Microbiome of highly polluted coal mine drainage from Onyeama, Nigeria, and its potential for sequestrating toxic heavy metals

Abstract

Drains from coal mines remain a worrisome point-source of toxic metal/metalloid pollutions to the surface- and ground-waters worldwide, requiring sustainable remediation strategies. Understanding the microbial community subtleties through microbiome and geochemical data can provide valuable information on the problem. Furthermore, the autochthonous microorganisms offer a potential means to remediate such contamination. The drains from Onyeama coal mine in Nigeria contained characteristic sulphates (313.0 ± 15.9 mg l−1), carbonate (253.0 ± 22.4 mg l−1), and nitrate (86.6 ± 41.0 mg l−1), having extreme tendencies to enrich receiving environments with extremely high pollution load index (3110 ± 942) for toxic metals/metalloid. The drains exerted severe degree of toxic metals/metalloid contamination (Degree of contamination: 3,400,000 ± 240,000) and consequent astronomically high ecological risks in the order: Lead > Cadmium > Arsenic > Nickel > Cobalt > Iron > Chromium. The microbiome of the drains revealed the dominance of Proteobacteria (50.8%) and Bacteroidetes (18.9%) among the bacterial community, whereas Ascomycota (60.8%) and Ciliophora (12.6%) dominated the eukaryotic community. A consortium of 7 autochthonous bacterial taxa exhibited excellent urease activities (≥ 253 µmol urea min−1) with subsequent stemming of acidic pH to > 8.2 and sequestration of toxic metals (approx. 100% efficiency) as precipitates (15.6 ± 0.92 mg ml−1). The drain is a point source for metals/metalloid pollution, and its bioremediation is achievable with the bacteria consortium.

Unlocking water potential in drylands: Quicklime and fly ash enhance soil microbiome structure, ecological networks and function in acid mine drainage water-irrigated agriculture

“…4 a). These taxa thrives extreme environments, including low pH and HM contamination [ 53 , 54 ], suggesting their connection with AMD contaminated soil and ecosystem adaptability. This aligns with Yang et al [ 55 ] findings that pH is a pivotal environmental factor that shapes network topology and the abundance of keystone taxa in agricultural soils.…”

Mechanistic Insights into Micelle-Enhanced Nanofiltration for Heavy Metal Removal: Transformation of Ion Transport and Fouling Phenomena

“…To ensure the reliability of the experiment, the species and concentrations of heavy metals were carefully selected to match the composition and range of levels found in real mine drainage. , Aladdin Bio-Chem Technology Co., Ltd. (Shanghai, China) supplied SDS, SDBS, zinc sulfate (ZnSO 4 ), copper sulfate (CuSO 4 ), cadmium chloride (CdCl 2 ), nickel chloride (NiCl 2 ), potassium antimony tartrate (C 8 H 4 K 2 O 12 Sb 2 ), sodium chloride (NaCl), and calcium chloride (CaCl 2 ), which were of analytical grade. Detailed information is available in Table S1.…”

Analysis of Trace Metal Bioaccumulation in Fish and Man; Health Risk Impact

“…It was reported that the level of trace metals over time had increased significantly [24]. In Iludun-Ore and Environs in South-West Nigeria, the mining activities of tantalum niobium concentrates showed a high level of Pb, Fe, Cr, Sr, Mn and Ni [26,27], reported the capacity of characteristic sulphates (313.0±15.9 mg•L-1), carbonate (253.0±22.49 mg•L-1), and nitrate (86.6±41.0 9 mg•L-1), having extreme tendencies to enrich receiving environments with extremely high pollution load index (3.110±942) for toxic metals/metalloid were observed in drains from Onyeama coal mine in Nigeria. The drains contained extreme levels of toxic metals/metalloid contamination and consequent astronomically high ecological risks in the order: Of lead> Cadmium > Arsenic > Nickel > Cobalt > Iron > Chromium.…”