Biosorption of metal contaminants using immobilized biomass: Field studies. Report of Investigations/1993

Technical Report · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1993

OSTI ID:6380066

Jeffers, T H; Bennett, P G; Corwin, R R

The U.S. Bureau of Mines has developed porous beads containing immobilized biological materials such as sphagnum peat moss for extracting metal contaminants from waste waters. The beads, designated as BIO-FIX beads, have removed toxic metals from over 100 waters in laboratory tests. These waters include acid mine drainage (AMD) water from mining sites, metallurgical and chemical industry waste water, and contaminated ground water. Following the laboratory studies, cooperative field tests were conducted to evaluate the metal adsorption properties of the beads in column and low-maintenance circuits, determine bead stability in varied climatic situations, and demonstrate the beads' potential as a viable waste water treatment technique. Field results indicated that BIO-FIX beads readily adsorbed cadmium, lead, and other toxic metals from dilute waters; effluents frequently met drinking water standards and other discharge criteria. The beads exhibited excellent handling characteristics in both column and low-maintenance circuits, and continued to extract metal ions after repeated loading-elution cycles.

• Research Organization: Bureau of Mines, Salt Lake City, UT (United States). Salt Lake City Research Center
• OSTI ID: 6380066
• Report Number(s): PB-93-189645/XAB; BUMINES-RI--9461
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010900* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Environmental Aspects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540320 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ACID MINE DRAINAGE
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES
ADSORPTION
BIOCONVERSION
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOMASS
CADMIUM
CHARGED PARTICLES
CHEMICAL EFFLUENTS
CHEMICAL INDUSTRY
CHEMICAL WASTES
CHEMISTRY
CONTAMINATION
CONTROL
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DRINKING WATER
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FIELD TESTS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRY
INVESTIGATIONS
IONS
LIQUID WASTES
LOADING
MAINTENANCE
MATERIALS
MATERIALS HANDLING
MATTER
METALS
MINES
MINING
NONRADIOACTIVE WASTES
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC MATTER
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PEAT
POLLUTION CONTROL
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SAFETY STANDARDS
SORPTION
STABILITY
STANDARDS
TESTING
TOXICITY
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
USA
WASTE WATER
WASTES
WATER
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL
WATER TREATMENT