGROUND: Arsenic speciation in environmental samples is essential for studying toxicity, mobility and bio-transformation of As in aquatic and terrestrial environments. Although the inorganic species As(III) and As(V) have been considered dominant in soils and sediments, organisms are able to metabolize inorganic forms of arsenic into organo-arsenic compounds. Arsenosugars and methylated As compounds can be found in terrestrial organisms, but they generally occur only as minor constituents. We investigated the dynamics of arsenic species under anaerobic conditions in soils surrounding gold mining areas from Minas Gerais State, Brazil to elucidate the arsenic biogeochemical cycle and water contamination mechanisms. METHODS: Surface soil samples were collected at those sites, namely Paracatu Formation, Banded Iron Formation and Riacho dos Machados Sequence, and incubated in CaCl2 2.5 mmol L(-1) suspensions under anaerobic conditions for 1, 28, 56 and 112 days. After that, suspensions were centrifuged and supernatants analyzed for soluble As species by IC-ICPMS and HPLC-ICPMS. RESULTS: Easily exchangeable As was mainly arsenite, except when reducible manganese was present. Arsenate was mainly responsible for the increase in soluble arsenic due to the reductive dissolution of either iron or manganese in samples from the Paracatu Formation and Riacho dos Machados Sequence. On the other hand, organic species of As dominated in samples from the Banded Iron Formation during anaerobic incubation. DISCUSSION: Results are contrary to the expectation that, in anaerobic environments, As release due to the reductive dissolution of Fe is followed by As(V) reduction to As(III). The occurrence of organo-arsenic species was also found to be significant to the dynamics of soluble arsenic, mainly in soils from the Banded Iron Formation (BIF), under our experimental conditions. CONCLUSIONS: In general, As(V) and organic As were the dominant species in solution, which is surprising under anaerobic conditions in terrestrial environments. The unexpected occurrence of organic species of As was attributed to enrollment of ternary organic complexes or living organisms such as algae or cyanobacteria. PERSPECTIVES: These findings are believed to be useful for remediation strategies in mine-affected regions, as the organic As species are in general considered to be less toxic than inorganic ones and even As(V) is considered less mobile and toxic than As(III).     

Contamination status of arsenic and other trace elements in drinking water and residents from Tarkwa, a historic mining township in Ghana

This study was conducted to assess the contamination status of 22 trace elements, especially As in water and residents in Tarkwa, a historic mining town in Ghana. Drinking water and human urine samples were collected from Tarkwa in addition to control samples taken from Accra, the capital of Ghana in March, 2004. Concentrations of As and Mn in some drinking water samples from Tarkwa were found above the WHO drinking water guidelines posing a potential health risk for the people. A potential health risk of As and Mn is a concern for the people consuming the contaminated water in this area. No significant difference of As concentrations in human urine between mining town (Tarkwa) and control site (Accra) was observed. Although As concentrations in drinking water in Tarkwa were low, urinary As levels were comparable to those reported in highly As-affected areas in the world. These results suggest the presence of other sources of As contamination in Ghana. This is the first study on multi-elemental contamination in drinking water and human from a mining town in Ghana.     

Development and application of biotechnologies in the metal mining industry

Metal mining faces a number of significant economic and environmental challenges in the twenty-first century for which established and emerging biotechnologies may, at least in part, provide the answers. Bioprocessing of mineral ores and concentrates is already used in variously engineered formats to extract base (e.g., copper, cobalt, and nickel) and precious (gold and silver) metals in mines throughout the world, though it remains a niche technology. However, current projections of an increasing future need to use low-grade primary metal ores, to reprocess mine wastes, and to develop in situ leaching technologies to extract metals from deep-buried ore bodies, all of which are economically more amenable to bioprocessing than conventional approaches (e.g., pyrometallurgy), would suggest that biomining will become more extensively utilized in the future. Recent research has also shown that bioleaching could be used to process a far wider range of metal ores (e.g., oxidized ores) than has previously been the case. Biotechnologies are also being developed to control mine-related pollution, including securing mine wastes (rocks and tailings) by using “ecological engineering” approaches, and also to remediate and recover metals from waste waters, such as acid mine drainage. This article reviews the current status of biotechnologies within the mining sector and considers how these may be developed and applied in future years.     

金矿区高浓度砷污染土壤的稳定化处理

以粉煤灰、干化污泥、粉碎花生壳、硫酸亚铁（Fe2SO4）和磷酸二氢钾（KH2PO4）为稳定剂对矿区高浓度As污染土壤进行处理,通过土壤理化性质、重金属形态和浸出浓度变化等综合评估稳定剂对高浓度砷污染土壤的稳定化处理效果。结果表明,添加稳定剂可以提高土壤pH值、有机质含量和阳离子交换量。粉煤灰、干化污泥、粉碎花生壳、硫酸亚铁对土壤中的As有较好的稳定化作用,其中硫酸亚铁对土壤中As的稳定效果最好。同时添加10%粉煤灰、10%干化污泥和1%硫酸亚铁后,土壤中可交换态As、碳酸盐结合态As、铁锰氧化物结合态As、有机结合态As含量显著降低,降幅分别为62.3%、55.2%、29.6%、58.2%,残渣态As含量增加8.1%。添加粉煤灰、干化污泥、硫酸亚铁能显著降低土壤中As的浸出浓度,而添加KH2PO4会使土壤中As浸出浓度增加,移动性增强。当同时添加10%粉煤灰、10%干化污泥、1%粉碎花生壳和1%硫酸亚铁后,As浸出浓度最低（0.93 mg·L-1）,稳定效果最好,稳定化效率达到了74.8%。土壤中As的浸出浓度与可交换态As和碳酸盐结合态As呈显著正相关,与残渣态As呈显著负相关,可交换态As、碳酸盐结合态As和残渣态-As含量是影响土壤中As浸出浓度变化的主要因素。     

Assessment of algal biomass towards removal of Cr(VI) from tannery effluent: a sustainable approach

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The current investigation focuses on a systematic study of application of two dried algal biomass (i.e., Nostoc sp. and Turbinaria vulgaris) in...     

Levels of PCDDs and PCDFs in products and effluent from the Swedish pulp and paper industry and chloralkali process

Within the Swedish Dioxin Survey various samples from the pulp and paper industry and the chloralkali process have been analyzed by congener specific analytical methods. In addition to the generally discussed “bleaching pattern” of the tetrachlorinated congeners, these samples also contained higher chlorinated congeners like hexa-CDDs, hepta-CDFs, octa-CDD and octa-CDF. Consequently it is recommended that samples from the pulp industry should be analyzed for all PCDDs and PCDFs (tetra- through octa-). Counted as Nordic Toxic Equivalents (NTEQ), the recycled pulp samples had the highest contamination level followed by TMP, unbleached sulfite and bleached softwood and hardwood. In addition to the bleaching process, various chemicals used in the pulping, bleaching and wastewater treatment can contribute to the contamination.     

Impact of mercury emissions from historic gold and silver mining: Global modeling

We compare a global model of mercury to sediment core records to constrain mercury emissions from the 19th century North American gold and silver mining. We use information on gold and silver production, the ratio of mercury lost to precious metal produced, and the fraction of mercury lost to the atmosphere to calculate an a priory mining inventory for the 1870s, when the historical gold rush was at its highest. The resulting global mining emissions are 1630 Mg yr^?1, consistent with previously published studies. Using this a priori estimate, we find that our 1880 simulation over-predicts the mercury deposition enhancements archived in lake sediment records. Reducing the mining emissions to 820 Mg yr^?1 improves agreement with observations, and leads to a 30% enhancement in global deposition in 1880 compared to the pre-industrial period. For North America, where 83% of the mining emissions are located, deposition increases by 60%. While our lower emissions of atmospheric mercury leads to a smaller impact of the North American gold rush on global mercury deposition than previously estimated, it also implies that a larger fraction of the mercury used in extracting precious metals could have been directly lost to local soils and watersheds.     

Advanced oxidation treatment of physico-chemically pre-treated olive mill industry effluent

In this study, the applicability of physico-chemical methods was investigated for the pre-treatment of the olive mill effluents prior to the discharge into the common sewerage ending with a municipal wastewater treatment plant. The samples were taken from an olive oil industry operated as three-phase process located in Turkey. Various pre-treatment methods including acid craking, polyelectrolyte and lime additions were applied. Advanced oxidation study using Fenton's process was also investigated following pre-treatment by acid cracking and cationic polyelectrolyte. Acid cracking alone gave satisfactory treatment efficiencies and polyelectrolite additions to the acid-cracked samples enhanced treatment efficiency. Since a complete treatment plant is available at the end of the sewer system, results indicated that the effluents of the investigated industry could be discharged into the municipal sewerage in the case of total chemical oxygen demand (COD_tot), suspended solid (SS) and volatile suspended solid (VSS) concentrations according to the Turkish Water Pollution Control Regulation after pre-treatment with 5 ppm anionic polyelectrolyte following acid cracking. The minimum COD_tot, SS and VSS removals were observed when raw wastewater was pre-treated with lime and the discharge standards to the municipal sewer system could not be met. Advanced oxidation with Fenton's process was applied after acid cracking and cationic polyelectrolyte treatment in order to investigate further reduction in chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration for minimizing the influence of this industrial discharge on the existing municipal wastewater treatment plant. Results indicated that COD_tot removal increased up to 89% from 74% after Fenton's oxidation for the acid cracked samples in which cationic polyelectrolite (10 ppm) was added.     

Advanced oxidation treatment of physico-chemically pre-treated olive mill industry effluent

In this study, the applicability of physico-chemical methods was investigated for the pre-treatment of the olive mill effluents prior to the discharge into the common sewerage ending with a municipal wastewater treatment plant. The samples were taken from an olive oil industry operated as three-phase process located in Turkey. Various pre-treatment methods including acid craking, polyelectrolyte and lime additions were applied. Advanced oxidation study using Fenton's process was also investigated following pre-treatment by acid cracking and cationic polyelectrolyte. Acid cracking alone gave satisfactory treatment efficiencies and polyelectrolite additions to the acid-cracked samples enhanced treatment efficiency. Since a complete treatment plant is available at the end of the sewer system, results indicated that the effluents of the investigated industry could be discharged into the municipal sewerage in the case of total chemical oxygen demand (COD(tot)), suspended solid (SS) and volatile suspended solid (VSS) concentrations according to the Turkish Water Pollution Control Regulation after pre-treatment with 5 ppm anionic polyelectrolyte following acid cracking. The minimum COD(tot), SS and VSS removals were observed when raw wastewater was pre-treated with lime and the discharge standards to the municipal sewer system could not be met. Advanced oxidation with Fenton's process was applied after acid cracking and cationic polyelectrolyte treatment in order to investigate further reduction in chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration for minimizing the influence of this industrial discharge on the existing municipal wastewater treatment plant. Results indicated that COD(tot) removal increased up to 89% from 74% after Fenton's oxidation for the acid cracked samples in which cationic polyelectrolite (10 ppm) was added.     

Reduced sperm quality in relation to oxidative stress in red deer from a lead mining area

We studied the effects of elevated heavy metal uptake on the sperm quality and the antioxidant mechanisms of sperm and testis of red deer from a Pb mining area in Spain. Testis, liver and bone of red deer from mining (n = 21) and control (n = 20) areas were obtained from hunters and analyzed for Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd, As and Se. Testes were weighed and measured. Motility, acrosome integrity and viability and functionality of membrane were evaluated in epididymal spermatozoa. Lipid peroxidation, total glutathione, glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were studied in testis and spermatozoa. Deer from mined areas showed less Cu in testis, a higher testis mass and size and reduced spermatozoa membrane viability and acrosome integrity. Effects on sperm quality were associated to decreased Cu and increased Se in testis, and to decreases in the activity of SOD and GPX in testis and spermatozoa.     

Assessment of essential and non-essential elements in selected traditional medicines from India,Ghana and China

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Traditional medicine (TM) also known as folk medicine consists of medical knowledge systems that were developed over generations in various countries...     

Effect of surfactant-coated iron oxide nanoparticles on the effluent water quality from a simulated sequencing batch reactor treating domestic wastewater

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of commercially available engineered iron oxide nanoparticles coated with a surfactant (ENP_Fe-surf) on effluent water quality from a lab-scale sequencing batch reactor as a model secondary biological wastewater treatment. Results showed that ∼8.7% of ENP_Fe-surf applied were present in the effluent stream. The stable presence of ENP_Fe-surf was confirmed by analyzing the mean particle diameter and iron concentration in the effluent. Consequently, aqueous ENP_Fe-surf deteriorated the effluent water quality at a statistically significant level (p < 0.05) with respect to soluble chemical oxygen demand, turbidity, and apparent color. This implied that ENP_Fe-surf would be introduced into environmental receptors through the treated effluent and could potentially impact them.     

Acid mine drainage arising from gold mining activity in Johannesburg,South Africa and environs

The Witwatersrand region of South Africa is famous for its gold production and a major conurbation, centred on Johannesburg, has developed as a result of mining activity. A study was undertaken of surface and ground water in a drainage system in this area. Soils were also analysed from a site within the mining district. This study revealed that the ground water within the mining district is heavily contaminated and acidified as a result of oxidation of pyrite (FeS2) contained within mine tailings dumps, and has elevated concentrations of heavy metals. Where the water table is close to surface, the upper 20 cm of soil profiles are severely contaminated by heavy metals due to capillary rise and evaporation of the ground water. The polluted ground water is discharging into streams in the area and contributes up to 20% of stream discharge, causing a lowering of pH of the stream water. Much of the metal load is precipitated in the stream: Fe and Mn precipitate as a consequence of oxidation, while other heavy metals are being removed by co-precipitation. The oxidation of iron has created a redox buffer which controls the pH of the stream water. The rate of oxidation and of dilution is slow and the deleterious effect of the addition of contaminated water persists for more than 10 km beyond the source.     

臭氧对化工园区废水厂二级出水的选择性氧化

以化工园区废水厂二级出水作为实验废水,采用臭氧氧化工艺对其进行处理,采用分子量分级、亲疏水性分离和傅里叶红外等手段对臭氧氧化前后水质进行了系统分析。结果表明,在进水COD为126 mg/L,臭氧氧化60 min的条件下,COD和UV254的去除率分别为37.9%和55%;臭氧氧化对水中疏水性物质去除效率高于亲水性物质,部分疏水性物质氧化成亲水性小分子有机物。臭氧氧化可以改变废水中有机物的分子结构,使水中分子量小于1×103 kDa的有机物比例从56.3%提高至71.2%,分子量大于1×105 kDa的有机物比例由原来的24.2%下降至9.6%。红外光谱分析表明,臭氧氧化具有一定的选择性,可显著去除水中含不饱和键、酚类、醇类等有机物,但对饱和烷烃基本无降解效果。     

不同再生水处理工艺出水水质回用途径适应性分析

为分析典型再生水处理工艺出水的回用途径适应性,采用标准指数法评价了4座不同处理工艺的再生水厂出水质量,为再生水处理工艺选择和安全回用提供参考。结果表明,4种再生水处理工艺出水用于市政杂用水时基本是安全的;除反渗透(RO)工艺外,其他工艺出水回用于景观环境用水时都存在氮磷指标超标问题;膜处理工艺的出水可以满足工业用水标准,但是常规絮凝过滤工艺出水用作工业用水应注意氮磷等指标的进一步处理;各种再生水处理工艺出水质量均不能满足地下水回灌用水标准,主要是氨氮和环境激素DBP超标问题,用作地下水回灌用水时存在一定的环境风险。     

矿区炼金废渣的固化/稳定化处理

通过对金矿矿区炼金废渣的酸中和能力、净产酸量及浸出毒性实验,测定了废渣的产酸潜力及重金属砷、镉、铅、锌的总量和它们的浸出量。为了合理处置矿区炼金废渣,并为矿区重金属污染土壤的修复提供技术支持,采用石灰、粉煤灰、堆肥化污泥作为添加剂对废渣进行固化/稳定化处理;通过浸出毒性实验对固化/稳定化处理效果进行综合分析,试图寻求一种最佳的稳定剂。结果表明,无论是单独添加石灰、粉煤灰或者堆肥化污泥还是两两组合混合添加,样品浸出液的pH都有升高,As、Cd的浸出浓度都有明显下降,而且两两组合添加比单独添加的固化/稳定化处理效果更好。在两两组合添加中,粉煤灰混合堆肥化污泥的处理效果最好,浸出液的pH值达到7.82,As、Cd的浸出率分别下降72.0%和72.2%。说明粉煤灰混合堆肥化污泥处理炼金废渣效果最佳,同时具有以废治污的资源化生态效能。     

Removal of antimony from model solutions,mine effluent,and textile industry wastewater with Mg-rich mineral adsorbents

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Naturally occurring layered double hydroxide mineral, brucite (BRU), was compared with hydromagnesite (HYD) and a commercial Mg-rich mineral adsorbent...