microbiology in mining

Arsenic trioxide is highly toxic to humans and the environment

Due to its ability to catastrophically interfere with essential cellular functions, prolonged exposure to even tiny amounts of arsenic trioxide can lead to respiratory difficulties, skin lesions, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer.

Loosely speaking, being exposed to arsenic trioxide is akin to being exposed to rat poison. Ingesting even a small amount will make you extremely ill, if not outright kill you.

Arsenic can exist in various forms

two of which are arsenic trioxide & arsenic pentoxide

Although both compounds contain arsenic, there's a big difference between the two in terms of their toxicity levels and potential harm to people and the environment. Additionally, the cleanup process is greatly simplified when dealing with arsenic pentoxide compared to arsenic trioxide.

arsenic trioxide

Eco Foundry Microbiology In Mining Arsenic Trioxide Copy Bg Color Change

arsenic pentoxide

Eco Foundry Microbiology In Mining Arsenic P Copy Bg Color Change

A Natural Transformation

Bioremediation is a naturally occurring process.

Enzymic Transformation

Although enzymes can’t destroy arsenic, they can change its valence state, converting it into a much safer and immobilized form.

When Eco-Blend is mixed with crushed ore, and sent through a the E-FAM process of biological oxidation, arsenic trioxide is separated out and converted to arsenic pentoxide. There are no black box technologies. Fundamentally E-FAM utilizes a common bioleach operation, based on proven mining and metallurgical processes. The secret is all in the enzymes.