Long-term changes in quality of discharge water from abandoned underground coal mines in Uniontown Syncline, Fayette County, PA, USA

Lambert, Douglas C.; McDonough, Kathleen; Dzombak, David A.

doi:10.1016/j.watres.2003.09.017

Cited by 46 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Flooded underground coalmines with calcareous overburdens commonly produce large flows of alkaline Fecontaminated water (Hedin et al 1994a;Lambert et al 2004;Wood et al 1999;Younger et al 2002). In southwestern Pennsylvania (USA) alone, the author is aware of 26 mines that each discharge at least 3,800 L/min (1,000 gpm) of alkaline, Fe-contaminated water.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Iron Removal by a Passive System Treating Alkaline Coal Mine Drainage

Hedin¹

2008

Mine Water Environ

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The Marchand passive treatment system was constructed in 2006 for a 6,000 L/min discharge from an abandoned underground bituminous coal mine located in western Pennsylvania, USA. The system consists of six serially connected ponds followed by a large constructed wetland. Treatment performance was monitored between December 2006 and 2007. The system inflow was alkaline with pH 6.2, 337 mg/L CaCO 3 alkalinity, 74 mg/L Fe, 1 mg/L Mn, and\1 mg/L Al. The final discharge averaged pH 7.5, 214 mg/L CaCO 3 alkalinity, and 0.8 mg/L Fe. The settling ponds removed 84% of the Fe at an average rate of 26 g Fe m -2 day -1 . The constructed wetland removed residual Fe at a rate of 4 g Fe m -2 day -1 . Analyses of dissolved and particulate Fe fractions indicated that Fe removal was limited in the ponds by the rate of iron oxidation and in the wetland by the rate of particulate iron settling. The treatment effectiveness of the system did not substantially degrade during cold weather or at high flows.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Iron Removal by a Passive System Treating Alkaline Coal Mine Drainage

Hedin¹

2008

Mine Water Environ

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“…Due to the acidic to moderately acidic pH measured in the spring waters and the main river after all spring water inputs (site R3), the chemistry of this system is not easily comparable to usual natural water bodies, but rather to effluents similar to acid mine drainage (Elbaz-Poulichet et al, 1999;Butler et al, 2008;Lambert et al, 2004). Such systems exhibit high temporal and spatial variability in chemistry and are generally considered as highly ecotoxic zones.…”

Section: Environmental and Health Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distribution and chemical speciation of arsenic and heavy metals in highly contaminated waters used for health care purposes (Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Lenoble

Omanović

Garnier

et al. 2013

Science of The Total Environment

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To cite this version:Véronique Lenoble, D Omanović, Cédric Garnier, Stéphane Mounier, N Đonlagić, et al.. Distribution and chemical speciation of arsenic and heavy metals in highly contaminated waters used for health care purposes (Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina). Science of the Total Environment, Elsevier, 2013Elsevier, , 443, pp.420-428. <10.1016Elsevier, /j.scitotenv.2012 H I G H L I G H T S► Acid mine drainage type waters used for decades for healthcare purposes were analysed. ► Extremely high contents of As (up to 6.6 mg/L) and other heavy metals were registered. ► Acidic springs decreased pH of the river from 7.3 to 3.4 in only 1.5 km distance. ► Geochemical modelling revealed dominance of oxidized forms of all elements. Determination of distribution and chemical speciation of arsenic and heavy metals in five acidic springs and in the receiving river near Srebrenica (Bosnia and Herzegovina) was carried out. These waters were used for centuries, and continue to be used, for health-care purposes. The composition and properties of all springs and the river water (after all inputs) resembled that of an acid mine drainage. Very low pH (b 3.3), high sulphate concentration and extremely high contents of most of the measured elements (25) are found in all springs (e.g. arsenic and iron maximal concentration of 6.6 and 500 mg L −1 , respectively). Although of small discharge, spring waters caused the decrease of the receiving river pH (from 7.3 to 3.4) and the considerable increase of the concentrations of elements. The enrichment factor for the studied elements ranged from 1.2 for Sr up to 425 for As. In acidic spring waters, all elements were predominantly present in dissolved form. Elements associated to freshly-formed hydrous ferric oxide were prevailing in particulate forms only at the two most upstream sites in the river with pH > 7. Geochemical speciation modelling (PHREEQC and WHAM-VI) revealed that As was mainly present as As(V), and Fe as Fe(III). Complexation of dissolved metals by organic matter was predicted to be significant only for the two river sites with neutral pH. a b s t r a c t a r t i c l e i n f o

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“…CMD sites typically display a wide spatial and temporal variability in physical and geochemical conditions (Carlson et al 2002;Kairies 2003;Mugunthan et al 2004;Lambert et al 2004;Oliveira and Silva 2006), leading to an ensemble of solution compositions that differ greatly and which undergo changes depending on place and time. Because subsequent chemical reactions as well as some of the physical conditions in the mine wastes are linked to the specific composition of the solution in a nonlinear manner, this process is dependent not only upon the ''average'' chemistry of the solution, but also upon the extreme chemistry.…”

Section: Water Qualitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The high acidity generated during the oxidizing process gives rise to accelerated hydrolysis of the other minerals in the spoil materials (Lambert et al 2004), causing large quantities of the constituent elements to be made soluble. The average contents of Ca, K, Mg, and Na we identified in the analyzed CMD waters suggest an effective dissolution of the abundant aluminosilicates (especially chlorite, but also sericite, K-feldspar, and albite) and rare carbonates (calcite, dolomite, ankerite) at the mine sites.…”

Section: Water Qualitymentioning

confidence: 99%

A preliminary study of coal mining drainage and environmental health in the Santa Catarina region, Brazil

Silva

Wollenschlager

Oliveira

2010

Environ Geochem Health

111

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The concentrations and loadings of major and trace elements in coal mine drainage (CMD) from 49 abandoned mines located in the coal fields of the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina were determined. The CMD sites typically displayed a wide spatial and temporal variability in physical and geochemical conditions. The results of our CMD analyses in Santa Catarina State were used to illustrate that the geochemical processes in the rock piles can be deduced from multiple data sets. The observed relationship between the pH and constituent concentrations were attributed to (1) dilution of acidic water by near-neutral or alkaline groundwater and (2) solubility control of Al, Fe, Mn, Ba and Sr by hydroxide, sulfate, and/or carbonate minerals. The preliminary results of the CMD analyses and environmental health in the Santa Catarina region, Brazil, are discussed.

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Long-term changes in quality of discharge water from abandoned underground coal mines in Uniontown Syncline, Fayette County, PA, USA

Cited by 46 publications

References 7 publications

Iron Removal by a Passive System Treating Alkaline Coal Mine Drainage

Iron Removal by a Passive System Treating Alkaline Coal Mine Drainage

Distribution and chemical speciation of arsenic and heavy metals in highly contaminated waters used for health care purposes (Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina)

A preliminary study of coal mining drainage and environmental health in the Santa Catarina region, Brazil

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