Full-scale field trials of a bactericidal treatment to control acid mine drainage
Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is one of several anionic detergents known to be effective in inhibiting the iron-oxidizing bacterium, Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. Since T. ferrooxidans plays a critical role in determining the rate of pyrite oxidation, the Bureau of Mines has investigated the use of SLS as a method to control the formation of acid mine drainage. In previously reported pilot-scale tests, the detergent successfully controlled T. ferrooxidans and thereby reduced acid production 60-90 pct. During the past year, the Bureau of Mines has conducted five full-scale field trials at active and abandoned surface mines and coal refuse piles. The first of these field tests was at a ten acre inactive refuse pile near Beckley, West Virginia. After a three month lag period, average acidity decreased from 900 mg/l to 350 mg/l and iron decreased from over 100 mg/l to 2 mg/l. An eight acre active section of a large refuse pile was treated similarly; acidity and sulfate decreased from over 4000 mg/l to less than 100 mg/l and iron decreased from 1000 mg/l to 2 mg/l or less. At both sites, a single application was effective for about 4 months. Our other field tests have been at active and abandoned surface mines in Ohio and East Virginia. At two of the sites, SLS was applied both as a solution and in slow release rubber pellets; the latter are an attempt to provide long term control of acid drainage from inactive sites where periodic reapplication would not be feasible.
- Research Organization:
- Dept. of the Interior, Pittsburgh, PA
- OSTI ID:
- 5340615
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-821175-
- Journal Information:
- Univ. Ky., Off. Eng. Serv., (Bull.); (United States), Conference: Symposium on surface mining hydrology, sedimentology, and reclamation, Lexington, KY, USA, 1 Nov 1982
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID MINE DRAINAGE
INHIBITION
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL
PYRITE
OXIDATION
SURFACE MINING
WATER POLLUTION
THIOBACILLUS FERROXIDANS
COAL MINING
FIELD TESTS
OHIO
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SULFURIC ACID ESTERS
US BUREAU OF MINES
WEST VIRGINIA
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
BACILLUS
BACTERIA
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONTROL
ESTERS
FEDERAL REGION III
FEDERAL REGION V
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRON SULFIDES
MICROORGANISMS
MINERALS
MINING
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
POLLUTION CONTROL
SULFIDE MINERALS
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR-OXIDIZING BACTERIA
TESTING
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
US DOI
US ORGANIZATIONS
USA
010800* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Waste Management
520200 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
012000 - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Mining