Driving Effects of Coal Mining Activities on Microbial Communities and Hydrochemical Characteristics in Different Zones

作者：Zongkui Zhu, Yating Gao, Li Zhang, Yajun Sun · 发表于：Sustainability · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.3390/su17094000 · 被引用次数：1 · 研究领域：Coal Properties and Utilization、Coal and Coke Industries Research、Underground infrastructure and sustainability

Elucidating the microbial–hydrochemical interactions in distinct functional zones of coal mines holds significant implications for groundwater pollution mitigation strategies in mining regions. Taking Xinji No. 2 Coal Mine as an example, 15 water samples (including surface water, goaf water, sump water, working face drainage, rock roadway water, and coal roadway water) were collected from six surface and underground areas for hydrochemical and microbial detection analysis. The results show that bacterial genera such as Exiguobacterium and Mycobacterium cannot adapt to high-salinity environments with elevated K+ + Na+ concentrations, showing negative correlation with TDS. Microbial communities related to sulfate serve as important indicators for microbial technology-based pollution control in coal mine groundwater, where sulfate-reducing bacteria (e.g., norank_f__Desulfuromonadaceae) can reduce SO42− concentrations and improve mine water quality. Low dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations lead to decreased abundance of aerobic microorganisms, hindering the formation of stable microbial communities in mines. Affected by mine water quality, the confluence of mine drainage into rivers results in HCO3− and SO42− concentrations at the confluence being higher than upstream, which gradually return to upstream concentrations after entering the downstream. However, due to the influx of nitrogen cycle-related bacteria and organic matter from mine water into surface water, increased microb...