The effect of microbial entrapment method on sulfate reduction and sludge production rates of sulfate-reducing bacteria at different COD/SO42− ratios

/L/day) due to lower acetate accumulation. Both entrapped systems maintained structural integrity over 169 days of operation, with FT-ESRB demonstrating greater mechanical strength and stiffness. Also, entrapped systems supported higher SRB community abundance and significantly reduced sludge production, which were 88 ± 4% lower in FT-ESRB and 82 ± 4% lower in C-ESRB, as compared to the non-entrapped SRB system. These findings demonstrate the benefits of microbial entrapment for enhancing sulfate reduction performance, process stability, and biomass retention, and suggest that further evaluation of SRB-based technologies towards mining-influenced water treatment applications is warranted.