Isotopic Imprints of Mountaintop Mining Contaminants

Vengosh, Avner; Lindberg, Thomas; Merola, Brittany R.; Ruhl, Laura; Warner, Nathaniel R.; White, Alissa; Dwyer, Gary S.; Giulio, Richard T. Di

doi:10.1021/es4012959

Cited by 36 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 33 publications

(74 reference statements)

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“…24 Similar 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios were measured in effluents from valley fills that are associated with mountaintop removal coal mining as well as water-leachates from the Appalachian coal in West Virginia. 25 Each of these analyses was performed on specific coals and CCRs, therefore Sr isotope ratios could vary in different geological basins and degrees of leaching. Given that the Sr isotopic composition of coal and CCRs is expected to reflect the local geology and hydrology of the original depositional environment in which coal was deposited, Sr isotopic variations of CCRs should reflect their original coal source.…”

Section: ■ Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Boron and Strontium Isotopic Characterization of Coal Combustion Residuals: Validation of New Environmental Tracers

Ruhl

Dwyer

Hsu‐Kim

et al. 2014

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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In the U.S., coal fired power plants produce over 136 million tons of coal combustion residuals (CCRs) annually. CCRs are enriched in toxic elements, and their leachates can have significant impacts on water quality. Here we report the boron and strontium isotopic ratios of leaching experiments on CCRs from a variety of coal sources (Appalachian, Illinois, and Powder River Basins). CCR leachates had a mostly negative δ11B, ranging from −17.6 to +6.3‰, and 87Sr/86Sr ranging from 0.70975 to 0.71251. Additionally, we utilized these isotopic ratios for tracing CCR contaminants in different environments: (1) the 2008 Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) coal ash spill affected waters; (2) CCR effluents from power plants in Tennessee and North Carolina; (3) lakes and rivers affected by CCR effluents in North Carolina; and (4) porewater extracted from sediments in lakes affected by CCRs. The boron isotopes measured in these environments had a distinctive negative δ11B signature relative to background waters. In contrast 87Sr/86Sr ratios in CCRs were not always exclusively different from background, limiting their use as a CCR tracer. This investigation demonstrates the validity of the combined geochemical and isotopic approach as a unique and practical identification method for delineating and evaluating the environmental impact of CCRs.

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Section: ■ Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Boron and Strontium Isotopic Characterization of Coal Combustion Residuals: Validation of New Environmental Tracers

Ruhl

Dwyer

Hsu‐Kim

et al. 2014

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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“…Weathering of coal in the underground workings resulted in the formation of AMD mine pools. Subsequent contour-type surface mining removed the outcrop barrier that The sulfate-reducing bioreactor was initially built in 2007 with ~5887 m 3 of limestone-amended organic substrate (53% wood chips, 27% straw, 11% seasoned municipal yard waste) and 9% agricultural ground limestone by volume [28]. In 2013, after six years of operation, due to decreasing contaminate removal rates, the bioreactor was rehabilitated by replacement of the organic substrate with higher amount of limestone.…”

Section: Description Of the Tab-simco Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Sulfate (SO 4 2− ) is a major contaminant in many watersheds impacted by coal and metal mining activities and is difficult to remediate [1][2][3][4][5][6]. The increased SO 4 2− presence in ecosystems affected by mining has negative environmental and human health effects [7] since SO 4 2− can (1) promote secondary water quality impacts related to sulfur (S) redox processes and biological hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) production; (2) stimulate methylation of mercury to methylmercury, the most toxic and bioaccumulative form of mercury; (3) enhance biodegradation of organic matter in soils; and (4) promote release of nutrients and potentially toxic compounds from sediments during biologically-mediated sulfate reduction processes [8][9][10][11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The increased SO 4 2− presence in ecosystems affected by mining has negative environmental and human health effects [7] since SO 4 2− can (1) promote secondary water quality impacts related to sulfur (S) redox processes and biological hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) production; (2) stimulate methylation of mercury to methylmercury, the most toxic and bioaccumulative form of mercury; (3) enhance biodegradation of organic matter in soils; and (4) promote release of nutrients and potentially toxic compounds from sediments during biologically-mediated sulfate reduction processes [8][9][10][11]. Consequently, decreasing SO 4 2− discharge from mine drainages associated with coal and metal mining operations is a priority worldwide [1][2][3][4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sulfur Isotope Fractionation as an Indicator of Biogeochemical Processes in an AMD Passive Bioremediation System

et al. 2017

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Sulfate, the main dissolved contaminant in acid mine drainage (AMD), is ubiquitous in watersheds affected by coal and metal mining operations worldwide. Engineered passive bioremediation systems (PBS) are low-cost technologies that remediate sulfate contamination by promoting (1) precipitation of sulfate-bearing compounds, such as schwertmannite and gypsum; and (2) microbially-mediated sulfate reduction (BSR) to sulfide with subsequent precipitation of sulfide minerals. In this study, chemical and sulfur isotopic data are used to infer multiple pathways for sulfate sequestration in the Tab-Simco PBS. By simultaneously monitoring sulfate concentrations and δ 34 S SO 4 values at four sampling points across the PBS, we (1) identified that the organic layer within the bioreactor was the primary site of BSR processes contributing to sulfate sequestration; (2) observed seasonal variations of BSR processes; (3) estimated that initially the BSR processes contributed up to 30% to sulfate sequestration in the Tab-Simco bioreactor; and (4) determined that BSR contribution to sulfate sequestration continuously declined over the PBS operational lifetime. Together, our results highlight the utility of combining geochemical and microbial fingerprinting techniques to decipher complementary processes involved in sulfur cycling in a PBS as well as the value of adding the sulfur isotope approach as an essential tool to help understand, predict, prevent and mitigate sulfate contamination in AMD-impacted systems.

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“…It is also important to point out that while certain authors (e.g. Vengosh et al 2013) refer to short-term solution: solid extracts of crushed spoils as ''leaching tests'', such procedures are short-term lab extractions and do not provide the kinetic/temporal data of column or field leaching trials.…”

Section: Background On Spoil Weathering and Tds Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predicting release and aquatic effects of total dissolved solids from Appalachian USA coal mines

Daniels

Zipper

Orndorff

2014

Int J Coal Sci Technol

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Appalachian USA coal mines have been implicated as major stressors to aquatic life in headwater streams via discharge of total dissolved solids (TDS). This paper summarizes column leaching studies of spoils (n [ 50) and refuse and TDS effects on local water quality and biotic response. The initial pH of most materials is near-neutral. Initial specific conductance (SC) values range from 500-1,000 to [3,000 ls/cm, but 2/3 of materials drop below 500 ls/cm after several pore volumes of leaching. Studies of mining-influenced streams have found altered aquatic life, relative to natural conditions with no mining influence, at SC ranging from *200 to *700 ls/cm with depressed aquatic life consistently associated with elevated TDS; mechanisms causing such effects are under investigation. We suggest that active mine operations should be modified to place high TDS producing materials in ways that reduce contact with percolating drainage waters.

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Isotopic Imprints of Mountaintop Mining Contaminants

Cited by 36 publications

References 33 publications

Boron and Strontium Isotopic Characterization of Coal Combustion Residuals: Validation of New Environmental Tracers

Boron and Strontium Isotopic Characterization of Coal Combustion Residuals: Validation of New Environmental Tracers

Sulfur Isotope Fractionation as an Indicator of Biogeochemical Processes in an AMD Passive Bioremediation System

Predicting release and aquatic effects of total dissolved solids from Appalachian USA coal mines

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