Nature Inspires Passive Treatment Technology for High-Flow Acidic Mine Drainage Discharges - Dr. MaryAnn Bruns
Mimicking Nature: Nature inspires passive treatment technology for high-flow acidic mine drainage discharges
Fall 2008, psiee highlights
Some deep mine discharges throughout the Appalachian coal mining region have naturally occurring iron-rich mounds at their outflows. These mounds, which contain a plentiful and diverse microbial community, form via a microbially driven reaction that precipitates iron out of the water as the acidic mine drainage (AMD) is exposed to air. So the reaction that creates the mound also removes iron from the water. The passage of water across some mounds works quickly and without human intervention to reduce the water’s dissolved iron concentration – in some cases from more than 50 mg/L to about 1–5 mg/L in 15 minutes. This treatment alone may meet the discharge standard for iron in water. [Read More]
