Wastewater engineering applications of BioIronTech process based on the biogeochemical cycle of iron bioreduction and (bio)oxidation

Abstract

Bioreduction of Fe(III) and biooxidation of Fe(II) can be used in wastewater engineering as an innovative biotechnology BioIronTech, which is protected for commercial applications by US patent 7393452 and Singapore patent 106658 "Compositions and methods for the treatment of wastewater and other waste". The BioIronTech process comprises the following steps: 1) anoxic bacterial reduction of Fe(III), for example in iron ore powder; 2) surface renovation of iron ore particles due to the formation of dissolved Fe 2+ ions; 3) precipitation of insoluble ferrous salts of inorganic anions (phosphate) or organic anions (phenols and organic acids); 4) (bio)oxidation of ferrous compunds with the formation of negatively, positively, or neutrally charged ferric hydroxides, which are good adsorbents of many pollutants; 5) disposal or thermal regeration of ferric (hydr)oxide. Different organic substances can be used as electron donors in bioreduction of Fe(III). Ferrous ions and fresh ferrous or ferric hydroxides that are produced after iron bioreduction and (bio)oxidation adsorb and precipitate diferent negatively charged molecules, for example chlorinated compounds of sucralose production wastewater or other halogenated organics, as well as phenols, organic acids, phosphate, and sulphide. Reject water (return liquor) from the stage of sewage sludge dewatering on municipal wastewater treatment plants represents from 10 to 50% of phosphorus load when being recycled to the aeration tank. BioIronTech process can remove/recover more than 90% of phosphorous from this reject water thus replacing the conventional process of phosphate precipitation by ferric/ferrous salts, which are 20-100 times more expensive than iron ore, which is AIMS Environmental ScienceVolume 1, Issue 2, 53-66.used in BioIronTech process. BioIronTech process can remarkably improve the aerobic and anaerobic treatments of municipal and industrial wastewaters, especially anaerobic digestion of lipidand sulphate-containing food-processing wastewater. It can also remove the recalcitrant compounds from industrial wastewater, enhance sustainability and quality of water resources,restore eutrophicated lakes due to removal of phosphate, ammonium, and pesticides from water, and recover ammonium and phosphate from municipal and food-processing wastes.

Construction Biotechnology: a new area of biotechnological research and applications

“…The microbial treatment can be performed in situ as: bioaggregation of soil particles and biocrusting of soil surface to control water and wind erosion of soil and soil dust emission (Bang et al 2011;Stabnikov et al 2011Stabnikov et al , 2013b; biocoating of solid surface to protect it from corrosion and decay or to enhance its colonization (Ivanov et al 2015a, b, c); bioclogging of porous matrix to reduce its hydraulic conductivity (Ivanov et al 2012a, b;Eryuruk et al 2015); biocementation of porous matrix to increase its strength (Achal et al 2010(Achal et al , 2011Chu et al 2012;DeJong et al 2010DeJong et al , 2013De Muynck et al 2008a, b, 2010Dhami et al 2012;Dosier 2011;Ghosh et al 2005Ghosh et al , 2006Ghosh et al , 2009Harkes et al 2010;Ivanov 2010;Ivanov and Chu 2008;Li and Qu 2012;Mitchell and Santamarina 2005;Raut et al 2014;Sarda et al 2009;van Paassen et al 2010;van der Ruyt and van der Zon 2009;Van Tittelboom et al 2010;Whiffin et al 2007); biodesaturation (biogas production in situ) to reduce liquefaction potential of water saturated soil He et al 2013; RebataLanda and Santamarina 2012); bioencapsulation of clay particles to increase strength of soft clayey soil material (Ivanov et al 2014); and bioremediation of polluted soil to immobilize pollutant in soil before construction (Fujita et al 2004;Mitchell and Ferris 2005;Warren et al 2001). The principles of these processes are shown in Table 3.…”

Removal of the Recalcitrant Artificial Sweetener Sucralose and Its By-Products from Industrial Wastewater Using Microbial Reduction/Oxidation of Iron

“…The sequential bioreduction of Fe 3+ and the (bio)oxidation of Fe 2+ can be used for the numerous environmental and geotechnical engineering applications [1,2]. The potential applications of these processes have been described in the US patent 7393452 "Compositions and methods for the treatment of wastewater and other waste" [3].…”

Biotechnological production of biogrout from iron ore and cellulose

“…The disadvantage of this type of biogrouting is the increase of pH in soil to 8.5–9.0. To avoid this problem, another type of biogrouting, iron‐based biogrout, has been proposed, studied and discussed . In previous experimental studies, iron‐based biogrout contained ferric chelate, urea, and urease‐producing bacteria for the precipitation of ferric hydroxide .…”

“…To avoid this problem, another type of biogrouting, iron‐based biogrout, has been proposed, studied and discussed . In previous experimental studies, iron‐based biogrout contained ferric chelate, urea, and urease‐producing bacteria for the precipitation of ferric hydroxide . Using this grout, the hydraulic conductivity of sand has been reduced from 5 × 10 −5 m s −1 to 1.4 × 10 −7 m s −1 at a precipitated metals content of about 2% (w/w) …”

“…Fe(III) of iron oxide can be reduced by iron‐reducing bacteria to dissolved ferrous ions or colloidal ferrous hydroxides using hydrogen or organic carbon under strictly anaerobic conditions . This dissolved ferrous, which is produced by iron‐reducing bacteria, can be used in different chemical or environmental engineering applications . Commercial use of bioreduction and biooxidation of iron in the USA is protected by US Patent 7393452 .…”