Effective remediation of grossly polluted acidic, and metal-rich, spoil heap drainage using a novel, low-cost, permeable reactive barrier in Northumberland, UK

A permeable reactive barrier (PRB) for remediation of coal spoil heap drainage in Northumberland, UK, is described. The drainage has typical chemical characteristics of pH < 4, [acidity] > 1400 mg/L as CaCO3, [Fe] > 300 mg/L, [Mn] > 165 mg/L, [Al] > 100 mg/L and [SO4] > 6500 mg/L. During 2 years of operation the PRB has typically removed 50% of the iron and 40% of the sulphate from this subsurface spoil drainage. Bacterial sulphate reduction appears to be a key process of this remediation. Treatment of the effluent from the PRB results in further attenuation; overall reductions in iron and sulphate concentrations are 95% and 67% respectively, and acidity concentration is reduced by an order of magnitude. The mechanisms of attenuation of these, and other, contaminants in the drainage are discussed. Future research and operational objectives for this novel, low-cost, treatment system are also outlined.