Abstract
This study reports a biorestoration strategy of highly weathered tailings piles generating As-rich acid mine drainage, which consisted of a grass cover assisted with geochemical processes (neutralization, precipitation, and sorption) induced by native soil and limestone. Besides, sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are raised as a possible adjuvant in the biorestoration strategy. Tailings, soil, and limestone were collected in Zimapán, Mexico. Fungi and bacteria were isolated from tailings and identified by biochemical tests and the BIOLOG® database. SRB was also isolated from tailings in the Postgate and Baar culture media, then the kinetic growth was determined. Biorestoration experiments were carried out in rhizotrons containing different mixtures of tailings, soil, and limestone; afterward, grass seeds and SRB were added. Arsenic was selected as an indicator of the biorestoration strategy, discussing its biogeochemical behavior. Microbiological results showed the presence in tailings of 4 fungi strains belonging to the Aspergillus sp genus, whose existence does not favor the treatments due to its possible bioleaching capacity. Different bacteria were found, including Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Ralstonia solanacearum, and Sphingomonas paucimobilis, which could benefit the treatments. The grass grew in all the treatments, reaching As concentrations of up to 2.83 mg/kg and 5.06 mg/kg in the aerial part and root, respectively. SEM–EDS analysis showed As sorbed on Fe-oxo-hydroxides and some amorphous morphologies containing Fe–As–S associations, which could be related to SRB-induced biogenic sulfides. This biorestoration strategy could be implemented in the field and sites with similar environmental problems.
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This project was supported by Secretaría de Educación Pública (UAM-EXB-175).
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The study was designed by Israel Labastida, Juan C. Álvarez, Margarita Beltrán and Perla X. Sotelo. The experiments were performed by Carolina Malagón, Brenda S. Ramirez and Tania Matus. The manuscript was written by Israel Labastida, Perla X. Sotelo and María Aurora Armienta. SEM studies were performed by Israel Labastida and René H. Lara. Statistical analyzes were performed by Juan Carlos Álvarez. Discussion of results was performed by all the authors.
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Labastida, I., Malagón, C., Ramírez, B.S. et al. Biorestoration strategies of a highly weathered mine tailings, Zimapán, México. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-024-05570-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-024-05570-3