• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.149-156
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• 2010

The objective of this study was to investigate microbial removal using layered double hydroxides (LDHs) and iron (hydr)oxides (IHs) immobilized onto granular media. Column experiments were performed using calcium alginate beads (CA beads), LDHs entrapped in CA beads (LDH beads), quartz sand (QS), iron hydroxide-coated sand (IHCS) and hematite-coated sand (HCS). Microbial breakthrough curves were obtained by monitoring the effluent, with the percentage of microbial removal and collector efficiency then quantified from these curves. The results showed that the LDH beads were ineffective for the removal of the negatively-charged microbes (27.7% at 1 mM solution), even though the positively-charged LDHs were contained on the beads. The above could be related to the immobilization method, where LDH powders were immobilized inside CA beads with nano-sized pores (about 10 nm); therefore, micro-sized microbes (E. coli = 1.21 ${\mu}m$) could not diffuse through the pores to come into contact with the LDHs in the beads, but adhere only to the exterior surface of the beads via polymeric interaction. IHCS was the most effective in the microbial removal (86.0% at 1 mM solution), which could be attributed to the iron hydroxide coated onto the exterior surface of QS had a positive surface charge and, therefore, effectively attracted the negatively-charged microbes via electrostatic interactions. Meanwhile, HCS was far less effective (35.6% at 1 mM solution) than IHCS because the hematite coated onto the external surface of QS is a crystallized iron oxide with a negative surface charge. This study has helped to improve our knowledge on the potential application of functional granular media for microbial removal.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.16-24
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• 2014

To test the potential effects of extracellular electron shuttles (EES) on the rate and extent of heavy metal release from contaminated soils during microbial iron reduction, we created anaerobic batch systems with anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS) as a surrogate of EES, and with contaminated soils as mixed iron (hydr)oxides and microbial sources. Two types of soils were tested: Zn-contaminated soil A and As/Pb-contaminated soil B. In soil A, the rate of iron reduction was fastest in the presence of AQDS and > 3500 mg/L of total Fe(II) was produced within 2 d. This suggests that indigenous microorganisms can utilize AQDS as EES to stimulate iron reduction. In the incubations with soil B, the rate and extent of iron reduction did not increase in the presence of AQDS likely because of the low pH (< 5.5). In addition, less than 2000 mg/L of total Fe(II) was produced in soil B within 52 d suggesting that iron reduction by subsurface microorganisms in soil B was not as effective as that in soil A. Relatively high amount of As (~500 mg/L) was released to the aqueous phase during microbial iron reduction in soil B. The release of As might be due to the reduction of As-associated iron (hydr)oxides and/or direct enzymatic reduction of As(V) to As(III) by As-reducing microorganisms. However, given that Pb in liquid phase was < 0.3 mg/L for the entire experiment, the microbial reduction As(V) to As(III) by As-reducing microorganisms has most likely occurred in this system. This study suggests that heavy metal release from contaminated soils can be strongly controlled by subsurface microorganisms, soil pH, presence of EES, and/or nature of heavy metals.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.1B
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• pp.149-152
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• 2008

The reaction between iron oxide and ferrous iron is known to be the adsorption of ferrous iron onto the oxide surfaces that produces Fe(II)-Fe(III) (hydr)oxides and ferrous oxide oxidized to ferric ion which is the reducing agent of the target compounds. In our investigations on DS/S using ferrous modified steel slag, the results did not follow the trends. FeO and Fe(II), the major component of steel slag, were used to investigate the degradation of TCE. Degradation did not take place for the first and suddenly degraded after awhile. Degradation of TCE in this system was unexpected because Fe(II)-Fe(III) (hydr)oxides could not be produced in absence of ferric oxide. In this study, the characteristics of FeO/Fe(II) system as a reducing agent were observed through the degradation of TCE, measuring byproducts of TCE and the concentration of Fe(II) and Fe(III). Adsorption of ferrous ion on FeO was observed and the generation of byproducts of TCE showed the degradation of TCE by reduction in the system is obvious. However it did not correspond with the typical reducing mechanisms. Future research on this system needs to be continued to find out whether new species are generated or any unknown mineral oxides are produced in the system that acted in the degradation of TCE.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.174-180
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• 2005

Nano-sized iron was synthesized using borohydride reduction of $Fe^{3+}$ in aqueous solution. A wide range of synthesis conditions including varying concentrations of reagents, reagent feeding rate, and solution pH was applied in an aqueous system under anaerobic condition. The reactivity of nano-sized iron from each synthesis was evaluated by reacting the iron with TCE in batch systems. Evidence obtained from this study suggest the reactivity of iron is strongly dependent on the synthesis solution pH. The iron reactivity increased as solution pH decreased. More rapid TCE reduction was observed for iron samples synthesized from higher initial $Fe^{3+}$ concentration, which resulted in lower solution pH during the synthesis reaction. Faster feeding of $BH_4^-$ solution to the $Fe^{3+}$ solution resulted in lower synthesis solution pH and the resultant iron samples gave higher TCE reduction rate. Lowering the pH of the solution after completion of the synthesis reaction significantly increased reactivity of iron. It is presumed that the increase in the reactivity of iron synthesized at lower pH is due to less precipitation of iron (hydr)oxides or less surface passivation of iron.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.534-544
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• 2014

The effects of microbial iron reduction and oxidation on the immobilization and mobilization of copper were investigated in a high concentration of sulfate with synthesized Fe(III) minerals and red earth soils rich in amorphous Fe (hydr)oxides. Batch microcosm experiments showed that red earth soil inoculated with subsurface sediments had a faster Fe(III) bioreduction rate than pure amorphous Fe(III) minerals and resulted in quicker immobilization of Cu in the aqueous fraction. Coinciding with the decrease of aqueous Cu, $SO_4{^{2-}}$ in the inoculated red earth soil decreased acutely after incubation. The shift in the microbial community composite in the inoculated soil was analyzed through denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Results revealed the potential cooperative effect of microbial Fe(III) reduction and sulfate reduction on copper immobilization. After exposure to air for 144 h, more than 50% of the immobilized Cu was remobilized from the anaerobic matrices; aqueous sulfate increased significantly. Sequential extraction analysis demonstrated that the organic matter/sulfide-bound Cu increased by 52% after anaerobic incubation relative to the abiotic treatment but decreased by 32% after oxidation, indicating the generation and oxidation of Cu-sulfide coprecipitates in the inoculated red earth soil. These findings suggest that the immobilization of copper could be enhanced by mediating microbial Fe(III) reduction with sulfate reduction under anaerobic conditions. The findings have an important implication for bioremediation in Cu-contaminated and Fe-rich soils, especially in acid-mine-drainage-affected sites.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.778-782
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• 2007

This study investigated the dechlorination mechanisms of TCE by Fe(II) associated with cement. Batch slurry experiments were peformed to investigate the behaviors of selected ions; Fe(II), Fe(III), $Ca^{2+}$, $SO_4^{2-}$ in cement/Fe(II) system. The kinetic experiments of TCE in cement/Fe(II) systems showed that injected Fe(II) was mostly sorbed on cement within 0.5 day and 90% of injected 200 mM sulfate was sorbed on cement within 0.5 day when $[TCE]_0$ = 0.25 mM and $[Fe(II)]_0$ = 200 mM. The kinetic experiments of TCE in hematite/CaO/Fe((II) systems were conducted for simulation of cement/Fe(II) system. Calcium oxide that is one of the major components in cement hydration reactions or has a reactivity in limited conditions. Hematite assumed the ferric iron oxide component of cement. The reactivities observed in hematite/CaO/Fe(II) system were comparable to those reported for cement/Fe(II) systems containing similar molar amounts of Fe(II). The behavior of Fe(II) and $SO_4^{2-}$ sorbed on solid phase at an early stage of reaction in hematite/CaO/Fe(II) system was similar to that of cement/Fe(II) system. Ferric ion was released from hematite at an early period of reaction at low pH. The experimental evidence of kinetic test using hematite/CaO/Fe(II) system implies that the reactive reductant is a mixed-valent Fe(II)-Fe(III) mineral, which may be similar to green rust. Fe(II) sorbed on cement can be converted to new mineral phase having a reactivity such as Fe(II)-Fe(III) (hydr)oxides in cement/Fe(II) systems.