Acid rock drainage (ARD) is a serious environmental risk that reduces the pH of water resources, contaminates ecosystems, and is caused by the oxidation of mine waste exposed to natural elements. Previous studies have shown great promise in preventing ARD using co-disposal and microbially-induced calcite precipitation (MICP). Oxidant ingress is limited in traditional co-disposal, but when combined with MICP, it is decreased significantly. In addition, calcite increases the neutralization capacity and leads to metal immobilization, further limiting environmental damage even under highly aggressive conditions. The main reagent-intensive step is the cementation phase in the MICP process, which involved daily irrigation of cementing solution made up of media, urea, and calcium chloride. In this study, the calcite yield was determined in co-disposed coal waste columns using various irrigation protocols. Two sets of 12 bioreactors were set up with different packing configurations where they received cementing solution every 4 or 7 days for 60 days. The calcite content was determined thereafter and compared to the calcite content found in co-disposed beds that received daily irrigation. Acid wash tests revealed that more frequent irrigation led to higher calcite content. However, the relative yield was not substantially different, and using an irrigation protocol where cementing solution is only applied weekly led to appreciable calcite formation that is thought to be sufficient for ARD prevention. Future studies should involve stress testing the weekly irrigated MICP-co-disposed beds to determine their long-term stability under aggressive acidic conditions compared to that of the successful daily-irrigated beds.

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Investigating Microbially Induced Calcite Precipitation in Co-Disposed Mine Waste Beds Under Various Irrigation Rates

  • Ishaaq Hajee,
  • Susan T. L. Harrison,
  • Athanasios Kotsiopoulos

摘要

Acid rock drainage (ARD) is a serious environmental risk that reduces the pH of water resources, contaminates ecosystems, and is caused by the oxidation of mine waste exposed to natural elements. Previous studies have shown great promise in preventing ARD using co-disposal and microbially-induced calcite precipitation (MICP). Oxidant ingress is limited in traditional co-disposal, but when combined with MICP, it is decreased significantly. In addition, calcite increases the neutralization capacity and leads to metal immobilization, further limiting environmental damage even under highly aggressive conditions. The main reagent-intensive step is the cementation phase in the MICP process, which involved daily irrigation of cementing solution made up of media, urea, and calcium chloride. In this study, the calcite yield was determined in co-disposed coal waste columns using various irrigation protocols. Two sets of 12 bioreactors were set up with different packing configurations where they received cementing solution every 4 or 7 days for 60 days. The calcite content was determined thereafter and compared to the calcite content found in co-disposed beds that received daily irrigation. Acid wash tests revealed that more frequent irrigation led to higher calcite content. However, the relative yield was not substantially different, and using an irrigation protocol where cementing solution is only applied weekly led to appreciable calcite formation that is thought to be sufficient for ARD prevention. Future studies should involve stress testing the weekly irrigated MICP-co-disposed beds to determine their long-term stability under aggressive acidic conditions compared to that of the successful daily-irrigated beds.