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TRACE ELEMENT CHARACTERIZATION OF COAL WASTES. FOURTH ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT, OCTOBER 1, 1978-SEPTEMBER 30, 1979
Citation:
Williams, J., J. Bertino, M. Jones, P. Wagner, AND P. Wanek. TRACE ELEMENT CHARACTERIZATION OF COAL WASTES. FOURTH ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT, OCTOBER 1, 1978-SEPTEMBER 30, 1979. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/7-81/073 (NTIS DE81028237).
Description:
In the past year assessment studies of low-sulfur coal wastes from the Appalachian Region have been continued. These included mineralogical and trace elemental analyses on these materials and studies of their weathering and leaching behavior. Although the concentrations of the acid-forming minerals (pyrite and marcasite) were very low, leachates were quite acid (pH < 3) with concomitant trace element (Al, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu) concentration elevation. As part of the overall assessment of the degree of environmental concern associated with acidic coal waste drainages, bioassay studies were performed. These revealed that coal wastes and their leachates are toxic to fresh water algae, fathead minnows, and one species of fresh-water flea. Laboratory experiments to identify control options for the coal wastes and their drainages have been focused on predisposal and codisposal treatments of the waste, with technical and economic evaluations being performed on the most promising options. One of the most promising control methods is pretreatment of the waste with a lime/limestone mixture; this produces a waste with no acid-forming tendencies for times up to several months, during which time it may be possible to dispose of the treated waste in a nonreactive environment. The cost of this option is comparable to that of the commonly used lime neutralization of the acid drainage. Other experiments have investigated, in considerable detail, the economic and environmental advantages and disadvantages of codisposing the wastes with 37 naturally occurring soils and industrial wastes. These methods look promising only under certain conditions, but are in general an order of magnitude less effective than existing controls or the lime/limestone disposal method. (ERA citation 06:029887)