Grantee Research Project Results

Metals Removal by Constructed Wetlands

EPA Grant Number: R828770C005
Subproject: this is subproject number 005 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R828770
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: Center for the Study of Metals in the Environment
Center Director: Allen, Herbert E.
Title: Metals Removal by Constructed Wetlands
Investigators: Fitch, Mark W. , Burken, Joel
Institution: Missouri University of Science and Technology
EPA Project Officer: Aja, Hayley
Project Period: October 1, 2001 through September 30, 2004
Project Amount: Refer to main center abstract for funding details.
RFA: Hazardous Substance Research Centers - HSRC (2001) Recipients Lists
Research Category: Hazardous Waste/Remediation , Land and Waste Management

Objective:

Lab-scale constructed wetlands have proven able to treat mine drainage, negating toxicity and removing metals from the site. There remains, however, a need to establish the wetlands' ability to remove metals in the long term, including knowledge of the fate of metals in the wetlands. More fundamentally, effective and proven design criteria do not exist for constructed wetlands for metals removal. The goal of this research is to evaluate the capacity for constructed wetlands to treat lead mine drainage, including determination of metal geochemistry in the wetland substrate, and to propose and validate design criteria for such wetlands. Lead mines are of significant interest in Missouri, the nation's leading lead producer. Not only does the state have issues with existing production; more than 100 square miles of the state are listed on the EPA National Priorities List due to historical lead mining. Lead mine drainage differs from acid mine drainage in pH (the effluent is neutral), but this allows it to act as an excellent case study for examining the fate of metals removed from wastewater by constructed wetlands and for the application of this technology to specific industrial effluents.

Approach:

The research will focus both on lab-scale and two existing field-scale wetlands, one treating lead mine effluent and the other treating lead contaminated machining wastewater. Based on the rates of removal and wetland hydraulics, design equations will be proposed. These design equations will be validated by application at the lab scale and at the field scale, if possible.

Publications and Presentations:

Publications have been submitted on this subproject: View all 9 publications for this subproject | View all 108 publications for this center

Journal Articles:

Journal Articles have been submitted on this subproject: View all 2 journal articles for this subproject | View all 14 journal articles for this center

Supplemental Keywords:

Lead mine drainage, constructed wetlands, metal geochemistry., RFA, Scientific Discipline, Industry Sectors, Water, Waste, Toxics, Hazardous, Remediation, Engineering, 33/50, Engineering, Chemistry, & Physics, Wastewater, Hazardous Waste, Hydrology, Mining - NAIC 21, Environmental Engineering, heavy metals, metal removal, lead & lead compounds, acid mine drainage, lead, hazardous waste treatment, industrial wastewater, constructed wetlands, mining wastes, aqueous waste, aqueous waste stream, effluents, aqueous waste streams, wastewater remediation, mine drainage, wastewater treatment, metal wastes, heavy metal contamination, metals, metals removal

Progress and Final Reports:

2002 Progress Report

2003 Progress Report

Final

Main Center Abstract and Reports:

R828770 Center for the Study of Metals in the Environment

Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R828770C001 Technical Outreach Services for Communities
R828770C002 Technical Outreach Services for Native American Communities
R828770C003 Sustainable Remediation
R828770C004 Incorporating Natural Attenuation Into Design and Management Strategies For Contaminated Sites
R828770C005 Metals Removal by Constructed Wetlands
R828770C006 Adaptation of Subsurface Microbial Biofilm Communities in Response to Chemical Stressors
R828770C007 Dewatering, Remediation, and Evaluation of Dredged Sediments
R828770C008 Interaction of Various Plant Species with Microbial PCB-Degraders in Contaminated Soils
R828770C009 Microbial Indicators of Bioremediation Potential and Success

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The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.