Design and Operation of Empirical Manganese-Removing Bioreactors and Integration into a Composite Modular System for Remediating and Recovering Metals from Acidic Mine Waters

Packed bed bioreactors were used to remove soluble manganese from a synthetic mine water as the final stage of an integrated bioremediation process. The had undergone initial processing using sulfidogenic bioreactor (pH 4.0–5.5) which removed all transition metals present in elevated concentrations (Cu, Ni, Zn and Co) apart manganese. aerobic packed with pebbles collected freshwater stream that coated black-colored, Mn(IV)-containing biofilms, their capacity Mn (II) was tested at varying hydraulic retention times (11–45 h) influent liquor pH values (5.0 or 6.5). Over 99% partly processed when operated 6.5 HRT 45 h. Molecular techniques (clone libraries T-RFLP analysis) characterize biofilms identified two heterotrophic Mn-oxidizing microorganisms: bacterium Leptothrix discophora what appears be novel fungal species. latter isolated characterized vitro.