Cost-effective treatment of high-risk mine impacted water using crab-shell amendments to spent mushroom compost: Column studies

J. A. Grembi, B. A. Sick, R. A. Brennan

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Anaerobic passive treatment systems remediating high-strength mine impacted water (MIW) have not displayed consistent success. A promising new substrate, crab-shell chitin, has been shown to effectively treat acidic MIW. Previous data indicates that crab-shell chitin provides improved remediation of AMD over the traditional spent mushroom compost (SMC) and limestone mixture used in vertical flow wetlands. However, previous research was conducted using low-strength MIW. This study utilizes high-strength MIW from an abandoned mine site in Cambria County, PA (Klondike site) to determine the effectiveness of treatment with crab-shell chitin. The treatment system at the Klondike site currently consists of a failed vertical flow wetland which utilizes the traditional substrates of SMC and limestone. Typical levels of total iron and hot acidity at the Klondike site are approximately 140 mg/L and 380 mg/L as CaCO 3, respectively. This study will determine the fractional amendment of crab-shell chitin required to remediate the failed vertical flow wetland currently in place. Initial batch tests on water from the Klondike site were used to derive the most promising fractional amendment ratios to be studied in this column test.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationJoint Mining Reclamation Conf. 2010 - 27th Meeting of the ASMR, 12th Pennsylvania Abandoned Mine Reclamation Conf. and 4th Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative Mined Land Reforestation Conf.
Pages415-416
Number of pages2
StatePublished - 2010
EventJoint Mining Reclamation Conference 2010 - 27th Annual Meeting of the ASMR, 12th Annual Pennsylvania Abandoned Mine Reclamation Conf. and 4th Annual Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative Mined Land Reforestation Conf. - Pittsburgh, PA, United States
Duration: Jun 5 2010Jun 11 2010

Publication series

NameJoint Mining Reclamation Conf. 2010 - 27th Meeting of the ASMR, 12th Pennsylvania Abandoned Mine Reclamation Conf. and 4th Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative Mined Land Reforestation Conf.
Volume1

Other

OtherJoint Mining Reclamation Conference 2010 - 27th Annual Meeting of the ASMR, 12th Annual Pennsylvania Abandoned Mine Reclamation Conf. and 4th Annual Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative Mined Land Reforestation Conf.
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityPittsburgh, PA
Period6/5/106/11/10

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Geochemistry and Petrology
  • Geotechnical Engineering and Engineering Geology

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