Subsurface oxidation of pyritic coal-cleaning wastes by chemoautotrophic bacteria. [51 references]
The presence of the iron-oxidizing bacterium Thiobacillus ferrooxidans was investigated in groundwater and surface water at two coal refuse disposal sites in southwestern Illinois. Piezometers placed in the saturated bases of reclaimed and unreclaimed refuse piles showed high populations of the bacteria. The reclaimed pile had lower populations than did the unreclaimed coal refuse, suggesting that the reclamation effort may have caused a decline in subsurface Thiobacillus population levels. Acidic runoff water from the two piles also contained T. ferrooxidans but the levels encountered are not as high as those found in the saturated bases. Population levels of T. ferrooxidans were not high in till below the gob pile or in slurry material at the Staunton site. This may be attributed to the lower acidity and dissolved iron concentrations in groundwater at these locations, as well as to the lack of pyrite in the till and slurry material. Statistical analysis of T. ferrooxidans populations and six water quality variables for runoff and groundwater samples from the two sites showed that all seven variables were significantly intercorrelated. More samples and additional variables must be evaluated before cause/effect relationships can be determined. High populations of T. ferrooxidans were found in the saturated bases of the two refuse piles, despite low levels (< 0.5 mg/L) of dissolved oxygen. If these bacteria can catalyze pyrite oxidation under the conditions present, reduction of acid formation by refuse burial may not be successful.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31-109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 6281952
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-821175-1; ON: DE83007965
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Symposium on surface mining hydrology, sedimentology, and reclamation, Lexington, KY, USA, 1 Nov 1982; Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
COAL MINING
LAND RECLAMATION
MINERAL WASTES
COAL PREPARATION PLANTS
PYRITE
OXIDATION
SPOIL BANKS
RUNOFF
THIOBACILLUS FERROXIDANS
POPULATION DENSITY
ACID MINE DRAINAGE
BACTERIA
CATALYSTS
GROUND WATER
ILLINOIS
SURFACE WATERS
SURFACTANTS
VARIATIONS
BACILLUS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FEDERAL REGION V
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRON SULFIDES
MASS TRANSFER
MICROORGANISMS
MINERALS
MINING
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SOLID WASTES
SULFIDE MINERALS
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
USA
WASTES
WATER
010900* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Environmental Aspects
012000 - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Mining