Process for removing manganese from solutions including aqueous industrial waste

A continuous process for substantially reducing the concentration of water soluble manganese ions in an aqueous solution containing the same, said process comprising the steps of:

• providing an aqueous solution having contained therein a concentration of water soluble manganese ions, said aqueous solution having a pH range from about 4 to about 8;
• providing a porous matrix containing cultured populations of aerobic manganese oxidizing bacteria from the genus Metallogenium, said bacteria being capable of metabolizing said water soluble manganese ions in said aqueous solution into water insoluble manganese oxides, said porous matrix being provided under aerobic conditions;
• continuously passing said aqueous solution through said porous matrix at a rate of flow up to about 2 gallons of aqueous solution per cubic foot of the porous matrix per day, in the presence of at least one nutrient comprising an organic carbon source, wherein said nutrient is at least one material selected from the group consisting of yeast extract, malt extract, peptone, cellulose, hemicellulose, hydrocarbons, pectin and pectin substances, starches, fructans, levans, inulins, sugars, proteins, amino acids, chitin, lignin, organic acids, derivatives of said materials, and biological and municipal waste water sludges, and in the presence of at least one trace nutrient at a temperature ranging from about 32.degree. F. to about 90.degree. F., said nutrients and said temperature providing for the growth and steady state population density of the Metallogeniurn genus bacteria on said matrix, so as to allow said manganese oxidizing Metallogeniurn genus bacteria to come into contact with said manganese ions in said aqueous solution and thereby allow said manganese oxidizing bacteria to metabolize said water soluble manganese ions into water insoluble manganese oxides, which are deposited on or among said bacteria contained on said porous matrix;
• and
• continuously drawing an aqueous effluent from said porous matrix, wherein said aqueous effluent contains a significantly reduced concentration of said water soluble manganese ions.

A process for reducing the concentration of water soluble manganese ions in an aqueous solution containing the same, said process comprising the steps of:

• providing an aqueous solution having contained therein a concentration of water soluble manganese ions;
• providing a porous matrix suitable for maintaining a population of aerobic manganese oxidizing bacteria from the genus Metallogenium, said porous matrix being provided under aerobic conditions;
• inoculating said porous matrix with a population of aerobic manganese oxidizing Metallogenium genus bacteria, wherein said bacteria population is capable of metabolizing said water soluble manganese ions in said aqueous solution into water insoluble manganese oxides;
• and
• passing said aqueous solution through said porous matrix in a continuous fashion so as to allow said bacteria to metabolize said manganese ions in said aqueous solution into water insoluble manganese oxides, thereby resulting in a reduction in the concentration of said manganese ions in said aqueous solution.

A process for reducing the concentration of water soluble manganese ions in a body of water containing the same, said process comprising the steps of:

• locating a body of water having contained therein a concentration of water soluble manganese ions;
• constructing a treatment zone in the form of a basin having an inlet port through which water from said body of water may flow into said basin and an outlet port through which water contained in said basin may flow out of said basin, said inlet port and said outlet port being located and configured so as to allow said water to flow substantially throughout the entirety of said basin at a controlled rate;
• filling said treatment zone with a porous matrix suitable for maintaining a population of aerobic manganese oxidizing bacteria from the genus Metallogenium thereon;
• inoculating said porous matrix with a population of aerobic manganese oxidizing Metallogenium genus bacteria, wherein said bacteria population is capable of metabolizing said water soluble manganese ions in said body of water into water insoluble manganese oxides;
• and
• allowing water from said body of water to flow through said treatment zone, and hence through said porous matrix inoculated with said aerobic manganese oxidizing Metallogenium genus bacteria, in a continuous fashion so as to allow said bacteria to metabolize said manganese ions in said flowing water into water insoluble manganese oxides, thereby resulting in an overall decrease in the concentration of said manganese ions in water flowing out of said treatment zone as compared to water flowing into said treatment zone.