Bioleaching of heavy metals from livestock sludge by indigenous sulfur-oxidizing bacteria: effects of sludge solids concentration

A technologically and economically feasible process called bioleaching was used for the removal of heavy metals from livestock sludge with indigenous sulfur-oxidizing bacteria in this study. The effects of sludge solids concentration on the bioleaching process were examined in a batch bioreactor. Due to the buffering capacity of sludge solids, the rates of pH reduction, ORP rise and metal solubilization were reduced with the increase of the solids concentration. No apparent influence of solids concentration on sulfate produced by sulfur-oxidizing bacteria was observed when the solids concentration was less than 4% (w/v). A Michaelis-Menten type of equation was able to well describe the relationship between solids concentration and rate of metal solubilization. Besides, high efficiencies of metal solubilization were achieved after 16 d of bioleaching. Therefore, the bioleaching process used in this study could be applied to remove heavy metals effectively from the livestock sludge.