The U.S. Bureau of Mines conducted experiments to determine if a mushroom-compost-based sulfate reduction system could be used to treat nickel-contaminated mine waters. Sulfate reduction systems were established in columns containing acid-washed mushroom compost. Simulated mine waters containing 2,000 mg/l sulfate and 50 to 1,000 mg/l nickel were adjusted to ph 4.5 and pumped through the columns at flow rates between 15 and 25 ml/hr. During the first 9 days of operation, virtually all influent nickel was removed in the columns by sorption and ion exchange mechanisms. The nickel removal rate then dropped to 18 to 30 mg ni/day (7.8 to 12.8 Nmol/g- substrate/day), probably owing to low sulfate reduction rates. When sodium lactate was added to the inflow, a sustained and sevenfold increase in the nickel removal rate was observed. Bacterial sulfate reduction rates measured in mushroom-compost-based wetlands exposed to coal mine drainage are 2 to 20 times faster than the rates observed in this study. Low sulfate reduction rates in the columns may have been due to the inhibition of microbial activity by high nickel concentrations and the removal of labile organic compounds from the mushroom compost substrate during acid washing. Results of this study indicate that bacterial sulfate reduction can effectively treat nickel concentrations up to 500 mg/l if labile carbon is nonlimiting.
Publication Date
19910101
Document Type
OP;
Fiscal Year
1991
Identifying No.
OP 128-91
NIOSH Division
PRC;
Source Name
Proc. 1991 Natl Mtg Soc of Surface Mng & Reclam.; V. 1, Am Soc Surface Min & Reclam, Pp 97-107
Links with this icon indicate that you are leaving the CDC website.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.
Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.
You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.
CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website.
For more information on CDC's web notification policies, see Website Disclaimers.
CDC.gov Privacy Settings
We take your privacy seriously. You can review and change the way we collect information below.
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance.
Cookies used to make website functionality more relevant to you. These cookies perform functions like remembering presentation options or choices and, in some cases, delivery of web content that based on self-identified area of interests.
Cookies used to track the effectiveness of CDC public health campaigns through clickthrough data.
Cookies used to enable you to share pages and content that you find interesting on CDC.gov through third party social networking and other websites. These cookies may also be used for advertising purposes by these third parties.
Thank you for taking the time to confirm your preferences. If you need to go back and make any changes, you can always do so by going to our Privacy Policy page.