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Environmental risk evaluation of the use of mine spoils and treated sewage sludge in the ecological restoration of limestone quarries

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Environmental Geology

Abstract

The ecologic restoration criteria in areas degraded from extraction activities require making use of their mine spoils. These materials do not meet fertility conditions to guarantee restoration success and therefore, need the incorporation of organic amendments to obtain efficient substratum. Reducing the deficiencies in the organic material and restoration material nutrients with the contribution of treated sewage sludge is proposed in this work. This experiment was based on a controlled study using columns. The work was conducted with two mine spoils, both very rich in calcium carbonate. The first mineral, of poor quality, came from the formation of aggregates of crushed limestone (Z). The other residual material examined originated in limestone extraction, formed by the levels of interspersed non-limestone materials and the remains of stripped soils (D). Two treatments were undertaken (30,000 and 90,000 kg/ha of sewage sludge), in addition to a control treatment. The water contribution was carried out with a device that simulated either short-duration rain or a flooding irrigation system in order to cover the surface and then percolate through the soil. The collection of leached water took place 24 h after the applications. Different parameters of the leached water were determined, including pH, electrical conductivity, nitrate anions, ammonium, phosphates, sulphates and chlorides. The values obtained for each irrigation application are discussed, and the nitrate values obtained were very elevated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Agroquímica y Medio Ambiente (GEA-UMH), Universidad Miguel Hernández, Avda. de la Universidad s/n, 03202, Elche (Alicante), Spain

    M. M. Jordán, S. Pina, F. García-Orenes, M. B. Almendro-Candel & E. García-Sánchez

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  1. M. M. Jordán
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  2. S. Pina
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  3. F. García-Orenes
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  4. M. B. Almendro-Candel
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  5. E. García-Sánchez
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Correspondence to M. M. Jordán.

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Jordán, M.M., Pina, S., García-Orenes, F. et al. Environmental risk evaluation of the use of mine spoils and treated sewage sludge in the ecological restoration of limestone quarries. Environ Geol 55, 453–462 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-0991-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-0991-4

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