The aim of this work was to study the bioremediation of agricultural solid waste leachates with high-concentrations of Cu (II) and Cd (II) after washing the wastes with water and Na2EDTA solution (0.2M). Results indicate that Cu (II) and Cd (II) are mainly comprised of Cu2(OH)22+, Cu3(OH)42+, CuOH+, Cu(H2O)4(OH)2, Cd2+ and CdOH+ in the water-washed leachates and Cu(EDTA)2-, Cu(HEDTA)-, Cd(EDTA)2- and Cd(HEDTA)- in the Na2EDTA-washed leachates. Cu (II) removal efficiency by selected native periphyton from the water- and Na2EDTA-washed leachates were 80.5% and 68.4% respectively, and for Cd (II) it was 57.1% and 64.6%, because the periphyton was able to maintain a stable pH of the leachates and regulate its microbial composition and carbon metabolic capability to acclimate the chemical conditions of the leachates. This study provides a new biomeasure to treat leachates with high-concentration Cu2+ and Cd2+, and contribute valuable insights into the relationships between periphyton characteristics and heavy metals.
Keywords: Agricultural solids; Cd(2+); Cu(2+); Leachate; Periphyton; Remediation.
Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.