The Potency of Effective Sulphate Reducing Bacteria in Acid Mine Drainage Heavy Metal Removal and pH Enhancement F Tertiana1, A Rinanti2*, B Iswanto3
Environmental Engineering Department, Faculty of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Technology, Universitas Trisakti, Jakarta, Indonesia
Abstract
The objective of this study is to acknowledge the potency and role of sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB), which are able to survive on an anoxic environment, to neutralize pH level and remove heavy metal on Acid Mine Drainage (AMD). SRB were bred and their potency is observed on a bioreactor batch system inside a controlled environment. AMD bioremediation process is influenced by several environmental factors such as pH, temperature, SRB concentration, also Fe2+ and Mn2+ heavy metal concentrations. Solid wastes such as animal waste and sawdust were added inside the bioreactor as a relatively affordable carbon source to cultivate SRB. The pH measurement was conducted by utilizing pH meter, sulphate analysis was measured with turbidimetry method and UV-VIS spectrophotometer, and liquid metal concentration was analyzed by utilizing ICP-OES. The morphology of SRB before and after the treatment was analyzed with a Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Micrograph (TEM), and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS). At the final stage of the research, SRB is proven to be able to survive by utilizing solid waste produced from animal waste, sawdust, gravels, and sand, whilst also performed pH neutralization (> 6) and performed 30%-90% sulphate removal. 90% of Fe2+ heavy metal was removed. Although Mn2+ removal was slightly inhibited, SRB were finally able to remove 9 - 50% of AMD. This research reveals that SRB has the potency as alternative solution in relatively affordable AMD bioremediation without producing secondary pollutant and environmentally friendly.
