Biological remediation of mixed waste by microbial mats

Abstract

Abstract Although for regulatory purposes, mixed waste contains both a hazardous component as well as a radioactive component, the biotreatment technology described here remediates waste in the form of organic and metal mixtures and radionuclides and mixed metals. The Biomat TM , a proprietary microbial consortium, is photosynthetic, using atmospheric carbon dioxide and water to produce oxygen, and is nitrogen‐fixing (i.e., it uses atmospheric nitrogen to make usable nitrogen compounds for its growth). It contains anoxic (without oxygen) and oxic (with oxygen) zones in close proximity, which are assumed, for example, to simultaneously facilitate dechlorination and cleavage of aromatic carbon rings, respectively, in such difficult organic contaminants as PCBs and chlordane. It produces negatively charged, flocculating macromolecules which likely bind to metals. The Biomat TM tolerates chemical toxins and various pH, salinity, and temperature levels. In the laboratory, it has removed an array of heavy metals and metalloids, mineralized pesticides, PCB, solvents, oils, and explosives to carbon dioxide, and removed mixed waste in a continuous flow system. In the field, it has removed manganese, zinc, and other heavy metals (e.g., silver, chromium, cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, and iron) from mine drainage and BTEX, a gasoline mixture of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene, from contaminated groundwater. Landfill leachate is a mixture of toxic organics, metals, and ammonia. Waste Management, Inc., Microbial & Aquatic Treatment Systems, Inc., and the University of Louisville are currently collaborating in a pilot project testing simultaneous remediation of leachate with the Biomat TM .

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Identifiers

DOI

10.1002/ffej.3330060309

Journal

Federal Facilities Environmental Journal

Year

1995