Estudo do efeito do TDH, relação DQO/SO42-e concentração inicial de ferro no tratamento de drenagem ácida de minas em reator UASB utilizando soro de leite como fonte de carbono

Abstract

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a serious environmental issue especially in mining areas. This wastewater generally consists of heavy metals and toxic compounds that can pollute soils and water streams, causing damage to the fauna, flora and to people’s health. The whey, effluent of dairy industries, also generates damage to the environment due to its high organic matter concentration and it is in the interest of these productive centers that they have a correct and low cost destination. An alternative for both problems can be the anaerobic treatment of the AMD, using sulphate reducing bacteria and the dairy industries wastewater as an electron donor for the process, since AMD is a wastewater deficient in carbon source. This study proposes the utilization of an UASB reactor (Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket) for the treatment of AMD. This reactor was inoculated with an microbial consortium containing sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB) and fed also with powder whey as carbon source in the process. It was evaluated the hydraulic retention time (HRT), COD/SO42-ratio and initial iron concentration, aiming evaluate the effects of these parameters in the efficiency of the system as a whole. It were studied four phases of operation, with the first one presenting HRT of 16 hours, COD/SO42-ratio of 1,0 and initial iron concentration of 100 mg/l; the second phase presenting HRT of 16 hours, COD/SO42-ratio of 0,8 and initial iron concentration of 100 mg/l; the third phase with HRT of 24 hours, COD/SO42-ratio of 0,8 and initial iron concentration of 100 mg/l; and, finally, the fourth phase of operation with HRT of 24 hours, COD/SO42-ratio of 0,8 and initial iron concentration of 200 mg/l. Thus, this study shows that the COD/SO42-of 0,8 with the HRT of 16 hours weren’t favorable to the SRB action, which resulted in a reduction in the sulphate removal, and also, the increase in the initial iron concentration in the system showed a favorable response in the process, increasing effluent pH and also improving the sulphate reduction in the system. The phase with better results was phase I, which presented an average sulphate removal of (70,00 ± 7,96)% and average COD removal of (80,83± 7,27)%. The best results for metals removal were obtained in phase II, with (93,14± 3,49)%of copper removal, (50,77± 2,75)%of zinc removal and the iron removal was kept above 99% during all reactor’s operation. Even with the positive reaction that the system presented during its last operation phase, phase IV, is believed that the duration of the operation phase or even the long operation time of the reactor, 920 days, were decisive factors so the system did not present the best results in the last operation phase.