Abstract
A mathematical model is presented for the rate of sulfate reduction in anaerobic solid substrate bioreactors and subsurface flow wetlands used to treat water containing heavy metals. In these systems, sulfate is reduced to sulfide through bacterial sulfate reduction (BSR). The sulfide precipitates metals with low metal sulfide solubility products, and BSR produces alkalinity. It is assumed that neither the bioreactors nor the wetlands receive significant replenishment of electron donor (organic carbon), and that they operate solely on the organic carbon included in the substrate during system construction. The model predicts sulfate reduction as a function of the initial age of the organic matter, hydraulic retention time, and temperature. The hydraulic retention time must be long if system reconstruction, supplying more organic carbon, is to be done infrequently. It takes about seven years for a substrate with a high initial age (2 years) to achieve a larger sulfate reduction rate than a substrate with a low initial age (0.5 years). The required hydraulic retention time for 50 percent sulfate reduction varies from 8 d at 17°C to 41 d at 1° C.
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Drury, W.J. Modeling of sulfate reduction in anaerobic solid substrate bioreactors for mine drainage treatment. Mine Water and the Environment 19, 19–29 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02687262
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02687262