AN INTEGRATED BIOREMEDIATION ROUTE FOR HEAVY METAL CONTAMINATED LAND BASED ON THE SULFUR CYCLE

摘要

BNF, an internationally acclaimed company notedfor its nuclear fuel cycle services and waste managementtechnologies, collaborated with Viridian BioProcessing Ltd, asmall company acknowledged for developing environmentalbiological processes, and an internationally recognised professorof biological sciences, to develop an unique bioremediationprocess for treating toxic, heavy metal contaminated land. Thispaper describes the process, with particular reference to theproblem and scope of land contamination with toxic, heavymetals and the current available technologies.The process technologies are based on using indigenous, soilmicro-organisms which can be stimulated to produce acid orsulphide ions to mobilise or precipitate the heavy metalsrespectively. Laboratory studies have indicated metal removalefficiencies of greater than 90 percent can be achieved, whilstrecovery efficiencies from the metal loaded leachate are evenhigher at approximately 95 percent.