Precipitation of Heavy Metal Ions (Cu, Fe, Zn, and Pb) from Mining Flotation Effluents Using a Laboratory-Scale Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Reactor

Metal mining extraction and concentration need water. The recycling of liquid effluents reduces its consumption. This recycled water must contain low concentrations metals. project’s first objective was to start up a laboratory-scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor for biotransforming metal sulfates into sulfides effluent from flotation units plant (FE). second determine the effect pH chemical oxygen demand:sulfate ratio (COD:SO42−) in precipitation heavy sulfides. third objective, which is subject this part research, evaluate feasibility proposal through mass balance metals separated by formation sulfate-reducing microorganisms (SRM), using as energy source carbonaceous compounds residual organic reagents enriched with lactic acid. To monitor bioconversion effectiveness, various parameters were used: pH-alkalinity factor (α), temperature (T), COD, SO42−, (S2−). Four considered research: Cu, Pb, Zn, Fe. UASB system achieved sulfate 69% an matter removal COD 88% after transient state best COD:SO42− found. Using statistical analysis clusters, sulfide production 74 mg L−1 removals 39, 70, 79, 65%, Cu Fe, respectively, obtained. These values calculated initial 0.66 ± 0.2 around 6 inside reactor, microbial biomass, indicating that solution proposed recycle feasible these systems.