TY - BOOK
T1 - Nitrogen compounds at mines and quarries
T2 - Sources, behaviour and removal from mine and quarry waters - Literature study
AU - Jermakka, Johannes
AU - Wendling, Laura
AU - Sohlberg, Elina
AU - Heinonen, Hanna
AU - Merta, Elina
AU - Laine-Ylijoki, Jutta
AU - Kaartinen, Tommi
AU - Mroueh, Ulla-Maija
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - Mining wastewaters can contain nitrogen from incomplete
detonation of nitrogen rich explosives and from nitrogen
containing chemicals used in enrichment processes.
Nitrogen released to the wastewaters is a potential
environmental risk. Nitrogen can be dangerous for aquatic
organisms or more prominently cause eutrophication in
receiving waterways. Nitrogen chemistry is complex,
allowing numerous chemical and biological reaction paths
and compounds. Various techniques have been investigated
for nitrogen removal from aqueous solutions, such as
industrial and municipal wastewaters. Many of the
technologies currently available are not suited for the
treatment of mine wastewaters containing low levels of
nitrogenous compounds, due to treatment costs or
stringent operating parameters.
Although biological methods potentially offer an
effective and inexpensive option for the removal of
nitrogen from wastewaters, in mine applications these
techniques may be limited by the temperature dependence,
especially in cold regions. Zero-valent metals can be
utilised for passive reduction of nitrate in aqueous
solution. However, whilst no external energy is required
to facilitate N reduction using zero-valent metals, pH
buffering or extremely low pH conditions are required to
supply adequate protons for the reduction reaction to
proceed. Evaporation and aeration techniques are often
used for ammonia removal from industrial wastewaters but
their use in mine applications is limited by low
concentrations, large volumes and requirement for pH
control. Membrane technologies are similarly
poorly-suited to the treatment of large volumes of mine
wastewater. Due to their high cost and substantial
operational requirements, membrane technologies are
generally employed for the production of high-quality
water.
Sorption techniques have been thoroughly examined for the
removal of nitrogenous contaminants from aqueous solution
and they offer an attractive alternative. Sorption
technologies offer benefits including the relative
simplicity of sorption methods, their economy in
application and operation, and the low temperature
dependence of sorption reactions. Electrochemical methods
can be used to convert nitrogenous compounds to a desired
form facilitating nitrogen removal as nitrogen gas or as
pure ammonia. Thus, these methods offer a
temperature-independent alternative for biological
nitrogen removal techniques. In addition, electrochemical
processes can be run periodically as necessary and no
chemical addition is required.
Based on a literature review, a combination of sorption
and electrochemical techniques is potentially most
promising method for the treatment of large volumes of
wastewater containing multiple nitrogenous compounds. The
performance of both sorption techniques and
electrochemistry enhanced ammonia stripping will be
further experimentally studied for the attenuation of
multiple nitrogenous compounds in mine wastewater.
AB - Mining wastewaters can contain nitrogen from incomplete
detonation of nitrogen rich explosives and from nitrogen
containing chemicals used in enrichment processes.
Nitrogen released to the wastewaters is a potential
environmental risk. Nitrogen can be dangerous for aquatic
organisms or more prominently cause eutrophication in
receiving waterways. Nitrogen chemistry is complex,
allowing numerous chemical and biological reaction paths
and compounds. Various techniques have been investigated
for nitrogen removal from aqueous solutions, such as
industrial and municipal wastewaters. Many of the
technologies currently available are not suited for the
treatment of mine wastewaters containing low levels of
nitrogenous compounds, due to treatment costs or
stringent operating parameters.
Although biological methods potentially offer an
effective and inexpensive option for the removal of
nitrogen from wastewaters, in mine applications these
techniques may be limited by the temperature dependence,
especially in cold regions. Zero-valent metals can be
utilised for passive reduction of nitrate in aqueous
solution. However, whilst no external energy is required
to facilitate N reduction using zero-valent metals, pH
buffering or extremely low pH conditions are required to
supply adequate protons for the reduction reaction to
proceed. Evaporation and aeration techniques are often
used for ammonia removal from industrial wastewaters but
their use in mine applications is limited by low
concentrations, large volumes and requirement for pH
control. Membrane technologies are similarly
poorly-suited to the treatment of large volumes of mine
wastewater. Due to their high cost and substantial
operational requirements, membrane technologies are
generally employed for the production of high-quality
water.
Sorption techniques have been thoroughly examined for the
removal of nitrogenous contaminants from aqueous solution
and they offer an attractive alternative. Sorption
technologies offer benefits including the relative
simplicity of sorption methods, their economy in
application and operation, and the low temperature
dependence of sorption reactions. Electrochemical methods
can be used to convert nitrogenous compounds to a desired
form facilitating nitrogen removal as nitrogen gas or as
pure ammonia. Thus, these methods offer a
temperature-independent alternative for biological
nitrogen removal techniques. In addition, electrochemical
processes can be run periodically as necessary and no
chemical addition is required.
Based on a literature review, a combination of sorption
and electrochemical techniques is potentially most
promising method for the treatment of large volumes of
wastewater containing multiple nitrogenous compounds. The
performance of both sorption techniques and
electrochemistry enhanced ammonia stripping will be
further experimentally studied for the attenuation of
multiple nitrogenous compounds in mine wastewater.
KW - ammonia
KW - nitrate
KW - mine wastewater
KW - treatment technology
KW - nitrogen recovery
KW - nitrogen sources
KW - explosives
M3 - Report
T3 - VTT Technology
BT - Nitrogen compounds at mines and quarries
PB - VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
CY - Espoo
ER -