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Review
. 2021 May 19;9(5):1091.
doi: 10.3390/microorganisms9051091.

A Deep Look into the Microbiology and Chemistry of Froth Treatment Tailings: A Review

Angeline Van Dongen  1 , Abdul Samad  2 , Nicole E Heshka  3 , Kara Rathie  3 , Christine Martineau  2 , Guillaume Bruant  4 , Dani Degenhardt  1
Affiliations
Review

A Deep Look into the Microbiology and Chemistry of Froth Treatment Tailings: A Review

Angeline Van Dongen et al. Microorganisms. .

Abstract

In Alberta's Athabasca oil sands region (AOSR), over 1.25 billion m3 of tailings waste from the bitumen extraction process are stored in tailings ponds. Fugitive emissions associated with residual hydrocarbons in tailings ponds pose an environmental concern and include greenhouse gases (GHGs), reduced sulphur compounds (RSCs), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Froth treatment tailings (FTT) are a specific type of tailings waste stream from the bitumen froth treatment process that contains bioavailable diluent: either naphtha or paraffins. Tailings ponds that receive FTT are associated with the highest levels of biogenic gas production, as diverse microbial communities biodegrade the residual diluent. In this review, current literature regarding the composition, chemical analysis, and microbial degradation of FTT and its constituents is presented in order to provide a more complete understanding of the complex chemistry and biological processes related to fugitive emissions from tailings ponds receiving FTT. Characterizing the composition and biodegradation of FTT is important from an environmental perspective to better predict emissions from tailings ponds and guide tailings pond management decisions.

Keywords: GHGs; biodegradation; characterization; diluent; froth treatment tailings; microbial communities.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Primary separation process of bitumen from oil sands.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Principal microbial processes involved in the degradation of froth treatment tailings (FTT) diluents (naphtha and paraffinic). After substrate activation, syntrophic and/or acetogenic microorganisms degrade diluent hydrocarbon to simple compounds such as hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide (CO2) and acetate (CH3COO−). Hydrogenotrophic and acetoclastic methanogens produce methane (CH4). The presence of sulphate (+SO42−) or absence of sulphate (−SO42−) can alter the competitive balance between sulphate reducers and methanogens. Diagram does not show some secondary products.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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