Efeito da fonte externa de carbono na partida de reator UASB no tratamento de drenagem ácida de minas

Abstract

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is one of the environmental liabilities of ore mining industries which generate the pollution of surface water, groundwater and soil. The effluent from AMD stems from the exposure of sulfide minerals – mainly pyrite – to atmospheric conditions which oxidize this mineral generating rich sulfate solutions and low pH. This effluent can leach heavy metals that are found in geological bodies, and amplify the polluting degree which is associated to the drainage generation. The physical-chemical treatment widespread in mining that has been proposed to remedy the problem applies large amounts of hydrated lime or quicklime in order to neutralize drainage and precipitate metals – a costly procedure that involves spending on chemicals and appropriate disposal of the precipitated material. In this context, there is a demand for the study and development of new technologies for the treatment of AMD. The use of anaerobic treatment processes with sulfate-reducing bacteria enables the removal of sulfate, the higher pH, and the precipitation of metals from biogenic sulfide production. This study evaluated which of the sources carbon, i.e. acetate, ethanol, and lactate would be the most suitable to start-up a UASB reactor (upflow anaerobic sludge blanket) treating synthetic acid drainage, so that it could efficiently remove metals (iron, copper, and zinc). The reactor that was fed with ethanol was the only one that could treat drainage and stabilize the sulfate removal: efficiency was higher than 90% in 55 days of operation; removal was on average of: 96.0% of copper; 98.4% of zinc and 86.4% of iron. The reactor that was fed with lactate – after a long period of acclimatization, about 55 days – produced sulfide in conditions capable of removing copper and zinc, however after a period of 45 days the sulfide metabolic pathway was not observed, and lactate became fermented. The reactor that was fed with acetate was not able to use the carbon source. At low pH, acetate acts as an uncoupler of the cell membrane, which led biomass cells to collapse, promoting the disintegration of the inoculated granules and fungal growth.