Attenuation of metal species in acidic solutions using bentonite clay: implications for acid mine drainage remediation

A laboratory batch experimental study has been carried out to evaluate the adsorption capacity of selected metal species in acid mine drainage (AMD) by bentonite clay. Bentonite clay was mixed with simulated AMD at specific solid–liquid (S/L) ratios and agitated in a reciprocating shaker and adsorption of selected toxic metals assessed over time. Cation exchange capacity varied from 1140 to 1290 meq kg^?1. Contact of AMD with bentonite leads to increase in pH and a possible reduction in electrical conductivity and total dissolved solids. At constant agitation time of 60 min, the pH increased with dosage of bentonite. Removal of Mn²⁺, Al ³⁺, and Fe³⁺ was observed to be greatest at 60 min of agitation. Bentonite clay exhibits high adsorption for Al³⁺ and Fe³⁺ at concentration less than 300 mg L^?1, while the capacity for Mn²⁺ was observed to be lower. Adsorption capacity for SO₄^2? was low with a great percentage of the SO₄^2? remaining in solution. Adsorption capacity of bentonite with more complex formulated AMD and gold tailing leachates was low for Fe³⁺, Al³⁺, and Mn²⁺. This indicates that optimum adsorption of bentonite clay is dependent on the chemistry of the AMD and its application might be site specific.     

大宝山矿水外排的环境影响:Ⅲ.综合治理对策

大宝山外排酸性矿水对下游水生生态系统及周边农村地区农业生态系统带来严重影响，并可能已危及当地人民的健康。文章根据大宝山矿所在地区的实际情况，对大宝山矿区及周围地区生态退化和环境污染的综合治理途径进行探讨，提出：(1)必须走系统整治的路径才能做到既治标又治本；(2)治理污染源是整个治理方案的关键环节；(3)为了使深受污染之害的矿区周边人民尽快脱离危险，近期最迫切的治理地段是受矿水严重污染的农田，尤其是重污染区一上坝村；(4)在治理方法上，必须将化学治理、生物治理与工程治理相结合；(5)为了更好地实施各项治理工程，可考虑运用经济杠杆，以便有效地筹集足够的矿山治理资金；(6)着眼于未来更严格的环境质量标准，建立水质的生物预警系统；(7)目前制约大宝山矿地区生态环境治理的主要瓶颈之一是缺乏适合中国国情的高效低投入治理技术，政府应考虑提供研究经费支持相关的应用基础研究和技术开发，以便能加快治理的步伐。     

大宝山矿水外排的环境影响:Ⅰ.下游水生生态系统

通过水质生物检测、理化分析及野外水生大型无脊椎动物多样性实地调查等综合方法，就广东大宝山矿区南侧拦泥库溢出的酸性矿水对下游横石水河生态系统的影响进行了系统研究。结果表明，大宝山矿区拦泥库溢出的酸性矿水对隆线溞具有较强的急性生物毒性，酸性矿水24h，48h及96h对水溞的半致死体积分数LC50分别为13．55%、10．30％、6．20％；安全体积分数为0．06％。通过在暴雨期间对拦泥库上游洪水的各项指标的分析结果表明，拦泥库溢出的酸性矿水pH值可低至2．15，其中铁及重金属的质量浓度分别为：铁216．79mg/L、锌73．23mg/L、铜32．63mg/L、铅1．82mg/L、镉0．87mg/L。在尾矿坝下游3．5km处，重金属质量浓度分别为：铁51．63mg／L、锌2．83mg/L；铜1．64mg／L、铅2．67mg／L、镉0．1mg／L，和锰20．50mg／L。从矿水排放口到受矿水影响的下游50km范围内，河水pH的变化幅度为3．36-7．42。大型无脊椎动物多样性的调查显示，从尾矿坝到受矿水影响的下游25km范围内，未发现任何底栖动物，而在横石水河上游未受矿水影响的对照点中至少有36利底栖动物存在。可见由大宝山矿区排出的酸性矿水对下游溪流的水生生物多样性和河流生态系统造成了严重的破坏。     

Geochemical and biological controls on trace metal transport in an acid mine impacted watershed

Water samples collected in an acid mine impacted watershed indicated that the concentrations of dissolved trace metals were diurnally influenced by mineral saturation, which is controlled primarily by pH and water temperature. Measurements taken suggested that these variations only occur at sample locations immediately downstream from the confluence of acidic and alkaline waters. It is at these locations where initial mineral precipitation occurred and where subtle changes in solubility were most affected, increasing trace metal removal when both the rate of photosynthesis (influencing pH in headwaters) and water temperature were at a maximum. The role of iron photoreduction (increased midday production of ferrous iron) on overall Cu, Mn, and Zn transport was also evaluated, but found to be inconclusive. Iron photoreduction may however influence adsorption and/or coprecipitation of trace metals through associated changes in oxidation state, solubility, and mineralogy of various iron colloids, which are produced upon the neutralization of acidic, metal enriched water. Furthermore, measured values of copper and zinc were compared to relative USEPA chronic criterion for exposure to continuous concentration (CCC) of metals by the calculation of a “toxicity unit” (TU). It was found that average values of both copper and zinc only exceeded the CCC (TU>1) in the acid mine-impacted Leona Creek. In general, zinc toxicity decreased while copper toxicity increased downstream of the confluence of the mine impacted Leona Creek and background Lion Creek (sampled at Lake Aliso), indicating a significant source of zinc in upstream, non mine-impacted samples.     

In-situ electrochemical measurements of total concentration and speciation of heavy metals in acid mine drainage (AMD): assessment of the use of anodic stripping voltammetry

We assessed the use of anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) for in-situ determinations of both total concentration and speciation of dissolved heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) in acid mine drainage (AMD). In the Kwangyang Au–Ag mine area of South Korea, different sites with varying water chemistry within an AMD were studied with a field portable anodic stripping voltammeter. Anodic stripping voltammetry after wet oxidation (acidification) was very sensitive enough to determine total concentration of dissolved Cd because Cd was dominantly present as ‘labile’ species, whilst the technique was not so effective for determining total Cu especially in the downstream sites from the retention pond, due to its complexation with organic matter. For dissolved Pb, the concentrations determined by ASV after wet oxidation generally agreed with those by ICP-AES. In the downstream samples (pH>5), however, ASV data after wet oxidation were lower than ICP-AES data because a significant fraction of dissolved Pb was present in those samples as ‘inert’ species associated with colloidal iron oxide particles. The determination of total dissolved Zn by ASV after wet oxidation appeared to be unsatisfactory for the samples with high Cu content, possibly due to the interference by the formation of Zn–Cu intermetallic compounds on the mercury coated electrode. In AMD samples with high dissolved iron, use of ultraviolet irradiation was not effective for determining total concentrations because humate destruction by UV irradiation possibly resulted in the removal of a part of dissolved heavy metals from waters through the precipitation of iron hydroxides.     

Characterisation of Acid Mine Drainage Using a Combination of Hydrometric, Chemical and Isotopic Analyses, Mary Murphy Mine, Colorado

The legacy of mining continues to affect stream water quality throughout the western United States. Traditional remediation, involving treatment of acid mine drainage from portals, is not feasible for the thousands of abandoned mines in the West as it is difficult and expensive. Thus, the development of new methods to address acid mine drainage is critical. The purpose of this study was two fold; to identify and test new tools to identify sources of metal pollution within a mine and to identify low-cost treatment alternatives through the use of these tools. Research was conducted at the Mary Murphy Mine in Colorado, a multiple-level underground mine which produced gold, silver, copper, lead and zinc from 1870 to 1951. Source waters and flowpaths within the mine were characterised using analysis of hydrogen and oxygen isotopes of water (water isotopes) in combination with solute analysis and hydrometric techniques. Hydrometric measurements showed that while discharge from a central level portal increased by a factor of 10 during snowmelt runoff (from 0.7 to 7.2 Ls^–1), Zn concentrations increased by a factor of 9 (from 3,100 to 28320gL^–1). Water isotopes were used as conservative tracers to represent of baseflow and snowmelt inputs in a hydrologic mixing model analysis. The results showed that less than 7% of peak discharge was from snowmelt. Within the mine, approximately 71% of the high-flow Zn loading was caused by a single internal stream characterised by extremely high Zn concentrations (270600gL^–1) and low pH (3.4). Somewhat surprisingly, hydrologic mixing models using water isotopes showed that new water contributed up to 79% of flow in this high-Zn source during the melt season. Diversion of this high-Zn source within the mine resulted in a decrease in Zn concentrations at the portal by 91% to 2,510gL^–1, which is lower than the base-flow Zn concentration. The results suggest that in some mines remediation efforts can be concentrated on specific areas within the mine itself. Using the characterisation techniques demonstrated in this study, problem areas can be identified and contaminated flows diverted or isolated. The results also suggest that it may be possible to dewater contamination areas, greatly reducing costs of remediation.     

利用矿化垃圾层预防和控制渗滤液导排系统堵塞

在卫生填埋场中,垃圾渗滤液导排系统堵塞普遍存在,悬浮固体形成的物理堵塞、有机物降解和金属离子沉淀导致的生物.化学堵塞是引起导排系统堵塞的关键因素.本文构建了"矿化垃圾+砾石层导排"的渗滤液下渗装置,通过矿化垃圾预处理渗滤液中悬浮固体和有机物以控制导排系统发生的物理和生物-化学堵塞.结果表明,在矿化垃圾层,渗滤液中化学需...