Just published: New case study on how to stimulate microbial activity in soils on industry sites to achieve the immobilization of toxic metals
Metals contamination in both the soil and the groundwater at industry sites are always challenging environmental practitioners as they cannot be destroyed by biological or chemical processes. However, they can be transformed into less mobile and / or less bio-available compounds.
My colleagues Alfredo Perez de Mora , Herwig De Wilde , and dirk paulus from #TAUWGermany and #TAUWBelgium together with their partners Stephanie Roosa, Rob Onderwater, Yoann Paint, Claudio Avignone Rossa, and Daniel Farkas from Materia Nova Institute and Surrey University have now published a very encouraging study on how this transformation can be stimulated in the soil at industrial sites by using the native microbiology that is already present within these soils.
In their paper my colleagues demonstrate that stimulating native sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) can lead to the formation of stable amorphous mineral phases, reducing metal(loid) concentrations in situ. Changes in microbial community composition and groundwater parameters indicated successful sulfate reduction in monitoring wells. In parallel, metal(loid) concentrations decreased below regulatory values, associated with the formation of insoluble metal(loid) sulfides. My colleagues point out that the stability of the precipitates formed under slightly acidic conditions, even after 30 months, is remarkable. Moreover, increasing the pH may help additionally reduce remediation time frames. The limited metal(loid) solubilization observed during the study suggests that significant re-mobilization is not to be expected even if the aquifer returns to oxic conditions.
This study highlights the potential of this approach for full-scale application under various climatic conditions. This very inspiring and encouraging result shows that we are on a great way developing and establishing new green and sustainable technologies to manage legacy contamination even where conventional approaches have come to their limits! Congratulations!
#LivingAmbition #Sustainability #Impact #TAUW