Heterotrophic microorganism Rhodotorula mucilaginosa R30 improves tannery sludge bioleaching through elevating dissolved CO2 and extracellular polymeric substances levels in bioleach solution as well as scavenging toxic DOM to Acidithiobacillus species.

The introduction of acid-tolerant heterotrophic microorganisms into sludge bioleaching systems has been proven effective in improving sludge bioleaching processes, and such positive effect is mainly attributed to the biodegradation of low molecular weight organic acids or sludge dissolved organic matter (DOM) toxic to Acidithiobacillus species by the heterotrophic microorganisms introduced. Here we report that elevated dissolved CO(2) concentration and resulting extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in bioleach solution due to the incorporation of heterotrophic microorganisms also play important roles in improving sludge bioleaching. It was found that in tannery sludge bioleaching system coinoculated with Rhodotorula mucilaginosa R30 and Acidithiobacillus species, dissolved CO(2) concentration in bioleach solution can be elevated from 0.23-0.54 mg/L to 0.76-1.01 mg/L compared to the control inoculated only with Acidithiobacillus species. Correspondingly, the distinct degradation of sludge DOM was also observed in this experiment. It was experimentally demonstrated that the accumulation of CO(2) did greatly enhance the growth of Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans and the decrease rate of pH in the medium. In addition, EPS derived from R. mucilaginosa R30 could bind readily Fe(3+) in bioleach solution with maximum binding capacity (MBC) of 0.82 mg Fe(3+) by per mg DOC of EPS secreted and the oxidization activity of EPS-bound Fe(3+) was decreased but not totally inhibited, indicating that the formation of soluble EPS-Fe(III) complexes enhances, to a certain extent, bioleaching efficiency due to maintaining Fe(3+) level in solution by inhibiting Fe precipitation occurrence.