Two bacterial strains, DNG5T and V3M1T, isolated from forest soil of the Changbai mountains in China, were characterized using a polyphasic approach. Analysis of their 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strains DNG5T and V3M1T were phylogenetically related to members of the genus Agrococcus (96.0–98.4 % similarity) and Micrococcus (96.7–98.0 % similarity), respectively, within the order Actinomycetales. Strains DNG5T and V3M1T were Gram-stain-positive and strictly aerobic and formed yellow colonies on LB agar. Cells of strain DNG5T were short, non-motile rods, 0.4–0.5×0.8–1.0 μm. Strain DNG5T contained MK-10 and MK-11 as the major respiratory quinones and anteiso-C15 : 0 (49.2 %) and iso-C16 : 0 (22.4 %) as the major fatty acids. The diamino acid in the peptidoglycan of strain DNG5T was 2,4-diaminobutyric acid and the murein was of the acetyl type. Cells of strain V3M1T were cocci, 0.6–0.7 μm in diameter. The cell-wall peptidoglycan of strain V3M1T contained the amino acids lysine, glutamic acid, alanine and glycine. Strain V3M1T contained MK-7, MK-7(H2), MK-8 and MK-8(H2) as respiratory quinones and anteiso-C15 : 0 (78.2 %) and iso-C15 : 0 (13.1 %) as the major cellular fatty acids. The DNA G+C contents of strains DNG5T and V3M1T were 75.9 and 67.2 mol%, respectively. The DNA–DNA relatedness of strain DNG5T to Agrococcus jejuensis DSM 22002T, A. jenensis JCM 9950T, A. baldri JCM 12132T and A. citreus JCM 12398T was 58.3, 43.9, 36.1 and 54.1 %, respectively. The DNA–DNA relatedness of strain V3M1T to Micrococcus luteus CGMCC 1.2299T, M. antarcticus CGMCC 1.2373T and M. lylae CGMCC 1.2300T was 57.5, 45.4 and 39.0 %, respectively. Combining phenotypic and genotypic traits, strain DNG5T represents a novel species of the genus Agrococcus, for which the name Agrococcus terreus sp. nov. is proposed, with DNG5T (=CGMCC 1.6960T =NBRC 104260T) as the type strain. Strain V3M1T represents a novel species of the genus Micrococcus, for which the name Micrococcus terreus sp. nov. is proposed, with V3M1T (=CGMCC 1.7054T =NBRC 104258T) as the type strain.

An integrated sulfate reducing process was used to treat Acid Mine Drainage with high concentrations of Cu2+, Fe and SO42-. The water treatment system integrated a sulfidogenic UASB bioreactor with a precipitation reactor which was used to recover copper. Sodium lactate was used as energy source. The effective volume of the UASB reactor was 2 L and the hydraulic retention time was 12.57h. In the sulphate removal reactor, sulphate was removed from 21160 to 195 mg/L with a rate of 4427.8 mg/L/d. Cu2+ and Fe was removed by biologically generated S2- and OH- from 360 and 6520 to 0.049 mg/L and less than 10 mg/L respectively. The average COD, copper and iron removal rate was 2523.2, 15.21 and 274.98 mg/L/d separately. The effluent pH reached 6.0-7.0. The results showed potential usage of this bioreactor in treating Acid Mine Drainage.