# Field-Scale AMD Remediation: Microbial Community Dynamics and Functional Insights in Biochemical Passive Reactors

## TL;DR

This study examines how microbial communities in large-scale biochemical reactors help clean up acid mine drainage, finding that key processes remain consistent despite changes in community composition.

## Contribution

The study confirms that microbial processes observed in lab-scale reactors also function effectively in field-scale acid mine drainage remediation systems.

## Key findings

- Bioremediation effectiveness in field-scale reactors is driven by interactions among hydrolytic, fermentative, and sulfate-reducing bacteria.
- Community composition shifts occurred, but core operational dynamics were preserved in field-scale reactors.
- Taxonomic and functional insights from lab-scale studies align with field-scale observations in biochemical passive reactors.

## Abstract

Acid mine drainage (AMD) generated during coal mining activities is characterized by low pH, high concentrations of dissolved metals and metalloids, and elevated sulfate levels, all of which significantly impact surrounding ecosystems. Scaling up biochemical passive reactor (BPR) systems represents a promising approach for the in situ bioremediation of AMD. While numerous laboratory-scale studies have described the taxonomic and functional composition of microbial communities in BPRs, typically dominated by (ligno)cellulolytic organisms and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), it remains unclear whether this composition is maintained at the field-pilot scale under environmental conditions. To address this gap, 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding and shotgun metagenomics analyses were performed to characterize the taxonomic and functional diversity of microbial communities in the BPRs within a multi-unit field-pilot system. The results revealed that bioremediation effectiveness was driven by syntrophic interactions among hydrolytic, fermentative, and sulfate-reducing bacteria, aligning with laboratory-scale observations. While community composition shifts altered specific taxa, core operational dynamics remained preserved.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00248-025-02628-8.