Assessment of sugarcane bagasse as a slow electron donor for sulphate reduction coupled to metal recovery from acid mine drainage

• Grant number: 18/01524-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: September 17, 2018
• End date: September 16, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Principal Investigator: Denise Bevilaqua
• Grantee: Rachel Biancalana Costa
• Supervisor: Piet Lens
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: National University of Ireland, Galway (NUI Galway), Ireland
• Associated to the scholarship: 16/13603-3 - Electron donor influence in metal sulfide recovery from acid mine drainage, BP.PD

Abstract

This research plan aims to investigate the viability of sugarcane bagasse (SB) as a slow release electron donor (SRED) for sulphate reduction, seeking to apply it in metal recovery from acid mine drainage (AMD). Acid mine drainage represents an environmental liability, and biological sulphate reduction based technologies are a possibility to metal recovery and mitigation of impacts. Since sulphate reducing bacteria demand the addition of an electron donor, we hypothesize sugarcane bagasse could be a convenient option. Sugarcane bagasse is a lignocellulosic material abundant in tropical countries, and cellulosic material is reported to be suitable for sulphate reduction. Hydrolytic activity is necessary to slowly release electron donors to be used by sulphate reducers, which is expected to create supersaturated areas with sulphide and enhance the conditions for metal sulphide precipitation with good settling properties. Two experimental approaches are proposed: firstly we will assess the viability of sugarcane bagasse as SRED for sulphate reduction. We designed five conditions to be conducted in batch mode. Hydrolytic-fermentative activities will be evaluated under sulphate-reducing conditions and in the presence of metals, to test if any of these conditions could inhibit hydrolytic activity. The second approach intends to assess the fate of metals from a synthetic AMD under biological sulphate-reducing conditions using SB as the electron donor. Sorption studies on SB and inactive biomass will be conducted parallel to metal removal in biological reactors in batch mode.

Scientific publications

(5)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

CARBONI, M. F.; FLORENTINO, A. P.; COSTA, R. B.; ZHAN, X.; LENS, P. N. L.. Enrichment of Autotrophic Denitrifiers From Anaerobic Sludge Using Sulfurous Electron Donors. FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY, v. 12, JUN 7 2021. (18/01524-7)

PANDA, SANDEEP; COSTA, RACHEL BIANCALANA; SHAH, SYED SIKANDAR; MISHRA, SRABANI; BEVILAQUA, DENISE; AKCIL, ATA. iotechnological trends and market impact on the recovery of rare earth elements from bauxite residue (red mud) - A revie. RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING, v. 171, AUG 2021. (18/01524-7)

COSTA, RACHEL B.; BEVILAQUA, DENISE; LENS, PIET N. L.. Pre-treatment and temperature effects on the use of slow release electron donor for biological sulfate reduction. Journal of Environmental Management, v. 275, DEC 1 2020. (18/01524-7)

FLORENTINO, ANNA PATRICYA; COSTA, RACHEL BIANCALANA; HU, YUANSHENG; O'FLAHERTY, VINCENT; LENS, PIET N. L.. Long Chain Fatty Acid Degradation Coupled to Biological Sulfidogenesis: A Prospect for Enhanced Metal Recovery. FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY, v. 8, OCT 23 2020. (18/01524-7)

SAIKIA, SUDESHNA; COSTA, RACHEL B.; SINHAROY, ARINDAM; CUNHA, MIRABELLE P.; ZAIAT, MARCELO; LENS, PIET N. L.. Selective removal and recovery of gallium and germanium from synthetic zinc refinery residues using biosorption and bioprecipitation. Journal of Environmental Management, v. 317, p. 12-pg., 2022-06-07. (18/01524-7)