Grantee Research Project Results

An Electrochemical Method for Acid Mine Drainage Remediation and Metals Recovery

EPA Grant Number: R825549C025
Subproject: this is subproject number 025 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R825549
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: Water Innovation Network for Sustainable Small Systems
Center Director: Reckhow, David A.
Title: An Electrochemical Method for Acid Mine Drainage Remediation and Metals Recovery
Investigators: Walton, Clifford W.
Institution: University of Nebraska at Lincoln
EPA Project Officer: Hahn, Intaek
Project Period: March 1, 1990 through February 29, 1992
Project Amount: Refer to main center abstract for funding details.
RFA: Hazardous Substance Research Centers - HSRC (1989) RFA Text |  Recipients Lists
Research Category: Groundwater, Contaminants, Treatment , Land and Waste Management

Objective:

The major goal of this project is to obtain the necessary experimental information required to determine the feasibility of an electrodialytic ion exchange (EDIX) cell-based metal recovery system as applied to acid mine drainage.

Approach:

This research project was composed primarily of the evaluation of EDIX laboratory-cell performance for feasibility, with an approximate projection of economic performance of scaleup. Tests were performed using an electrodialysis cell stack. Cation and anion membranes were also combined to form bipolar membranes. Test performance of the cell stacks was measured using simple sodium sulfate solutions, then iron-containing simulated acid mine drainage solutions. When precipitation occurred during iron tests, membranes were regenerated in accordance with manufacture's recommendations prior to reuse. This allowed a degree of cyclic membrane usage testing. Sample chemical analysis was conducted.

In addition to the laboratory testing, a more detailed literature review of existing and potential methods of treatment for acid mine drainage was initiated. This also included gathering articles with information on quality assurance. To aid effective use of the growing number of references, a database was constructed of the bibliographic data and complete abstracts to allow for convenient searching for desired information.

Previously conducted process modeling studies of the EDIX cell applied to electroplating rinse waters (many having compositions similar to that of acid mine drainage) has shown that this approach may be feasible. The studies did reveal that the passage of the contaminated stream through a single cell of the stack is not expected to be sufficient to obtain the desired separation that would result in a clean water stream and a concentrated metal stream. The simple results show the possibility of removal of upward of 70% in a single pass. Constructing a cell with recycle and/or series operation may achieve the desired goal of higher removal rates.

Expected Results:

As a means for eliminating the problem of water contamination and resource loss caused by acid mine drainage, a new method for waste management has been proposed. The intent of the electrodialytic ion exchange (EDIX) cell is to minimize both of these problems. The initial design criteria is to produce a residual wastewater stream which would meet EPA effluent guidelines for metal content and a concentrated metal ion stream which could be further recovered by electrowinning. The process also has direct application to metal recovery from electroplating wastewaters.

Publications and Presentations:

Publications have been submitted on this subproject: View all 17 publications for this subproject | View all 904 publications for this center

Journal Articles:

Journal Articles have been submitted on this subproject: View all 3 journal articles for this subproject | View all 182 journal articles for this center

Supplemental Keywords:

heavy metals, membrane separation, recovery., Scientific Discipline, Waste, Water, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Contaminated Sediments, Environmental Chemistry, Geochemistry, Remediation, Fate & Transport, Bioremediation, Ecology and Ecosystems, fate and transport, migration, contaminant transport, biodegradation, acid mine drainage, contaminated sediment, pesticides, metals recovery, membranes, adsorption, contaminated soil, bioremediation of soils, biotechnology, contaminants in soil, chemical kinetics, electrodialytic ion exchange, acid rock drainage (ARD), mining waste, phytoremediation, heavy metal contamination, contaminated soils, heavy metals, acid mine runoff

Progress and Final Reports:

1990

Final Report

Main Center Abstract and Reports:

R825549    Water Innovation Network for Sustainable Small Systems

Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R825549C006 Fate of Trichloroethylene (TCE) in Plant/Soil Systems
R825549C007 Experimental Study of Stabilization/Solidification of Hazardous Wastes
R825549C008 Modeling Dissolved Oxygen, Nitrate and Pesticide Contamination in the Subsurface Environment
R825549C009 Vadose Zone Decontamination by Air Venting
R825549C010 Thermochemical Treatment of Hazardous Wastes
R825549C011 Development, Characterization and Evaluation of Adsorbent Regeneration Processes for Treament of Hazardous Waste
R825549C012 Computer Method to Estimate Safe Level Water Quality Concentrations for Organic Chemicals
R825549C013 Removal of Nitrogenous Pesticides from Rural Well-Water Supplies by Enzymatic Ozonation Process
R825549C014 The Characterization and Treatment of Hazardous Materials from Metal/Mineral Processing Wastes
R825549C015 Adsorption of Hazardous Substances onto Soil Constituents
R825549C016 Reclamation of Metal and Mining Contaminated Superfund Sites using Sewage Sludge/Fly Ash Amendment
R825549C017 Metal Recovery and Reuse Using an Integrated Vermiculite Ion Exchange - Acid Recovery System
R825549C018 Removal of Heavy Metals from Hazardous Wastes by Protein Complexation for their Ultimate Recovery and Reuse
R825549C019 Development of In-situ Biodegradation Technology
R825549C020 Migration and Biodegradation of Pentachlorophenol in Soil Environment
R825549C021 Deep-Rooted Poplar Trees as an Innovative Treatment Technology for Pesticide and Toxic Organics Removal from Soil and Groundwater
R825549C022 In-situ Soil and Aquifer Decontaminaiton using Hydrogen Peroxide and Fenton's Reagent
R825549C023 Simulation of Three-Dimensional Transport of Hazardous Chemicals in Heterogeneous Soil Cores Using X-ray Computed Tomography
R825549C024 The Response of Natural Groundwater Bacteria to Groundwater Contamination by Gasoline in a Karst Region
R825549C025 An Electrochemical Method for Acid Mine Drainage Remediation and Metals Recovery
R825549C026 Sulfide Size and Morphology Identificaiton for Remediation of Acid Producing Mine Wastes
R825549C027 Heavy Metals Removal from Dilute Aqueous Solutions using Biopolymers
R825549C028 Neutron Activation Analysis for Heavy Metal Contaminants in the Environment
R825549C029 Reducing Heavy Metal Availability to Perennial Grasses and Row-Crops Grown on Contaminated Soils and Mine Spoils
R825549C030 Alachlor and Atrazine Losses from Runoff and Erosion in the Blue River Basin
R825549C031 Biodetoxification of Mixed Solid and Hazardous Wastes by Staged Anaerobic Fermentation Conducted at Separate Redox and pH Environments
R825549C032 Time Dependent Movement of Dioxin and Related Compounds in Soil
R825549C033 Impact of Soil Microflora on Revegetation Efforts in Southeast Kansas
R825549C034 Modeling the use of Plants in Remediation of Soil and Groundwater Contaminated by Hazardous Organic Substances
R825549C035 Development of Electrochemical Processes for Improved Treatment of Lead Wastes
R825549C036 Innovative Treatment and Bank Stabilization of Metals-Contaminated Soils and Tailings along Whitewood Creek, South Dakota
R825549C037 Formation and Transformation of Pesticide Degradation Products Under Various Electron Acceptor Conditions
R825549C038 The Effect of Redox Conditions on Transformations of Carbon Tetrachloride
R825549C039 Remediation of Soil Contaminated with an Organic Phase
R825549C040 Intelligent Process Design and Control for the Minimization of Waste Production and Treatment of Hazardous Waste
R825549C041 Heavy Metals Removal from Contaminated Water Solutions
R825549C042 Metals Soil Pollution and Vegetative Remediation
R825549C043 Fate and Transport of Munitions Residues in Contaminated Soil
R825549C044 The Role of Metallic Iron in the Biotransformation of Chlorinated Xenobiotics
R825549C045 Use of Vegetation to Enhance Bioremediation of Surface Soils Contaminated with Pesticide Wastes
R825549C046 Fate and Transport of Heavy Metals and Radionuclides in Soil: The Impacts of Vegetation
R825549C047 Vegetative Interceptor Zones for Containment of Heavy Metal Pollutants
R825549C048 Acid-Producing Metalliferous Waste Reclamation by Material Reprocessing and Vegetative Stabilization
R825549C049 Laboratory and Field Evaluation of Upward Mobilization and Photodegradation of Polychlorinated Dibenzo-P-Dioxins and Furans in Soil
R825549C050 Evaluation of Biosparging Performance and Process Fundamentals for Site Remediation
R825549C051 Field Scale Bioremediation: Relationship of Parent Compound Disappearance to Humification, Mineralization, Leaching, Volatilization of Transformaiton Intermediates
R825549C052 Chelating Extraction of Heavy Metals from Contaminated Soils
R825549C053 Application of Anaerobic and Multiple-Electron-Acceptor Bioremediation to Chlorinated Aliphatic Subsurface Contamination
R825549C054 Application of PGNAA Remote Sensing Methods to Real-Time, Non-Intrusive Determination of Contaminant Profiles in Soils
R825549C055 Design and Development of an Innovative Industrial Scale Process to Economically Treat Waste Zinc Residues
R825549C056 Remediation of Soils Contaminated with Wood-Treatment Chemicals (PCP and Creosote)
R825549C057 Effects of Surfactants on the Bioavailability and Biodegradation of Contaminants in Soils
R825549C058 Contaminant Binding to the Humin Fraction of Soil Organic Matter
R825549C059 Identifying Ground-Water Threats from Improperly Abandoned Boreholes
R825549C060 Uptake of BTEX Compounds by Hybrid Poplar Trees in Hazardous Waste Remediation
R825549C061 Biofilm Barriers for Waste Containment
R825549C062 Plant Assisted Remediation of Soil and Groundwater Contaminated by Hazardous Organic Substances: Experimental and Modeling Studies
R825549C063 Extension of Laboratory Validated Treatment and Remediation Technologies to Field Problems in Aquifer Soil and Water Contamination by Organic Waste Chemicals