To develop efficient passive acid mine drainage (AMD) treatment systems, the anaerobic sulphate reduction process must be optimized, by selecting the most appropriate organic electron donors for sulphate reduction. The effectiveness in the remediation of AMD is dependent on the chemical characterization of organic carbon. Selection of the suitable carbon source is important to ensure performance and longevity of AMD treatment. The objective of the present study is to characterized a few natural

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... organic easily available with almost negligible cost. Ten natural waste materials (i.e. organic waste goat manure, cow manure and buffalo manure and cellulosic waste sugarcane waste, babool woodchip and sawdust, mango woodchips and sawdust, fodder pearl and proso) were tested as single substrate in bench scale bioreactors. The suitability of a substrate for treating a particular substrate was determined empirically using laboratory scale test. Using ten single substrate bioreactors important contaminants removal (pH and sulphate) were observed and find their correlation between contaminant removal and chemical characteristics. The study indicates that a wide range of organic substrate materials can be used to effectively treat AMD using SRB technology. Goat, cow and buffalo manures show promising results in the initial startup of the bioreactor. Remove contaminants efficiently.