Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Compacted sewage sludge as a barrier for tailing impoundment

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The feasibility of compacted sewage sludge serving as a barrier for tailing impoundment was evaluated by the batch test and hydraulic conductivity test with respect to heavy metal retardation and impermeability. The batch test results showed that the effective removal of heavy metals approached 97.8 and 93.4% for Zn and Cd, respectively. Formation of precipitation of oxy(hydroxide) and carbonate minerals was mainly responsible for the attenuation of heavy metals in the early period of the test. Nevertheless, the further removal of heavy metals can be attributed to the sulfate reduction. The hydraulic conductivity test indicated that almost all of the heavy metals contained in simulated acid pore water were retarded by compacted sewage sludge. The hydraulic conductivity of the compacted sewage sludge ranged from 3.0 × 10−8 to 8.0 × 10−8 cm s−1, lower than 1.0 × 10−7 cm s−1, which is required by regulations for the hydraulic barrier in landfill sites. Thus, this study suggested that compacted sewage sludge could be used as a bottom barrier for tailing impoundment.

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
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Benner SG, Blowes DW, Ptacek CJ (1997) A full-scale porous reactive wall for prevention of acid mine drainage. Ground Water Monit Rem 17:99–107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Catallo WJ (1999) Hourly and daily variation of sediment redox potential in tidal wetland sediments. Biological Science report, USGS/BRD/BSR-1999-0001, US Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division. National Wetlands Research Center, Lafayette

  • Charlatchka R, Cambier P (2000) Influence of reducing conditions on solubility of trace metals in contaminated soils. Water Air Soil Pollut 118:143–167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Connell WE, Patrick WH Jr (1968) Sulfate reduction in soil: effects of redox potential and pH. Science 159:86–87

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Costa MC, Martins M, Jesus C, Duarte JC (2008) Treatment of acid mine drainage by sulphate-reducing bacteria using low cost matrices. Water Air Soil Pollut 189:149–162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fortin D, Davis B, Southam G, Beveridge TJ (1995) Biogeochemical phenomena induced by bacteria within sulfidic mine tailings. J Ind Microbiol Biotechol 14:178–185

    Google Scholar 

  • Griffin RA, Shimp NF, Steele JD, Ruch RR, White WA, Hughes GM (1976) Attenuation of pollutants in municipal landfill leachate by passage through clay. Environ Sci Technol 10:1262–1268

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hao OJ, Chen JM, Huang L, Buglass RL (1996) Sulfate reducing bacteria. Crit Rev Env Sci Technol 26:155–187

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hulshof AHM, Blowes DW, Ptacek CJ, Gould WD (2003) Microbial and nutrient investigations into the use of in situ layers for treatment of tailings effluent. Environ Sci Technol 37:5027–5033

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kamon M, Zhang H, Katsumi T (2002a) Redox effects on heavy metal attenuation in landfill clay liner. Soils Found 42:115–126

    Google Scholar 

  • Kamon M, Zhang H, Katsumi T, Sawa N (2002b) Redox effects on the hydraulic conductivity of clay liner. Soils Found 42:79–91

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee C, Hedges JI, Wakeham SG, Ningli Z (1992) Effectiveness of various treatments in retarding microbial activity in sediment trap material and their effects on the collection of swimmers. Limnol Oceanogr 37:117–130

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neculita CM, Zagury GJ (2008) Biological treatment of highly contaminated acid mine drainage in batch reactors: long-term treatment and reactive mixture characterization. J Hazard Mater 157:358–366

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neculita CM, Zagury GJ, Bussière B (2007) Passive treatment of acid mine drainage in bioreactors using sulfate-reducing bacteria: critical review and research needs. J Environ Qual 36:1–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pandian NS, Sridharan A, Rajasekhar C (2001) Heavy metal retention behavior of clayey soils. J Test Eval 29:361–371

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peppas A, Komnitsas K, Halikia I (2000) Use of organic covers for acid mine drainage control. Miner Eng 13:563–574

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tuominen L, Kairesalo T, Hartikainen H (1994) Comparison of methods for inhibiting bacterial activity in sediment. Appl Environ Microbiol 60:3454–3457

    Google Scholar 

  • Tuttle JH, Dugan PR, Randles CI (1969) Microbial sulfate reduction and its potential utility as an acid mine water pollution abatement procedure. Appl Microbiol 17:297–302

    Google Scholar 

  • Waybrant KR, Blowes DW, Ptacek CJ (1998) Selection of reactive mixtures for use in permeable reactive walls for treatment of mine drainage. Environ Sci Technol 32:1972–1979

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolf DC, Dao TH, Scott HD, Lavy TL (1989) Influence of sterilization methods on selected soil microbiological, physical, and chemical properties. J Environ Qual 18:39–44

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yanful EK, Haug MD, Wong LC (1990) The impact of synthetic leachate on the hydraulic conductivity of a smectitic till underlying a landfill near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Can Geotech J 27:507–519

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yanful EK, Shikatani KS, Quirt DH (1995) Hydraulic conductivity of natural soils permeated with acid mine drainage. Can Geotech J 32:624–646

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zagury GJ, Kulnieks VI, Neculita CM (2006) Characterization and reactivity assessment of organic substrates for sulphate-reducing bacteria in acid mine drainage treatment. Chemosphere 64:944–954

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant no. 50678075).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Mechanics on Disaster and Environment in Western China, Lanzhou University, Ministry of Education, Tianshui South Road No. 222, 730000, Lanzhou, Gansu, People’s Republic of China

    Bao Wang, Huyuan Zhang, Zhiming Fan & Yuanyuan Ju

Authors
  1. Bao Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Huyuan Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Zhiming Fan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yuanyuan Ju
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Huyuan Zhang.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wang, B., Zhang, H., Fan, Z. et al. Compacted sewage sludge as a barrier for tailing impoundment. Environ Earth Sci 61, 931–937 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-009-0410-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-009-0410-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation