Potential Implications of Acid Mine Drainage and Wastewater Cotreatment on Solids Handling: A Review
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 146, Issue 11
Abstract
Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a persistent and extensive source of water pollution and ecological degradation. Cotreating municipal wastewater (MWW) with AMD using existing infrastructure at conventional wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) may serve as a potential option for AMD abatement. However, commonly elevated iron and aluminum concentrations and low pH of AMD could negatively impact various processes at a WWTP. The focus of this mini review was on determining how cotreating MWW with AMD could impact the solids handling processes at a WWTP. While no studies have explored the solids that could be generated during cotreatment in a WWTP, numerous articles separately discuss the solids generated during AMD or MWW treatment. Reviewing this literature revealed that iron and aluminum, common metals in AMD, are already present in MWW sludge and typically benefit most solids handling processes. The addition of AMD would elevate iron and aluminum concentration but would likely result in improved sludge dewatering, removal of odor-causing compounds during processing, and a decreased bioavailability of trace metals and water-soluble P in land applications. This review concludes that cotreating MWW with moderate to low volumes () of AMD at WWTPs will have minimal impact on, and likely improve, solids handling processes.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
No data, models, or code were generated or used during the study.
Acknowledgments
This review was primarily funded by the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds (Alexandria, PA). Any views expressed in this work belong solely to the authors, not the funding agency. The authors also acknowledge Matthew McClimans (Mattabassett District Water Pollution Control facility) for input on operations of solids handling and disposal systems. This is Contribution 1,882 for the Belle W. Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences.
References
Adler, P. R., and P. L. Sibrell. 2003. “Sequestration of phosphorus by acid mine drainage floc.” J. Environ. Qual. 32 (3): 1122–1129. https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq2003.1122.
Akgul, D., T. Abbott, and C. Eskicioglu. 2017. “Assessing iron and aluminum-based coagulants for odour and pathogen reductions in sludge digesters and enhanced digestate dewaterability.” Sci. Total Environ. 598 (Nov): 881–888. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.04.141.
Arulrajah, A., M. M. Disfani, V. Suthagaran, and M. Imteaz. 2011. “Select chemical and engineering properties of wastewater biosolids.” Waste Manage. 31 (12): 2522–2526. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2011.07.014.
Asada, L. N., G. C. Sundefeld, C. R. Alvarez, S. S. F. Filho, and R. P. Piveli. 2010. “Water treatment plant sludge discharge to wastewater treatment works: Effects on the operation of upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor and activated sludge systems.” Water Environ. Res. 82 (5): 392–400. https://doi.org/10.2175/106143009X12487095236838.
Bierman, P. M., and C. J. Rosen. 1994. “Phosphate and trace metal availability from sewage-sludge incinerator ash.” J. Environ. Qual. 23 (4): 822–830. https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq1994.00472425002300040030x.
Brown, S. L., I. Clausen, M. A. Chappell, K. G. Scheckel, M. Newville, and G. M. Hettiarachchi. 2012. “High-iron biosolids compost–induced changes in lead and arsenic speciation and bioaccessibility in co-contaminated soils.” J. Environ. Qual. 41 (5): 1612. https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq2011.0297.
Cao, B., W. Zhang, Q. Wang, Y. Huang, C. Meng, and D. Wang. 2016. “Wastewater sludge dewaterability enhancement using hydroxyl aluminum conditioning: Role of aluminum speciation.” Water Res. 105 (Nov): 615–624. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2016.09.016.
Carnes, B. A., and J. M. Eller. 1972. “Characterization of wastewater solids.” J. Water Pollut. Control Fed. 44 (8): 1498–1517.
Chang, I. S., P. K. Shin, and B. H. Kim. 2000. “Biological treatment of acid mine drainage under sulphate-reducing conditions with solid waste materials as substrate.” Water Res. 34 (4): 1269–1277. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0043-1354(99)00268-7.
Chen, Y., H. Yang, and G. Gu. 2001. “Effect of acid and surfactant treatment on activated sludge dewatering and settling.” Water Res. 35 (11): 2615–2620. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0043-1354(00)00565-0.
Cheng, H., Y. Hu, J. Luo, B. Xu, and J. Zhao. 2009. “Geochemical processes controlling fate and transport of arsenic in acid mine drainage (AMD) and natural systems.” J. Hazard. Mater. 165 (1–3): 13–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2008.10.070.
Dague, R. R. 1972. “Fundamentals of odor control.” J. Water Pollut. Control Fed. 44 (4): 583–594.
Davis, C. C., and M. A. Edwards. 2014. “Coagulation with hydrolyzing metal salts: Mechanisms and water quality impacts.” Crit. Rev. Environ. Sci. Technol. 44 (4): 303–347. https://doi.org/10.1080/10643389.2012.718947.
Deng, D., and L.-S. Lin. 2013. “Two-stage combined treatment of acid mine drainage and municipal wastewater.” Water Sci. Technol. 67 (5): 1000–1007. https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2013.653.
Donatello, S., and C. R. Cheeseman. 2013. “Recycling and recovery routes for incinerated sewage sludge ash (ISSA): A review.” Waste Manage. 33 (11): 2328–2340. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2013.05.024.
Doyle, C. B. 1967. “Effectiveness of high pH for destruction of pathogens in raw sludge filter cake.” J. Water Pollut. Control Fed. 39 (8): 1403–1409.
Edzwald, J. K., and J. E. Tobiason. 1999. “Enhanced coagulation: US requirements and a broader view.” Water Sci. Technol. 40 (9): 63–70. https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.1999.0444.
EPA. 2009. Targeted national sewage sludge survey sampling and analysis technical report. Rep. No. EPA-822-R-08-016. Washington, DC: EPA.
Evangelou, V. P., and Y. L. Zhang. 1995. “A review: Pyrite oxidation mechanisms and acid mine drainage prevention.” Crit. Rev. Environ. Sci. Technol. 25 (2): 141–199. https://doi.org/10.1080/10643389509388477.
Farfel, M. R., A. O. Orlova, R. L. Chaney, P. S. J. Lees, C. Rohde, and P. J. Ashley. 2005. “Biosolids compost amendment for reducing soil lead hazards: A pilot study of Orgro® amendment and grass seeding in urban yards.” Sci. Total Environ. 340 (1–3): 81–95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2004.08.018.
Glaze, W. H., J.-W. W. Kang, and D. H. Chapin. 1987. “The chemistry of water treatment processes involving ozone, hydrogen peroxide and ultraviolet radiation.” Ozone Sci. Eng. 9 (4): 335–352. https://doi.org/10.1080/01919518708552148.
He, C., T. Zhang, and R. D. Vidic. 2016. “Co-treatment of abandoned mine drainage and Marcellus Shale flowback water for use in hydraulic fracturing.” Water Res. 104 (5): 425–431. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2016.08.030.
Hedin, R. S., R. W. Nairn, and R. L. P. Kleinmann. 1994. The passive treatment of coal mine drainage. Washington, DC: US Dept. of the Interior.
Herlihy, A. T., P. R. Kaufmann, M. E. Mitch, and D. D. Brown. 1990. “Regional estimates of acid mine drainage impact on streams in the mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States.” Water Air Soil Pollut. 50 (1–2): 91–107. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00284786.
Hsu, D. Y., and W. O. Pipes. 1973. “Aluminum hydroxide effects on wastewater treatment processes.” J. Water Pollut. Control Fed. 45 (4): 681–697.
Huang, X. L., Y. Chen, and M. Shenker. 2007. “Solid phosphorus phase in aluminum-and iron-treated biosolids.” J. Environ. Qual. 36 (2): 549–556. https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq2006.0155.
Hughes, T. A., and N. F. Gray. 2012. “Acute and chronic toxicity of acid mine drainage to the activated sludge process.” Mine Water Environ. 31 (1): 40–52. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10230-011-0168-y.
Hughes, T. A., and N. F. Gray. 2013a. “Co-treatment of acid mine drainage with municipal wastewater: Performance evaluation.” Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 20 (11): 7863–7877. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-012-1303-4.
Hughes, T. A., and N. F. Gray. 2013b. “Removal of metals and acidity from acid mine drainage using municipal wastewater and activated sludge.” Mine Water Environ. 32 (3): 170–184. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10230-013-0218-8.
Jacobs, J. A., J. H. Lehr, and S. M. Testa. 2014. Acid mine drainage, rock drainage, and acid sulfate soils: Causes, assessment, prediction, prevention, and remediation. New York: Wiley.
Johnson, D. B. 2003. “Chemical and microbiological characteristics of mineral spoils and drainage waters at abandoned coal and metal mines.” Water Air Soil Pollut. Focus 3 (1): 47–66. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022107520836.
Johnson, D. B., and K. B. Hallberg. 2005. “Acid mine drainage remediation options: A review.” Sci. Total Environ. 338 (1–2): 3–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2004.09.002.
Johnson, K. L., and P. L. Younger. 2006. “The co-treatment of sewage and mine waters in aerobic wetlands.” Eng. Geol. 85 (1–2): 53–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2005.09.026.
Karr, P. R., and T. M. Keinath. 1978. “Influence of particle size on sludge dewaterability.” J. Water Pollut. Control Fed. 50 (8): 1911–1930.
Katsiris, N., and A. Kouzeli-Katsiri. 1987. “Bound water content of biological sludges in relation to filtration and dewatering.” Water Res. 21 (11): 1319–1327. https://doi.org/10.1016/0043-1354(87)90004-2.
Kim, M. A., and K. A. Williams. 2017. “Lead levels in landfill areas and childhood exposure: An integrative review.” Publ. Health Nurs. 34 (1): 87–97. https://doi.org/10.1111/phn.12249.
Lai, J. Y., and J. C. Liu. 2004. “Co-conditioning and dewatering of alum sludge and waste activated sludge.” Water Sci. Technol. 50 (9): 41–48. https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2004.0530.
Lebrero, R., L. Bouchy, R. Stuetz, and R. Muñoz. 2011. “Odor assessment and management in wastewater treatment plants: A review.” Crit. Rev. Environ. Sci. Technol. 41 (10): 915–950. https://doi.org/10.1080/10643380903300000.
Li, X. Q., D. G. Brown, and W. X. Zhang. 2007. “Stabilization of biosolids with nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI).” J. Nanopart. Res. 9 (2): 233–243. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-006-9187-1.
Liao, B. Q., D. G. Allen, G. G. Leppard, I. G. Droppo, and S. N. Liss. 2002. “Interparticle interactions affecting the stability of sludge flocs.” J. Colloid Interface Sci. 249 (2): 372–380. https://doi.org/10.1006/jcis.2002.8305.
Mahdy, A. M., E. A. Elkhatib, N. O. Fathi, and Z.-Q. Lin. 2009. “Effects of co-application of biosolids and water treatment residuals on corn growth and bioavailable phosphorus and aluminum in alkaline soils in Egypt.” J. Environ. Qual. 38 (4): 1501. https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq2008.0335.
Marguti, A. L., S. S. Ferreira Filho, and R. P. Piveli. 2018. “Full-scale effects of addition of sludge from water treatment stations into processes of sewage treatment by conventional activated sludge.” J. Environ. Manage. 215 (Jun): 283–293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.03.072.
McCullough, C. D., M. A. Lund, and J. M. May. 2008. “Field-scale demonstration of the potential for sewage to remediate acidic mine waters.” Mine Water Environ. 27 (1): 31–39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10230-007-0028-y.
McDevitt, B., M. Cavazza, R. Beam, E. Cavazza, W. D. Burgos, L. Li, and N. R. Warner. 2020. “Maximum removal efficiency of barium, strontium, radium, and sulfate with optimum AMD-Marcellus flowback mixing ratios for beneficial use in the Northern Appalachian Basin.” Environ. Sci. Technol. 54 (8): 4829–4839. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.9b07072.
Metcalf & Eddy, I., G. Tchobanoglous, H. D. Stensel, R. Tsuchihashi, and F. Burton. 2013. Wastewater engineering: Treatment and resource recovery. New York: McGraw-Hill Education.
Mikkelsen, L. H., A. K. Gotfredsen, M. L. Agerbæk, P. H. Nielsen, and K. Keiding. 1996. “Effects of colloidal stability on clarification and dewatering of activated sludge.” Water Sci. Technol. 34 (3–4): 449–457. https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.1996.0463.
Neyens, E., and J. Baeyens. 2003. “A review of classic Fenton’s peroxidation as an advanced oxidation technique.” J. Hazard. Mater. 98 (1–3): 33–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3894(02)00282-0.
Nielsen, A. H., J. Vollertsen, and T. Hvitved-Jacobsen. 2006. “Kinetics and stoichiometry of aerobic sulfide oxidation in wastewater from sewers-effects of pH and temperature.” Water Environ. Res. 78 (3): 275–283. https://doi.org/10.2175/106143005X94367.
Novak, J. T. 2006. “Dewatering of sewage sludge.” Drying Technol. 24 (10): 1257–1262. https://doi.org/10.1080/07373930600840419.
Ottosen, L. M., G. M. Kirkelund, and P. E. Jensen. 2013. “Extracting phosphorous from incinerated sewage sludge ash rich in iron or aluminum.” Chemosphere 91 (7): 963–969. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2013.01.101.
Park, C., C. D. Muller, M. M. Abu-Orf, and J. T. Novak. 2006. “The effect of wastewater cations on activated sludge characteristics: Effects of aluminum and iron in floc.” Water Environ. Res. 78 (1): 31–40. https://doi.org/10.2175/106143005X84495.
Pérez-Sanz, A., A. Álvarez-Férnandez, T. Casero, F. Legaz, and J. José Lucena. 2002. “Fe enriched biosolids as fertilizers for orange and peach trees grown in field conditions.” Plant Soil 241 (1): 145–153. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016055607447.
Pinel-Raffaitin, P., M. Ponthieu, I. Le Hecho, D. Amouroux, L. Mazeas, O. F. X. Donard, and M. Potin-Gautier. 2006. “Evaluation of analytical strategies for the determination of metal concentrations to assess landfill leachate contamination.” J. Environ. Monit. 8 (10): 1069–1077. https://doi.org/10.1039/b606106k.
Rasmussen, H., J. H. Bruus, K. Keiding, and P. H. Nielsen. 1994. “Observations on dewaterability and physical, chemical and microbiological changes in anaerobically stored activated sludge from a nutrient removal plant.” Water Res. 28 (2): 417–425. https://doi.org/10.1016/0043-1354(94)90279-8.
Raynaud, M., J. Vaxelaire, J. Olivier, E. Dieudé-Fauvel, and J.-C. Baudez. 2012. “Compression dewatering of municipal activated sludge: Effects of salt and pH.” Water Res. 46 (14): 4448–4456. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2012.05.047.
Ruihua, L., Z. Lin, T. Tao, and L. Bo. 2011. “Phosphorus removal performance of acid mine drainage from wastewater.” J. Hazard. Mater. 190 (1–3): 669–676. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2011.03.097.
Rytuba, J. J. 2000. “Mercury mine drainage and processes that control its environmental impact.” Sci. Total Environ. 260 (1–3): 57–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0048-9697(00)00541-6.
Sibrell, P. L., C. J. Penn, and R. S. Hedin. 2015. “Reducing soluble phosphorus in dairy effluents through application of mine drainage residuals.” Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Anal. 46 (5): 545–563. https://doi.org/10.1080/00103624.2014.998339.
Strosnider, W. H. J., J. Hugo, N. L. Shepherd, B. K. Holzbauer-Schweitzer, P. Hervé-Fernández, C. Wolkersdorfer, and R. W. Nairn. 2020. “A snapshot of coal mine drainage discharge limits for conductivity, sulfate, and manganese across the developed world.” In Mine water and the environment. Berlin: Springer.
Strosnider, W. H. J., F. S. L. López, and R. W. Nairn. 2011. “Acid mine drainage at Cerro Rico de Potosí I: Unabated high-strength discharges reflect a five century legacy of mining.” Environ. Earth Sci. 64 (4): 899–910. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-011-0996-x.
Strosnider, W. H. J., and R. W. Nairn. 2010. “Effective passive treatment of high-strength acid mine drainage and raw municipal wastewater in Potosí, Bolivia using simple mutual incubations and limestone.” J. Geochem. Explor. 105 (1–2): 34–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gexplo.2010.02.007.
Vélez-Pérez, L. S., J. Ramirez-Nava, G. Hernández-Flores, O. Talavera-Mendoza, C. Escamilla-Alvarado, H. M. Poggi-Varaldo, O. Solorza-Feria, and J. A. López-Díaz. 2020. “Industrial acid mine drainage and municipal wastewater co-treatment by dual-chamber microbial fuel cells.” Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 45 (26): 13757–13766. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2019.12.037.
Watzlaf, G. R., K. T. Schroeder, R. L. Kleinmann, C. L. Kairies, and R. W. Nairn. 2004. The passive treatment of coal mine drainage. Pittsburgh: US DOE National Energy Technology Laboratory.
Wei, X., R. C. Viadero, and S. Bhojappa. 2008. “Phosphorus removal by acid mine drainage sludge from secondary effluents of municipal wastewater treatment plants.” Water Res. 42 (13): 3275–3284. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2008.04.005.
Winfrey, B. K., W. H. J. Strosnider, R. W. Nairn, and K. A. Strevett. 2010. “Highly effective reduction of fecal indicator bacteria counts in an ecologically engineered municipal wastewater and acid mine drainage passive co-treatment system.” Ecol. Eng. 36 (12): 1620–1626. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2010.06.025.
Younger, P. L., S. A. Banwart, and R. S. Hedin. 2002. “Mine water.” In Environmental pollution. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer.
Yu, W., et al. 2016. “Roles of iron species and pH optimization on sewage sludge conditioning with Fenton’s reagent and lime.” Water Res. 95 (May): 124–133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2016.03.016.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 146 • Issue 11 • November 2020
Copyright
© 2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Sep 3, 2020
Published in print: Nov 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Feb 3, 2021
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.