Program
All Presentations (pdf)

Monday
8:15 Brent Means
10:10 James J. Gusek
12:40 Jonathan M. Dietz
2:15 Kimberly R. Weaver
4:00 Brent Means

Tuesday
8:45 Robert Kleinmann
9:15 Brent Means
9:30 James J. Gusek
10:00 Glenn C. Miller
10:30 Linda Ann Figueroa
12:40 Art Rose
1:10 Charles A. Cravotta III
1:40 Danielle M C Huminicki
2:50 Bernard Aube
3:20 Timothy K. Tsukamoto
3:50 Bradley R. Shultz
4:20 Kimberly R. Weaver

Wednesday

8:00 Linda Ann Figueroa
8:30 John Senko
9:00 Song Jin
10:10 Jonathan M. Dietz
10:40 Daryle H. Fish
12:40 John Chermak
1:10 Griff Wyatt
1:40 Dan Mueller
2:50 Sean C. Muller
3:20 Jack Adams
3:50 Roger Bason
3:50 Mark B. Carew

Thursday
8:00 Rep. John E. Peterson
8:30 Scott Sibley
9:00 Charles A. Cravotta III
9:30 Michael R. Silsbee
10:30 Lykourgos Iordanidis
11:00 Mark Conedera
11:30 Barry Scheetz
1:25 William Benusa
1:55 Mike Sawayda
2:25 Susan J. Tewalt
3:25 Robert S. Hedin
3:55 Chad J. Penn

4:25 Ron Neufeld



Wednesday 9:00 Song Jin, Ph.D., CHMM., Lead Scientist Western Research Institute


Biological Source Treatment of Acid Mine Drainage

Author(s)

Song Jin, Ph.D., CHMM.
Western Research Institute
365 N. 9th Street
Laramie, WY 82072
(307) 721-2404
sjin@uwyo.edu


Lyle A. Johnson, Jr.
Western Research Institute
365 N. 9th Street
Laramie, WY 82072
(307)721-2343
lylej@uwyo.edu

Paul H. Fallgren
Western Research Institute
365 N. 9th Street
Laramie, WY 82072
(307)721-2343
pfallgren@uwyo.edu

Martin W. Stearns
Sequatchie Valley Coal, Kennecott Energy
P.O. Box 3009
Gillette, WY 82717-3009
(307)685-6124
Martin.Stearns@kennecottenergy.com

Abstract

Chemical neutralization, wetlands and other passive methods are widely used in treating acid mine drainage (AMD); however, none of these methods addresses the source of AMD, which continuously generates acid effluent and loads the treatment system with unlimited amount of acid water. Certain species of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) can survive in acidic environments. The sulfate reducing metabolism consumes protons, resulting in the rise of pH and precipitation of metal sulfides. In this study, SRB consortium and substrates were amended to AMD to achieve a barrier of biofilm that coats the surface of metal sulfides, shielding oxidants from oxidizing AMD source compounds. Different sources of SRB and substrates were identified and evaluated. Microcosms containing AMD water were studied before the field applications. In the laboratory study, SRB activities were aggressive in AMD water with pH as low as 3.0. pH was raised to neutral range and stabilized for over a year upon the initial amendments of SRB and substrates. No sulfate reduction occurred in microcosms in which pH was below 3.0. By manipulating the dosage of SRB-substrate injection, biofilm formation and the metal-sulfides from the SRB metabolism can effectively consume the oxygen and mask the AMD source from being oxidized. The results from this study may offer a long-term and economical method of controlling AMD at its source. Field applications are currently undergoing at a coal mine in eastern Tennessee.

Presentation

Biography

Dr. Song Jin is a Lead Scientist with the Western Research Institute in Laramie, Wyoming. He has a Ph.D. in Environmental Microbiology and an M.S. in Molecular Biology from the University of Wyoming. Dr. Jin’s research includes aerobic and anaerobic biodegradation of various contaminants in soils and groundwater. He is also directing studies in biological control of Acid Mine Drainage and enhancement of biogenic methane production from coal and oil shale.