Biosulfides Precipitation in Weathered Tailings Amended with Food Waste-based Compost and Zeolite

摘要: Tailings are mine wastes in the form of slurries stacked sites abandoned after exhaustion ores. There approximately 5000 Korea, and tailings have become a serious environmental problem. Long-term exposure can cause release acidic high concentrations sulfate- metal-contaminated water (acid drainage, AMD). Organic and/or inorganic amendments been studied for AMD prevention passive situ treatment pore water. This study tests locally available food waste-based compost as viable amendment, addition to need sustainable ways dispose compost, response new law. To examine feasibility, three bioreactors were constructed, filled with mixtures tailings, zeolite. During 4-wk experimental period, feeding ormedium poured one reactor. The leachates investigated terms chemistry microbiology. Compared unamended reactor, leachate from two mixture-filled reactors showed increased pH, formation sulfate reduction conditions, highly efficient metal removal. Black-colored precipitates observed at end experiment suggested biosulfides, following activity mediated by sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). Mineralogical analysis these confirmed presence mainly Fe Pb. Moreover, microbial molecular biological analyses revealed that several species heterotrophic (SRB iron-reducing bacteria) present solids recovered bioreactors. Microbial consortium, such SRB (), cellulosic-degrader ( sp.) identified. provides promising results on application potential generation weathered Korea elsewhere.