Office for Environmental Programs - Theses
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ItemInvestigating the potential for thiocyanate bioremediation in a gold mine in Stawell, Victoria( 2010)Bioremediation is a cost-effective way of removing environmental contaminants like thiocyanate, which is associated with various industrial processes. Certain species of bacteria have been found to be capable of oxidising thiocyanate into sulfate, thus removing thiocyanate in the system. This project aims to investigate current and future applications of bioremedation on thiocyanate contamination in a gold mine in Stawell, Victoria through analysis of historical data, gathering information on in situ geochemical conditions, gaining an understanding of thiocyanate oxidation via reduction of nitrate and iron, and enrichment and isolation of thiocyanate-degrading bacteria or microbial communities. Particular focus was placed on thiocyanate concentrations in the Stawell Gold Mine Tailings Dam No. 2. Results from the desktop study indicate that thiocyanate is a redox reactive chemical species and is probably transformed into sulfur. The minerals in the mine tailings are not the likely source of thiocyanate concentrations. Instead, thiocyanate is likely to be from a cyanide and sulfur that is leached from an unknown source. The investigation of thiocyanate oxidation via ferric oxide synthesis indicates that in situ thiocyanate oxidation is more likely to proceed through enzymatic reactions or microbial catalysts and likely to be coupled with nitrate reduction. Inconclusive results from the enrichment and isolation of thiocyanate degrading microorganisms suggest that thiocyanate degradation may potentially occur in experimental conditions different from what was investigated in this study.