HIGH-GRADIENT MAGNETIC SEPARATION OF A BIOLOGICALLY PRODUCED FES ADSORBENT USING SULFATE-REDUCING BACTERIA

A High Gradient Magnetic Separation (HGMS) technique has been used to selectively recover biologically produced iron sulphide (FeS) particle s with adsorbed heavy metal ions, from a soil remediation effluent str eam. The HGMS system has been optimised and its performance investigat ed as a function of the magnetic field, flow rate and concentration of biological particles, with time. Results have shown that an efficienc y of over 95 % can be obtained, proving that HGMS is a valuable method for the concentration of heavy metal contaminated soils, especially w hen the adsorbed heavy metals are toxic and difficult to handle by oth er means.