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Woodchip-sulfur packed biological permeable reactive barrier for mixotrophic vanadium (V) detoxification in groundwater

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Abstract

Groundwater vanadium (V) (V(V)) contamination is ubiquitous in vanadium mining/smelting region and development of novel strategy for its remediation is of particular significance. Herein woodchip-sulfur packed biological permeable reactive barrier (bio-PRB) is established towards successful V(V) bio-detoxification. V(V) removal was accelerated under such mixotrophic condition, compared with heterotrophic and autotrophic V(V) reductions. The performance of bio-PRB was relatively steady with V(V) removal efficiency of 68.5%–98.2% under fluctuant geochemical and hydrodynamic conditions. Microbial community analysis indicated that heterotrophic Geobacter was the main reducer to convert V(V) to insoluble V(IV), by consumption of organic source attributed to woodchip hydrolysis and sulfur anabolism of autotrophs (e.g., Sulfuricurvum and Thiobacillus). V(V) reduction and elemental sulfur oxidation were regulated by genes as omcA, omcB and mtrC and soxB, respectively. The elevated contents of cytochrome c and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide implied that improved electron transfer facilitated V(V) reduction. This study provides a cost-effective, robust and sustainable route for V(V)-polluted aquifer remediation.

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  1. School of Water Resources and Environment, MOE Key Laboratory of Groundwater Circulation and Environmental Evolution, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, 100083, China

    JiaLin Li & BaoGang Zhang

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  1. JiaLin Li
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  2. BaoGang Zhang
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Correspondence to BaoGang Zhang.

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Li, J., Zhang, B. Woodchip-sulfur packed biological permeable reactive barrier for mixotrophic vanadium (V) detoxification in groundwater. Sci. China Technol. Sci. 63, 2283–2291 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-020-1655-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-020-1655-6

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