Geothermal waste treatment biotechnology

Conference · Wed May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:5379000

Premuzic, E T; Lin, M S

Technical feasibility of a biotechnology based on biochemical reactions for detoxification of geothermal brines has been demonstrated. Laboratory-scale studies have shown that the emerging biotechnology is versatile and is applicable to a variety of geothermal sludges and materials with similar geochemical properties. Materials suitable for treatment are those which may contain few or many metals in concentrations exceeding those allowed by regulatory agencies. Comparison of several possible types of bioreactors and processes have led to the conclusion that a number of variables have to be considered in the design and development of a biochemical plant for the detoxification of geothermal type sludges. These include reactor size, effects of agitation, mixed cultures, state of the biomass, pH and dissolved oxygen, concentration of residual sludge, residence time, and temperature. Under optimum conditions, high rates of metal removal can be achieved. Some recent studies, dealing with the process variables and their optimization, will be discussed. 6 refs., 3 figs.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 5379000
• Report Number(s): BNL-46301; CONF-910988--1; ON: DE91014796
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
154000* -- Geothermal Energy-- Waste Management-- (1990-)
550700 -- Microbiology
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
BACTERIA
BIOCHEMISTRY
BIOREACTORS
BIOTECHNOLOGY
BRINES
CHEMISTRY
DETOXIFICATION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
GEOCHEMISTRY
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
GEOTHERMAL FLUIDS
Geothermal Legacy
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
METALS
MICROORGANISMS
PROCESSING
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SLUDGES
TOXIC MATERIALS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING