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Stabilization of Pb(II) in wastewater and tailings by commercial bacteria through microbially induced phosphate

Li-Jun Han1, Jiang-Shan Li2, Zhen Chen3

  • 1State Key Laboratory of Geomechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100049, China.

The Science of the Total Environment
|January 19, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Commercial Bacillus subtilis (BS) effectively stabilizes lead (Pb(II)) using microbially induced phosphate precipitation (MIPP). This simple method outperforms traditional isolation techniques for heavy metal remediation.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental microbiology
  • Bioremediation
  • Geochemistry

Background:

  • Microbially induced phosphate precipitation (MIPP) is an eco-friendly method for stabilizing lead (Pb(II)).
  • Conventional MIPP relies on isolating phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms (PSM) through complex, time-consuming processes.
  • There is a need for simpler, more efficient PSM for widespread MIPP application.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a simplified MIPP process using commercially available bacteria for Pb(II) stabilization.
  • To evaluate the efficacy of commercial Bacillus subtilis (BS) as a PSM for Pb(II) removal and stabilization.
  • To assess the potential of BS-based MIPP in mitigating lead contamination in tailings.

Main Methods:

  • Screening of two commercial PSM strains, selecting Bacillus subtilis (BS) based on inorganic phosphorus (Pi) release and Pb(II) tolerance.
  • Optimizing reaction conditions for BS-mediated Pb(II) removal, including sodium glycerophosphate (SGP) concentration, pH, and MgCl2 concentration.
  • Applying the optimized BS-MIPP process to lead-zinc tailings to assess reduction in leachable Pb(II).

Main Results:

  • Bacillus subtilis (BS) demonstrated superior Pb(II) removal (>99% from 500 mg/L) and higher Pi release compared to other commercial strains.
  • Optimal conditions for BS-based MIPP were identified as 0.05 M SGP, pH 7-9, and ≤0.03 M MgCl2.
  • BS treatment reduced leachable Pb(II) in lead-zinc tailings from 0.81 mg/L to 0.00042 mg/L, stabilizing Pb(II) as Pb5(PO4)3Cl.

Conclusions:

  • Commercial Bacillus subtilis (BS) is a highly effective and viable alternative to isolated microorganisms for MIPP-based Pb(II) stabilization.
  • The BS-based MIPP process offers a simple, efficient, and scalable approach for remediating heavy metal-contaminated wastewater, soil, and waste.
  • This study provides a new perspective for the widespread implementation of MIPP in environmental remediation.
Keywords:
Commercial bacteriumLead‑zinc tailingsMicrobially induced phosphate precipitation (MIPP)Pb(II) removalWastewaterbacillus subtilis

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