Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A geochemistry study of arsenic speciation in overburden from Mae Moh Lignite Mine, Lampang, Thailand

  • Special Issue
  • Published:
Environmental Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the geochemical characteristics of arsenic in the solid material samples of the Mae Moh Mine and also the Mae Moh power plants fly ash samples were systematically studied. Arsenic concentration in overburden, coal lignite and fly ash are variable (depending on source of solid samples). The results show that the strata of overburden, J seam of coal and fly ash are rich in arsenic and also relatively soluble from fly ash; it occurs as a surface precipitate on the ash particle. The experimental study on speciation in the strata also indicates that the arsenic speciation of Mae Moh solid samples are mainly arsenate, As (V), which are approaching exceed 80%. Arsenic content in the main of overburden is in the range of 14.3–888.8 mg/kg, which is larger than the arsenic background soil values. Solid materials polluted wastewater; the arsenic speciation was present predominantly as arsenate in the surface water of a series of Mae Moh solid materials basins.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alloway BJ (1990) Heavy metals in soils. Wiley and Sons, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Bashkin VN, Wongyai K (2002) Environmental fluxes of arsenic from lignite mining and power generation in northern Thailand. Environ Geol 41:883–888

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carbonell-Barrachina A, Jugsujinda A, Burlo F, Delaune RD, Patrick WH Jr (1999) Arsenic chemistry in municipal sewage sludge as affected by redox potential and pH. Water Resour 34:216–224

    Google Scholar 

  • Chappell J, Chiswell B, Olszowy H (1995) Speciation of arsenic in a contaminated soil by solvent extraction. Talanta 42:323–329

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gentzis T, Goodarzi F, Koukouzas CN, Foscolos AE (1996) Petrology, mineralogy and geochemistry of lignites from Crete, Greece. Int J Coal Geol 30:131–150

    Google Scholar 

  • Hart BR, Powell MA, Fyfe WS (1995) Geochemistry and mineralogy of fly ash from the Mae Moh lignite deposit, Thailand. Energy Source 17:23–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Korte NE, Fernando Q (1991) A review of arsenic (III) in groundwater. Crit Rev Environ Control 21:1–39

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lumsdon DG, Meeussen JCL, Paterson E, Garden LM, Anderson P (2001) Use of solid phase characterization and chemical modeling for assessing the behavior of arsenic in contaminated soils. Appl Geochem 16:571–581

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manning BA, Goldberg S (1997) Adsorption and stability of arsenic (III) at the clay mineral–water interface. Environ Sci Technol 31:2005–2011

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pongratz R (1998) Arsenic speciation in environmental samples of contaminated soil. Sci Total Environ 224:133–141

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith AH, Biggs MU, Moore L, Haque R, Steinmaus C, Chung J, Hemandez A, Lopipero P ( 1999) Cancer risks from arsenic in drinking water: implication for drinking water standard. Arsenic exposure and health effects III, pp 191–199

  • Swaine DJ (1990) Trace elements in coal. Butterworths, London, p 278

    Google Scholar 

  • Swaine DJ (1995) Environmental aspects of trace elements in coal. Springer, Berlin, p 324

  • Van der Flier-Keller E (1991) Platinum-group elements in Tulameen coal, British Columbia, Canada. Econ Geol 86(2):387–395

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

I would like to express my sincere and appreciation to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Benjavun Ratanasthien for his suggestions and advice in continuing our work. Special thanks are also to the EGAT staff at Mae Moh Mine, with special for Geology Department. This study was undertaken at Laboratory section Mae Moh Mine, Perkin Elmer’s Korea Laboratory and Laboratoire De Chimie Analytique Bio-Inorganique Et Environnement (LCLBIE). I wound like to specially thank Dr. Fabienne Seby, for her direct supervision in developing the analytical work procedure, assistance and just plain attitude with ICP-MS–HPLC analyses, Pau University, France. My special thanks to the supported staffs of laboratory section for their assistance during my study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory Section, Geology Department, Mae Moh Mine, EGAT, Lampang, Thailand

    Kanitta Wongyai

  2. The Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment, King Mongkut University of Technology Thonburi, 91 Pracha-uthit Road, Bangmod, Tungkru, Bangkok, 10140, Thailand

    Kanitta Wongyai & Savitri Garivait

  3. Laboratoire de Chimie Analytique Bioinorganique et Environnement, UMR CNRS 5034, Hélioparc Pau Pyrénées, Pau, France

    Oliver Donald

Authors
  1. Kanitta Wongyai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Savitri Garivait
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Oliver Donald
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kanitta Wongyai.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wongyai, K., Garivait, S. & Donald, O. A geochemistry study of arsenic speciation in overburden from Mae Moh Lignite Mine, Lampang, Thailand. Environ Earth Sci 70, 2047–2053 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-009-0423-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-009-0423-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation