Sulfate Reduction for Remediation of Gypsiferous Soils and Solid Wastes

Construction and demolition debris (CDD) and gypsiferous soils contain elevated concentrations of sulfate which can cause several environmental and agricultural problems. Reduction of the sulfate content of CDD and gypsiferous soils is an option to overcome these problems. This study aimed to develop sulfate removal systems either by biological or chemical processes to reduce the sulfate content of CDD and gypsiferous soils in order to decrease the amount of solid wastes and to improve the quality of CDD and soils for recycling purposes or agricultural applications. The treatment concept leaches the gypsum contained in the CDD by water. The sulfate containing leachate is further treated and reused in the leaching step. A mixture of cheap organic materials can be utilized as electron donor for the biological sulfate reduction step, especially in gypsiferous soils treatment. The sulfide containing effluent from the bioreactor can be removed by electrochemical sulfide oxidation system.

Pimluck Kijjanapanich (1985, Chiang Mai, Thailand) studied Chemistry at Chiang Mai University in Chiang Mai, Thailand for her Bachelor’s degree, which was funded by The Human Development in Science Project, Thailand (2004-2008). She got the first class honors with silver medal in Bachelor of Science (Chemistry) in 2008. From 2008 till 2010, she got a scholarship funded by Her Majesty Queen of Thailand to do her Master of Science in Environmental Engineering and Management at Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand. After graduation, she worked as a research associate for The Asian Regional Research Program on Environmental Technology (ARRPET) at AIT, Thailand for 4 months. From November 2010, she started her PhD in the Joint Doctorate program funded by Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorate Environmental Technologies for Contaminated Solids, Soils and Sediments (ETeCoS³). The research was carried out at UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education (The Netherlands), University of Cassino and Southern Lazio (Italy) and Asian Institute of Technology (Thailand). Most of her researche focusses mainly on biological sulfate reduction for wastewater, solid waste and soils treatment.