Metals Recovery From Acid Mine Drainage Using Pervious Concrete

Pervious concrete has grown in popularity as an
alternative infrastructure medium to enhance the
quality of surface water in developed geographical
areas. Previous studies have shown that pervious
concrete structures and the subgrade layer that
supports them are effective at significantly reducing
the concentrations of common pollutants such as soap,
motor oil, brake fluid, brake dust, and roof shingle
particles from rain water and snow melt. Studies
thus far have shown enough promise to encourage
growing use of pervious concrete in infrastructure
categories such as storm channels, sidewalks and
parking lots. This paper examines the use of
pervious concrete to remove metals and neutralize pH
from a synthetic solution simulating acid mine
drainage (AMD). In addition, destructive testing of
cores taken from pre-filtration and post filtration
filters were used to evaluate the potential lifespan
of a pervious concrete filter when exposed to the
prolonged flow of polluted water.
The dimensions of the filter allow for ease of
handling by manual labor or the use of machinery that
can be transported by standard off-road vehicles.

Autorentext

M.S.C.E., Environmental Engineering, University of Colorado,Denver, CO, May 2008; B.S. Environmental Science, Slippery RockUniversity, Slippery Rock, PA May 1998Won US EPA $10,000 research grant, recognized in OOSKA magazine,abstracts accepted for 2009 IDA, EUDesal, WWC and WEC conferences.

Klappentext

Pervious concrete has grown in popularity as analternative infrastructure medium to enhance thequality of surface water in developed geographicalareas. Previous studies have shown that perviousconcrete structures and the subgrade layer thatsupports them are effective at significantly reducingthe concentrations of common pollutants such as soap,motor oil, brake fluid, brake dust, and roof shingleparticles from rain water and snow melt. Studiesthus far have shown enough promise to encouragegrowing use of pervious concrete in infrastructurecategories such as storm channels, sidewalks andparking lots. This paper examines the use ofpervious concrete to remove metals and neutralize pHfrom a synthetic solution simulating acid minedrainage (AMD). In addition, destructive testing ofcores taken from pre-filtration and post filtrationfilters were used to evaluate the potential lifespanof a pervious concrete filter when exposed to theprolonged flow of polluted water.The dimensions of the filter allow for ease ofhandling by manual labor or the use of machinery thatcan be transported by standard off-road vehicles.