Biodegradation of Cyanide Using Soda Lake-Derived Alkaliphilic Microbial Consortia

Biological treatment processes at low or neutral pH are ineffective for gold mine wastewater treatment. The aim of this study was to develop a new cyanide-rich gold mine wastewater treatment system using alkaliphilic microbial consortia from the Ethiopian Rift Valley soda lake, Lake Chitu. The treatment setup incorporates aerobic and anoxic reactors connected in series and operated for about 200 treatment days. Simulated gold mine wastewater was formulated in the laboratory. Colorimetry was used to measure residual cyanide and reactive nitrogen molecules derived from cyanide biodegradation. Flocks and biofilms developed in the reactors during the acclimatization process. Using sodium cyanide at 200 mg/L as an initial concentration, the consortia degraded to 99.74 ± 0.08% of cyanide, with no significant variation (p > 0.05) occurring when the dose was increased to 800 mg/L. However, changes were observed (p < 0.05) at 1000 mg/L. Acetate was the preferred carbon source for the consortia. The established consortia effectively degraded cyanide to levels below the permissible discharge limit set by the International Cyanide Management Institute (ICMI). This study provides insights into the effectiveness of alkaliphilic microbial consortia derived from soda lakes for treating cyanide-polluted wastewater.