Sulfate reduction behavior in the leachate saturated zone of landfill sites

Municipal solid waste landfills are considered one of the most important parts of the sulfur cycle. However, few studies have focused on sulfate reduction in the leachate saturated zone, where the temperature may be variable. In this work, the sulfate reduction behavior was evaluated in a landfill leachate saturated zone under temperatures between 30 and 80 °C. The results show that microbial sulfate reduction is high in the saturated zone, especially when the temperature is at 50–60 °C. The microbial diversity and the abundance of functional genes results reveal that specific sulfate-reducing bacteria such as Dethiobacter, the bacteria that offer energy to them, and genes other than dsrA and dsrB may have a close relationship with the variation in the reduction of sulfate. This work may improve the knowledge of sulfate reduction in the landfill sites and therefore offer theoretical support to management strategies. [Display omitted] •Remarkable sulfate reduction observed in leachate saturated environment.•H2S, MM, DMS emissions were most violent at 50 and 60 °C.•Whole microbial structure and activity were influenced by the temperature.•dsrA and dsrB quantity decreased under higher temperatures.•Dethiobacter may contribute to higher sulfate reduction rate.