BIOTREATMENT OF CYANIDE AND TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS (TSS) IN THE GOLD MINE RUNOFF USING LYSINIBACILLUS FUSIFORMIS STRAIN SKC-8

• Main Author: Rizka Kurniawati, Syafira
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/68000
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Approximately ninety percent of the world's gold extraction is performed using cyanidation at present. Due to the simplicity of applying cyanide to gold ore, the cyanidation method is widely employed in the mining sector and gold ore extraction. In addition, the cyanidation process generates waste that is detrimental to the environment; therefore, the waste from the cyanidation process must undergo a suspended solids sedimentation (TSS) process and cyanide destruction prior to being released into the environment. Industrial procedures typically employ coagulants and flocculants to precipitate TSS and chemical reagents to eliminate cyanide. However, purchasing chemical reagents incurs substantial running expenses. Utilizing the ability of microorganisms, a study was undertaken on alternate reagents to precipitate TSS and eliminate cyanide in metallurgical waste generated from the cyanidation process. In this investigation, a series of tests were conducted to enhance the TSS bioflocculation and cyanide destruction (bioremediation) utilizing bacteria. Beginning the experiment with a preliminary experiment to select bacteria and the optimal observation time for the main experiment. The preliminary experiment was conducted in two distinct phases. In the first step of selection, testing was conducted using the one-stage method, however in the second stage, testing was conducted using the two-stage method and bacterial culture mixing. The main experiments were then conducted by varying the pH of the culture media, the concentration of molasses, and the time course of bacterial culture. To identify the most appropriate conditions for cyanide bioremediation and TSS bioflocculation procedures, several variations were conducted. The maximum cyanide deposition rate and degradation rate was observed when the variable circumstances were 15 g/L molasses concentration, media pH 10, 72 hours of culture duration, and 15% (v/v) bacterial dosage applied to a 100ml measuring cup. Under these conditions, the deposition rate was determined to be 11.831 ppm/min, the cyanide degradation rate was 0.9509 ppm/hr, and the final pH of the solution was 7.15.