Date of Award
8-2022
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Biosystems Engineering
Committee Chair/Advisor
Dr. Caye Drapcho
Committee Member
Dr. Yi Zheng
Committee Member
Dr. Tom Owino
Abstract
Arsenic is a ubiquitous trace metalloid. However, increasing concentrations of arsenic in soil and water is a problem the world faces due to inputs from anthropogenic sources such as mining, milling, agriculture, and coal ash. One method of remediation for these arsenic-contaminated sites is bioleaching. While it is most often used to extract metals from raw ore, it is a viable and environmentally friendly method to remove the same metals from soil. Bioleaching removes metals by cultivating living organisms such as the fungi Aspergillus niger (A.niger) or the bacterium Thiobacillus ferrooxidans (T.ferrooxidans). This research aimed to investigate A. niger's bioleaching capability in mobilizing arsenic from contaminated soils and testing the natural soil microbiome's ability to do the same. Lastly, the biovolatilization of arsenic was investigated.
Recommended Citation
Gilstrap, Zachary, "Bioleaching of Arsenic From Agricultural Soils" (2022). All Theses. 3832.
https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_theses/3832