BIOREMEDIATION OF METAL-CONTAMINATED SURFACE AND GROUNDWATERS

Microorganisms immobilize, mobilize, or transform metals by extracellular precipitation reactions, intracellular accumulation, oxidation and reduction reactions, methylation and demethylation, and extracellular binding and complexation. Nearly all of these microbe/metal interactions occur within the wetlands approach to acid mine drainage treatment, a process that is rapidly gaining support as a low-maintenance, cost-effective approach to solving an important environmental problem. Several proprietary processes, which employ nonliving microorganisms that are immobilized in polymer matrixes, are entering the water treatment market. These processes take advantage of negatively charged functional groups on cell walls and exopolymers of microorganisms that bind cationic metals. These biosorbents effectively remove low concentrations (< 1 to about 20 mg/L) of heavy metal cations in the presence of high concentrations of alkaline earth metals (Ca2+ and Mg2+) and organic contaminants to levels lower than the U.S. National Drinking Water Standards. Immobilization of the biomass in polymer matrixes yields products that have substantial chemical and mechanical integrity. These immobilized products lend themselves to application in conventionally engineered systems such as up-flow and down-flow columns, expanded-bed systems, dispersed-bed systems, and low-maintenance trough systems. Biosorption will probably play an important role in achieving the strict environmental standards now being enforced.