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Bioleaching of heavy metals from contaminated soil using Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans: effect of sulfur/soil ratio

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Abstract

Bioleaching of heavy metals from contaminated soil was carried out using indigenous sulfur oxidizing bacterium Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans. Experiments were carried out by varying sulfur/soil ratio from 0.03 to 0.33 to evaluate the optimum ratio for efficient bioleaching of heavy metals from soil. The influence of sulfur/soil ratio on the bioleaching efficiency was assessed based on decrease in pH, increase in oxidation–reduction potential, sulfate production and solubilization of heavy metals from the soil. Decrease in pH, increase in oxidation–reduction potential and sulfate production was found to be better with the increase in sulfur/soil ratio. While the final pH of the system with different sulfur/soil ratio was in the range of 4.1–0.7, oxidation reduction potential varied from 230 to 629 mV; sulfate production was in the range of 2,786–8,872 mg/l. Solubilization of chromium, zinc, copper, lead and cadmium from the contaminated soil was in the range of 11–99%. Findings of the study will help to optimize the ratio of sulfur/soil to achieve effective bioleaching of heavy metals from contaminated soils.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi, India for providing financial assistance to carry out this work through a research grant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Environmental Studies, Anna University, Chennai, 600 025, Tamilnadu, India

    R. Nareshkumar, R. Nagendran & K. Parvathi

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  1. R. Nareshkumar
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  2. R. Nagendran
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  3. K. Parvathi
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Correspondence to R. Nagendran.

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Nareshkumar, R., Nagendran, R. & Parvathi, K. Bioleaching of heavy metals from contaminated soil using Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans: effect of sulfur/soil ratio. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 24, 1539–1546 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-007-9639-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-007-9639-5

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