The relationships between sulphate reduction and COD/VFA utilisation using grass cellulose as carbon and energy sources.

The release of mine effluents can have a damaging impact on receiving water bodies. Therefore, treatment of mine waters before discharge is imperative. A novel biological SO²⁻₄ removal technology has been developed whereby the degradation/fermentation products of grass cellulose, volatile fatty acids (VFA), function as the electron donors and SO²⁻₄ as the electron acceptor.

The effect of adapting cellulose degrading microorganisms to 25 degrees C providing energy sources for biological sulphate removal.

Vast volumes of Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) are still being generated in South Africa, due to decant from both active and closed mines. Research to find a cost effective, environmentally friendly treatment system to reduce the salinity and to neutralise the acidity of AMD is ongoing. The study presented here showed that high sulphate removal efficiencies were achieved applying the biological treatment technology, thereby using the degradation products of grass-cellulose as the carbon and energy sources.