Use of sulfate-reducing bacteria and different organic fertilizer for bioremediation of ex-nickel mining soils

Abstract

The microbiological activity associated with exmining soil remediation can be considered useful to accelerate the contaminant degradation. The use of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and organic matter exhibits potential in improving ex-nickel mining soil quality. The purpose of this study was to examine the ability of SRB in several organic fertilizers to reduce sulfate and nickel ions, and to increase pH of soil from nickel in mining areas. This study used the bacteria collection of the Soil Laboratory of the Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Muslim Indonesia. Those were previously isolated from two cultivating pond of milkfish in the Kuri area of Maros Regency, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The soil samples were collected from ex-mining areas of the Vale Indonesia Enterprise in Soroako, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Those were mixed with organic fertilizers, generated from sugarcane sludge, manure, and Quickstick (Gliricidia sepium) leaves, each with 50 and 100 g doses. The 5 kg soil samples were put into a pot and mixed evenly with organic fertil- izers. A general linear model (GLM) repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was adopted to analyze the data. The results of this study indicate that the application of SRB and fertilizer was effective in reducing concentration of sulfate and nickel. Among the three types of organic fertilizers, manure was effective in reducing sulfate and nickel concentrations, while Quickstick fertilizer was the more effective in stabilizing pH level. Fertilizer doses exhibited a significant effect on decreasing sulfate and nickel concentrations, but it exhibited no significant effect on stabilizing pH levels. At 10 days after treatment (DAT), the sulfate concentration decreased from 2,530 ppm to 1,443 ppm in treatment of SRB and manure with dose of 50 g and 1,363 ppm with that of 100 g. At the end of the observation (30 DAT), those were decreased to 1,217 ppm in treatment of SRB and manure with doses of 50 g and 1,167 ppm with that of 100 g. Among the three types of organic fertilizers used, Quickstick demonstrates the more effective reduction rate. At 10 DAT, pH increased in SRB treatment by 7.06 at a concentration of 50 g and 7.01 at a concentration of 50 g. At the end of the observation (30 DAT), the pH became 6.67 at a concentration of 50 g and 6.82 at a concentration of 50 g. The nickel concentration decreased from an origin concentration to 1,950 ppm in treatment of SRB and manure with doses of 50 g and 1,690 ppm with that of 100 g. Thus, the application of manure fertilizer and the addition of SRB is recommended for bioremediation of sulfate and nickel from ex-mining soil.