In-situ zinc bioprecipitation by organic substrate injection in a high-flow, poorly reduced aquifer.

We investigated if in-situ metal bioprecipitation (ISMP) is applicable to remediate a highly permeable zinc-contaminated aquifer at a metal-processing factory in Maasmechelen, Belgium. A large (more than 200m long and 70m wide) groundwater contamination plume has developed, with zinc concentrations in the range of 1-100mg/L, whereas the legal Flemish clean-up standard is 0.5mg/L. The estimated groundwater flow velocity is in the range 0.2-1m/d. The groundwater is relatively oxidized, naturally low in DOC (<1mg/L) and relatively low in sulfate (40-50mg/L). We conducted both laboratory feasibility tests as well as a long-term field pilot test in two sections of the plume. In the laboratory microcosm tests, zinc bioprecipitation (following addition of organic substrate and sulfate) removed more than 99% of the zinc from the water phase. Lactate, glycerol and vegetable oil were equally effective as substrates. 28-day anaerobic leaching tests indicated that the metal precipitates that were formed are stable, but they also suggested that substrate addition increases the solubility (leachability) of arsenic and manganese. In the field test, Zn concentrations were reduced by 2 to 3 orders of magnitude within the 232 day testing period and stayed low for the following 6 months in both pilot zones. In the field, no mobilization of arsenic occurred but manganese groundwater concentrations increased from 0.01-0.6mg/L to 0.4-6.5mg/L. Dissolved iron concentrations also increased markedly from below detection limits to concentrations as high as 67mg/L. Zinc concentrations in groundwater were closely correlated to pH and redox potential (Eh): plotting y=[Zn] against x=pH/log(Eh), an exponential relationship was found:

Microbial processes as key drivers for metal (im)mobilization along a redox gradient in the saturated zone.

Two sites representing different aquifer types, i.e., Dommel (sandy) and Flémalle (gravelly loam) along the Meuse River, have been selected to conduct microcosm experiments. Various conditions ranging from aerobic over nitrate- to sulphate reducing were imposed. For the sandy aquifer, nitrate reducing conditions predominated, which specifically in the presence of a carbon source led to pH increases and enhanced Zn removal. For the calcareous gravelly loam, sulphate reduction was dominant resulting in immobilization of both Zn and Cd. For both aquifer types and almost all redox conditions, higher arsenic concentrations were measured in the groundwater. Analyses of different specific microbial populations by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) revealed the dominance of denitrifiers for the Dommel site, while sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) were the prevailing population for all redox conditions in the Flémalle samples.

Comparison of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates removal in conventional activated sludge systems and membrane bioreactors.

The potential of a membrane bioreactor (MBR) and a conventional activated sludge (CAS) system to remove polar micropollutants was evaluated using linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS) as model components. Removal efficiencies over 97% were achieved in both reactor systems. The appearance of biological breakdown metabolites and the respirometric response of the sludges to LAS addition indicated that LAS removal was due to biodegradation, rather than sorption phenomena. The effect of operational variables, such as hydraulic retention time, LAS composition and hydrophobicity of the membrane used in the MBR, was negligible in the range tested. A stepwise increase in LAS influent concentration resulted in higher residual effluent concentrations but did not change the procentual removal efficiency. Because an increase in LAS and SPC effluent concentration occurred to a larger extent in the CAS than in the MBR under similar operating conditions, MBRs may turn out to be be more robust with respect to biological degradation of micropollutants than CAS.