Acid drainage and metal bioleaching by redox potencial changes in heavy polluted fluvial sediments

Abstract

Sediments from polluted urban streams act as a sink of contaminants. The high content of organic matter and sulphides makes the system appropriate for binding heavy metals. However, changes in the redox potential leads to processes in which sediments acts like a low sulphidic ore in an oxidizing environment, and could generate acid drainages. Human and not human disturbances of the sediments could derive in its oxidation catalyzed by sulphur oxidizing bacteria (SOB). This process leads to acidification and metal release. In this study we analyze the acidification potential of anaerobic sediments of polluted streams near Buenos Aires with static and kinetic methods. The results remark the necessity to consider this process before any sediment management action.