Geomicrobiological Regeneration of Iron Sulfides in Engineered barrier Systems

The reactive capacity of iron sulfide-based permeable reactive barriers (PRB) to complex and co-precipitate heavy metal ions from groundwater will depend on the potential for regeneration of reactive FeS during the expected lifetime of the PRB. FeS reactivity may decrease in a PRB in time as the result of the following processes: (i) oxidation of FeS and the formation of ferric iron (Fe(III)) oxide solids in the presence of oxygenated groundwater at the entrance of the PRB, (ii) oxidation of FeS in the presence of redox active metals like As(V) with the formation of ferric solids, (iii) co-precipitation of heavy metals within the PRB with the reactive FeS leading to the formation of insoluble metal sulfides co-precipitates with the concomitant release of ferrous iron and formation of ferrous (Fe(II) oxide, hydroxide, or carbonate solids, (iv) clogging of the PRB structure due to formation of precipitate products from processes (i) - (iii).. We have demonstrated the formation of triolite in the presence of an oxidized form of hydrous ferric oxide (HFO), various sulfate concentrations, and biomass densities for the sulfate reducing bacterium (SRB) Desulfovibrio vulgaris. This result has allowed us to demonstrate the feasibility of regeneration of FeS from the ferric oxide and hydroxide solids that may be produced under scenarios (i) and (ii) above as well as to establish the electron donor and acceptor requirements for this SRB. Using Desulfobacterium autotrophicum, both HFO and soluble complexed forms of ferric iron gave rise to the formation of mackinawite. The latter have been shown to react with As (V) and Cd (II) to form ferric solids. Both organisms will be used to generate FeS solids in the presence of crystalline forms of ferric solids expected to form from scenarios (i) and (ii) (e.g., goethite and the mixed Fe(II)/(Fe(III) magnetite, and green rusts) and ferrous iron solids from scenarios (iii) and (iv) (Fe(II) oxides and siderite). Similar to the study completed on HFO and ferric citrate, the FeS solids will be characterized in terms of structure (XRD), conversion efficiency to FeS, and subsequent reactivity in batch systems to As and Cd.