A Study of Environmental Assessment of Acid Mine Drainage in Ngwenya, Swaziland

Dlamini, Caroline Lomalungelo; Fadiran, A. O.; Thwala, Justice M.

doi:10.4236/jep.2013.411b003

Cited by 10 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…As a summary, association of Fe, Al, Cd, and Pb with EFLE fraction is likely the best example of mining-induced influence in the Bukit Besi sediments. The results of present study were higher than Journal of Chemistry 7 those reported by [37] in which the authors studied the heavy metals concentrations in sediment of the Ngwenya iron ore mine quarry dam and reported that the metals concentrations in EFLE were 2.27 g/g for Fe, 0.253 g/g for Pb, and 0.318 g/g for Cd.…”

Section: Easily Freely Leachable or Exchangeable (Efle)contrasting

confidence: 85%

An Investigation of the Levels and Distribution of Selected Heavy Metals in Sediments and Plant Species within the Vicinity of Ex-Iron Mine in Bukit Besi

Kutty

Al-Mahaqeri

2016

Journal of Chemistry

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An assessment of the abandoned mine impacts on the concentrations and distribution of heavy metals in surface sediments and plant species within the vicinity of an ex-iron mine in Malaysia was conducted. The sequential extraction method was used to extract anthropogenic metals in sediments. The results showed that metals in EFLE, AR, and OO fractions were higher than ambient concentrations which indicate that heavy metals have been loaded from ex-iron mining area into the surrounding aquatic environments. The metal accumulation in the four dominant plant species grown naturally within the vicinity of Bukit Besi exiron mining was investigated. Exceptional elevated concentrations of metal were found in plants and surface sediments. Several established criteria were applied to determine the hyperaccumulator plants. The results revealed that Melastoma malabathricum and Pityrogramma calomelanos are classified as Fe and Al hyperaccumulators, while Scirpus triqueter, Melastoma malabathricum, and Pityrogramma calomelanos were undoubtedly hyperaccumulator for Cd.

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Section: Easily Freely Leachable or Exchangeable (Efle)contrasting

confidence: 85%

An Investigation of the Levels and Distribution of Selected Heavy Metals in Sediments and Plant Species within the Vicinity of Ex-Iron Mine in Bukit Besi

Kutty

Al-Mahaqeri

2016

Journal of Chemistry

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“…Some of these streams are feeders for the Hawane Dam which supplies water to the capital city of Swaziland, Mbabane. Figure 2 below shows the areas in the vicinity of the Mine and the streams that source their water from the Ngwenya Mountain where the AMD producing mine is located [1].…”

Section: Description Of the Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A previous study [1] revealed that the acid mine drainage (AMD) phenomenon occurs in the old Ngwenya Mine, Swaziland. Acid mine drainage is the acidic water that is produced in mining areas from the oxidation of pyrite.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental Assessment of Acid Mine Drainage Pollution on Surface Water Bodies around Ngwenya Mine, Swaziland

Fadiran¹,

Dlamini²,

Thwala³

2014

JEP

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Twenty-three water samples and three "yellow boy" samples were obtained from different water bodies located at the foot of the Ngwenya Mountain on top of which the old Ngwenya Iron Ore Mine is located. The samples were analysed for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), redox potential (ORP) and temperature (T). The dominant Fe species was determined using a UV-VIS spectrophotometer. Selected anions namely: halogens (F − , Br − , Cl −), the nutrients (2 NO − , 3 NO − , 4 PO 3−) and the best indicator for AMD pollution (4 SO 2−) were analysed using Ion Chromatography (IC) while the selected heavy metals, namely: Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd were analysed using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FAAS). The physico-chemical parameters ranges obtained were pH (6.32-8.63), EC (11.00-585.33 µS/cm), ORP (−93.67-79.33 mV) and T (7.60˚C-18.57˚C). The levels of the Fe species (ppm) in the water samples were Fe 2+ (0.56-3.17) and Fe 3+ (0.00-0.73). Measured mean anion ranges in ppm were F-(0.00-0.15), Cl − (1.5-11.19), 3 NO − (0-13.25) and 4 SO 2− (0.05-22.29). The mean ranges for the heavy metals in the water samples in mg/l were Cr (0.00-2.46), Mn (0.00-0.30), Fe (0.00-0.34), Ni (0.00-0.34), Co (0.00-0.29), Cu (0.00-0.07), and Cd ((0.01-0.11) whilst Zn and Pb were not detectible. The average pH in all the sites was within the acceptable range (6.5-8.5) according to WHO standards except for two sites. Fe 2+ was the dominant Fe species in the water samples. The water was free from anion pollution because all measured anion levels were below the guideline by WHO. The relative percentages of sites polluted by the respective heavy metals were: Cd (83%), Cr (71%), Ni (46%), Co (42%), Mn (17%), Fe (4%) while no site was polluted by Cu, Zn and Pb. The State needs to set up sound remediation strategies to save the populations around the Ngwenya Mine from the heavy metal pollution they are exposed to by using water polluted by the mining activities.

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“…Thus, adsorption processes are cheap, simple and environmentally friendly [38]. Metal oxides are renowned metal scavengers in the environment and are a good choice of adsorbents for dissolved metals [10,14,17]. Therefore, since metal oxides have a special affinity for dissolved metals in the environment, they can be carefully engineered for the efficient removal of the same from solutions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acid mine drainage pollution remediation using hybrid chelating ion-exchange/HZrO2 nanocomposite adsorbents

et al. 2019

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Environmental pollution due to acid mine drainage (AMD) is a worldwide concern because of its high content of toxic metals and acidity. The toxic metal species present in AMD tends to affect negatively the whole ecological system where it is discharged, and this requires an elective solution to remedy the environment. In this study, hydrated ZrO 2 nanoparticles (HZO) were irreversibly dispersed within chelating ion-exchange resins using the precipitation method, resulting in HZO-260, HZO-207, HZO-214, HZO-4195 and HZO-900 organic/inorganic nanosorbents which were used for the removal of metals from AMD. The synthesized nanosorbents were characterized using SEM-EDS, FTIR and XRD. The effect of time, adsorbent dosage and pH on Al(III) adsorption was investigated using the batch technique. The SEM-EDS confirmed the incorporation of HZO within all the parent resins, while XRD showed that the hybrid materials were amorphous. The adsorption of Al(III) occurred through physisorption and was favourable only onto HZO-260 as revealed by the data modelling. Metal levels were determined using the ICP-OES technique. The HZO-260 removed 100% Al(III) in acidic conditions and was successfully regenerated for reuse using a NaCl-NaOH binary solution (pH > 12). HZO-260 removed selected metals (Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd) from environmental AMD. Therefore, HZO-260 has a promising potential as an adsorbent for AMD remediation.

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A Study of Environmental Assessment of Acid Mine Drainage in Ngwenya, Swaziland

Cited by 10 publications

References 10 publications

An Investigation of the Levels and Distribution of Selected Heavy Metals in Sediments and Plant Species within the Vicinity of Ex-Iron Mine in Bukit Besi

An Investigation of the Levels and Distribution of Selected Heavy Metals in Sediments and Plant Species within the Vicinity of Ex-Iron Mine in Bukit Besi

Environmental Assessment of Acid Mine Drainage Pollution on Surface Water Bodies around Ngwenya Mine, Swaziland

Acid mine drainage pollution remediation using hybrid chelating ion-exchange/HZrO2 nanocomposite adsorbents

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