Effective passive treatment of high-strength acid mine drainage and raw municipal wastewater in Potosí, Bolivia using simple mutual incubations and limestone

Strosnider, William H.J.; Nairn, Robert W.

doi:10.1016/j.gexplo.2010.02.007

Cited by 52 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…The alkalinity produced by the limestone stage was representative of realworld ALD performance (Watzlaf et al 2000(Watzlaf et al , 2004. This is further evidence that mixing AMD with MWW may not considerably inhibit alkalinity generation via limestone dissolution despite the negative effects that increased pH and decreased ionic strength from mixing can have on calcite dissolution (Strosnider and Nairn 2010).…”

Section: Limestone Dissolutionmentioning

confidence: 65%

“…As intended, the high strength synthetic AMD proved to be similar in composition to that generated at Cerro Rico de Potosí (Strosnider and Nairn 2010). The mean alkalinity, BOD 5 (265 ± 94 mg/L), Cl -(69 ± 3.8 mg/L), and SO 4 2-concentrations place the MWW used between the ''medium'' and ''strong'' designations of MWW created by Metcalf and Eddy, Inc (2002) (Strosnider et al in review-b).…”

Section: Influent Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 69%

“…McCullough et al (2008) documented water quality improvement due to BSR in an evaporation pond in which high-strength AMD was accidentally introduced to secondary MWW. Strosnider and Nairn (2010) found that incubating AMD with MWW, with and without limestone, could decrease acidity and create alkalinity. Strosnider et al (in review-a,b) documented highly efficient metals, biochemical oxygen demand, and phosphate removal within the same system as described in this manuscript.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This would be especially suitable for those settings where other organic substrates are scarce, such as in Potosí, Bolivia. Untreated highstrength AMD and MWW pollute the headwaters of the Rio Pilcomayo there (Strosnider and Nairn 2010), which prompted this research.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Alkalinity Generation in a Novel Multi-stage High-strength Acid Mine Drainage and Municipal Wastewater Passive Co-treatment System

2010

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Passive co-treatment of high-strength acid mine drainage (AMD) and municipal wastewater (MWW) was examined in a laboratory-scale, four-stage continuous flow reactor system with a total residence time of 6.6 d. Synthetic AMD of pH 2.60 and an acidity of 1,870 mg/L (as CaCO 3 ) was mixed at a 1:2 ratio with raw MWW (pH 7.67, 288 mg/L alkalinity (as CaCO 3 ), and 265 mg/L BOD 5 ) from the City of Norman, Oklahoma and introduced into the system. Alkalinity generated by limestone dissolution and bacterial SO 4 2-reduction (BSR) processes was sufficient to support various metal removal processes and produce an effluent with circumneutral pH (6.98) and a net alkalinity of 10.4 mg/L (as CaCO 3 ). Alkalinity generation from limestone dissolution was comparable with conventional AMD passive treatment systems. BSR proceeded at a relatively high rate (0.56 mol/m 3 day) despite inhibitory pH and metals concentrations. Results indicate that the diverse electron donors in the MWW may be as suitable for BSR and their supporting microbial communities as commonly used substrates, presenting an opportunity to use a common waste as a resource for passive treatment.

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Section: Limestone Dissolutionmentioning

confidence: 65%

Section: Influent Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 69%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Alkalinity Generation in a Novel Multi-stage High-strength Acid Mine Drainage and Municipal Wastewater Passive Co-treatment System

2010

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“…Locally available limestone is suitable for passive treatment (Strosnider and Nairn 2010). Results from Santamaria et al (2009) indicate that locally available llama dung, cattle manure, and brewery waste are suitable for use in passive treatment.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acid mine drainage at Cerro Rico de Potosí I: unabated high-strength discharges reflect a five century legacy of mining

2011

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Intensive mining and processing of Ag, Sn, Pb and Zn ores have occurred in various locations within and around the city of Potosí, Bolivia since 1545. Surface and subsurface waters, stream sediments and soils are contaminated with various ecotoxic metals in the headwaters of the economically vital, yet highly impacted, upper Rio Pilcomayo watershed. Previous studies have documented downstream trace metal contamination, however, not addressed specific sources. The AMD discharges identified in this study help link downstream pollution to primary origins. The majority of AMD would be considered high-strength due to metal concentrations and acidity orders of magnitude greater than typical AMD. Discharges from both operating and abandoned portals as well as tailings-related deposits displayed a high degree of heterogeneity with total metal concentrations ranging from 0.11 to 7480, \0.022 to 889, \0.0006 to 65.3, \0.001 to 310, 0.12 to 72,100, 0.3 to 402, \0.012 to 34.8, and 0.24 to 19,600 mg/L of Al, As, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn, respectively. Net acidity and pH ranged from -10 to 246,000 mg/L as CaCO 3 equivalent and 0.90-6.94 standard units, respectively. Data were gathered during two sampling events centered around the most extreme periods of the dry and wet seasons of one water-year. Loadings to local streams were marginally greater for most metals in the wet season. If observed loadings are historically representative, Cerro Rico AMD has contributed thousands of tonnes of ecotoxic metals to the upper Rio Pilcomayo over the last five centuries. Metal and hydrogen ion concentrations in the majority of AMD sampled were several orders of magnitude above discharge limits set by the Bolivian government, yet no action has historically or contemporarily been taken.

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Bioremediation of a Stagnant Polluted Acid Mine Drainage Using a Clay-Lime Spiked Sludge and Bacterial Degradation

Harris

Ragusa

2016

Geobiotechnological Solutions to Anthropogenic Disturbances

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Effective passive treatment of high-strength acid mine drainage and raw municipal wastewater in Potosí, Bolivia using simple mutual incubations and limestone

Cited by 52 publications

References 47 publications

Alkalinity Generation in a Novel Multi-stage High-strength Acid Mine Drainage and Municipal Wastewater Passive Co-treatment System

Alkalinity Generation in a Novel Multi-stage High-strength Acid Mine Drainage and Municipal Wastewater Passive Co-treatment System

Acid mine drainage at Cerro Rico de Potosí I: unabated high-strength discharges reflect a five century legacy of mining

Bioremediation of a Stagnant Polluted Acid Mine Drainage Using a Clay-Lime Spiked Sludge and Bacterial Degradation

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