Removal of Mercury from Chemical Wastewater by Microoganisms in Technical Scale

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Abstract

The enzymatic reduction of Hg(II) to water insoluble Hg(0) by mercury resistant bacteria has been used for removal of mercury from wastewater in technical scale. Pure cultures of seven mercury resistant strains of Pseudomonas were immobilized on carrier material inside a 700 L packed bed bioreactor. Neutralized chloralkali electrolysis wastewater with a mercury concentration of 3−10 mg/L was continuously fed into the bioreactor (0.7 m3/h up to 1.2 m3/h). A mercury retention efficiency of 97% was obtained within 10 h of inoculation of the bioreactor. At optimum performance, bioreactor outflow concentrations were below 50 μg Hg/L, which fulfill the discharge limit for industrial wastewater. In combination with an activated carbon filter, outflow concentrations below 10 μg Hg/L were always obtained. The retention efficiency of the bioreactor was not affected by fluctuations in inflow conductivity (between 20 and 105 mS/cm), pH (between 6.5 and 7.5), or mercury concentration (between 3 and 10 mg/L) and was between 95% and 99%. Temperature increases up to 47 °C did not impair bioreactor performance. Standby periods up to 6 h could be tolerated without loss in activity. A simple, effective, and robust biotechnology for remediation of mercury polluted wastewater is thus demonstrated.

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