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Bioleaching solutions from uranium and arsenic solid waste served as a source of U(VI) and As (V) ions, while plant extract from green tea (Camellia sinensis) – as a reductor for nanoparticle synthesis. Uranium dioxide and As (III) nanoparticles were formed as a product of bioreduction on the hematite and schwertmannite surfaces respectively, which resulted in an increase in the negative zeta potential with an increase in pH. It suggests, that the electrical potential depends on the presence of nanoparticles. The SEM microphotographs revealed the UO2 nanoparticles on the hematite surface.

The adsorption of biosurfactants and polysaccharides changes the surface properties of solid particles, which is important for controlling the release of arsenic compounds from the solid phase and preventing undesirable bioleaching. Microbial leaching and scorodite adhesion experiments, including pure and modified mineral material, were conducted in a glass column with a mineral bed (0.8–1.2 mm particle size) to test how rhamnolipids (Rh) and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) affect surface properties of mineral waste from Złoty Stok (Poland) and secondary bio-extraction products (scorodite). Adsorption tests were conducted for both solid materials. The adsorption of Rh and LPS on the solids was shown to modify its surface charge, affecting bioleaching. The highest bio-extraction efficiency was achieved for arsenic waste with adsorbed rhamnolipids, while the lowest, for the LPS-modified mineral. Under acidic circumstances (pH~2.5), the strongly negative zeta potential of arsenic-bearing waste in the presence of Rh creates conditions for bacteria adhesion, leading to the intensification of metal extraction. The presence of a biopolymer on the As waste surface decreases leaching efficiency and favours the scorodite’s adhesion.

Bacterial cell adhesion onto mineral surfaces is important in a broad spectrum of processes, including bioweathering, bioleaching, and bacterial cell transport in the soil. Despite many research efforts, a detailed explanation is still lacking. This work investigates the role of surface-active compounds, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and pure rhamnolipid (RH), in the process of bacteria attachment on the schwertmannite surface. The surface energy was calculated based on the wettability of the tested systems, and for bacteria it was 54.8 mJ/m2, schwertmannite-SDS 54.4 mJ/m2, schwertmannite-CTAB 55.4 mJ/m2, and schwertmannite-RH 39.7 mJ/m2. The total energy of adhesion estimated based on thermodynamic data was found to be negative, suggesting favorable conditions for adhesion for all examined suspensions. However, including electrostatic interactions allowed for a more precise description of bacterial adhesion under the tested conditions. The theoretical analysis using the extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) approach showed a negative value of total adsorption energy only in bacteria-mineral suspensions, where SDS and rhamnolipid were added. The calculated data were in good agreement with experimental results indicating the significance of electrostatic forces in adsorption.

Present work deals with synthesis of copper nanoparticles at the room temperature, using two aqueous extracts prepared from green and dry leaves of Aloe vera and Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens). Finely cut leaves were placed in the flask with the distilled water. The mixture was boiled for 15 min at the temperature of 60°C. After boiling, the mixture was centrifuged and pure extract was used for copper nanoparticles synthesis. The source of copper ions was leaching solution obtained from the bioleaching of copper shale (Kupferschiefier) using chemolithotrophic bacteria such as Acidithiobacillusfrerooxidans. The bioleaching procedure was performed in the column reactor.

Colloidal particles have an ability to sorb heavy metals, metalloids, and organic compounds (e.g. biosurfactants) present in soil and groundwater. The pH and ionic strength changes may promote release of such particles causing potential contaminant transport. Therefore, it is very important to know how a colloid particle-mineral particle and colloid-mineral-biosurfactant system behaves in the natural environment. They can have negative impact on the environment and human health. This study highlighted the influence of biosurfactants produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa on the transport of colloidal hematite (α-Fe2O3) through porous bed (materials collected from the Szklary and Zloty Stok solid waste heaps from Lower Silesia, Poland). Experiments were conducted using column set in two variants: colloid solution with porous bed and porous bed with adsorbed biosurfactants, in the ionic strengths of 5 × 10−4 and 5 × 10−3 M KCl. The zeta potential of mineral materials and colloidal hematite, before and after adsorption of biosurfactant, was determined. Obtained results showed that reduction in ionic strength facilitates colloidal hematite transport through the porous bed. The mobility of colloidal hematite was higher when the rhamnolipid adsorbed on the surface of mineral grain.

The paper presents experimental investigations of the low-density air-helium jets. The paper is aimed at the analysis of the flow conditions promoting the local absolute instability leading to global flow oscillations. A number of the test cases are analysed with a wide range of the shear layer thickness showing conditions favorable for the global modes and also mixing intensity triggered by such a regime. It is shown that high mixing intensity is determined not only by the global regime but also by the vortex pairing process. The results are compared with a recently proposed universal scaling law for an onset into the global mode. The results turn out to be far from this scaling law and the reasons for such discrepancies are discussed. The measurements show also that if the shear layer at the nozzle exit is thin enough the global modes are suppressed. The mechanism leading to the global mode suppression under such conditions is carefully analysed.

This work has focused on adsorption of both biosurfactants and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) anionic surfactant onto mineral surfaces activated by nickel(II) ions. Surfactants of biological origin produced by a new strain of Streptomyces sp. S4 isolated from the environment are analogues of surfactin. They adsorb on the magnesite, serpentinite and silica surface according to the Somasundaran-Fuerstenau isotherm model, changing the electrokinetic properties and hydrophobicity of these minerals. The culture broth was stable at pH 8. The critical micelle concentration for surfactin was 9.6 μM and for biosurfactants – 100 μM. The adsorption of anionic surfactants and biosurfactants decreased the measured value of the electrokinetic potential of the mineral particles. It was found that the adsorption of biosurfactants produced by Streptomyces sp. S4 may be a useful tool for mineral surface modifications that can be used for selective separation of minerals in flotation.

The possibilities of metals recovery from copper ores with the biotechnological methods are widely known. The methods consist in bioleaching of copper ores, copper concentrates and byproducts of their production, as well as metals recovery from leaching solutions. Biohydrometallurgical methods were tested for years to be applied at KGHM Polska Miedź S.A., in order to improve efficiency of copper production. Several different research units worked on the topic, and the most significant and wide range initiatives in this area are mentioned in this article. One of the initiatives is an ongoing German and French Ecometals project. KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. and KGHM Cuprum Ltd. Research and Development Centre are this project Partners. In the frame of the project different metals bearing materials (ores, concentrates and tailings) are tested. Among them three lithological types of the copper ore from Rudna mine and the copper concentrate from Lubin concentrator are used for studies. The article gives a general overview of these activities, with the main focus on results of bioleaching studies of selected materials, conducted by KGHM Cuprum. In these studies sandstone and shale, as well as so called “shale concentrate” (containing 39% of the shale) were used for experiments, and possibilities of their bioleaching were evaluated.

Serpentinites have the potential to be used as carbo dioxide capture and storage materials. Acid dissolution is the first stage of this process. This study examined how a shrinking core model can be applied to the dissolution of serpentinite in sulphuric acid. The dissolution process was assumed to occur in two stages: an initial step involving the surface dissolution of serpentinite pieces, and a second step involving surface chemical reaction, described by the shrinking core model. The model formulation was completed by relating the dissolution rate of serpentinite to the surface changes.