Acid tolerance of an acid mine drainage bioremediation system based on biological sulfate reduction

► Acid tolerance of sulfate-reducing AMD bioremediation system was investigated. ► Maximum sulfate reduction rate was 12.3±0.8mgL−1d−1 in high acid treatment. ► Rapid increase in sulfate reduction was observed after extreme acid treatment. ► More than 98% of Cu and 85% of Zn were removed in high acid column experiment. ► Majority bacteria belonged to Eubacterium, Pseudobutyrivibrio, and Clostridium. The acid tolerance response of an AMD bioremediation system based on sulfate reduction was investigated. Efficient sulfate reduction was observed with a maximum sulfate reduction rate of 12.3±0.8mgL−1d−1 and easily available organic carbon was released during high acid treatment with an initial pH of 2.0. The rapid increase in sulfate reduction was observed when the extreme acid treatment with an initial pH of 1.0 was stopped. Column experiment on acid shock showed that efficient sulfate reduction was maintained while precipitation of Cu or Zn still occurred during extreme or high acid shock. More than 98% of Cu and 85% of Zn were removed in the high acid column experiment with influent pH of 2.0. The majority bacteria in the remediation system used for high acid drainage belonged to genera Clostridiaceae, Eubacterium, Pseudobutyrivibrio, and Clostridium. These findings showed high acid tolerance of the straw remediation system.