Environmental stability of untreated neutral metalliferous mine drainage sludge after 100 years of weathering
The result's identifiers
Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00216208%3A11310%2F25%3A10507979" target="_blank" >RIV/00216208:11310/25:10507979 - isvavai.cz</a>
Result on the web
<a href="https://verso.is.cuni.cz/pub/verso.fpl?fname=obd_publikace_handle&handle=GukY3tCahp" target="_blank" >https://verso.is.cuni.cz/pub/verso.fpl?fname=obd_publikace_handle&handle=GukY3tCahp</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10653-025-02865-3" target="_blank" >10.1007/s10653-025-02865-3</a>
Alternative languages
Result language
angličtina
Original language name
Environmental stability of untreated neutral metalliferous mine drainage sludge after 100 years of weathering
Original language description
Untreated neutral metalliferous mine drainage sludge deposited without environmental protection for over a century was studied to assess its long-term stability. The lack of long-term stability data on such untreated sludge represents a critical knowledge gap in mine waste management. We characterized the sludge's mineralogy, chemistry, and metal(loid) mobility using XRD, SEM-EDS, and a suite of leaching tests (deionized water, 0.01 M CaCl2, and pH-static extractions), supported by geochemical modeling. Key findings show that even after ~100 years, the sludge's phase composition and metal(loid) content remain largely unchanged, with high concentrations of As, Cd, Pb, and Zn comparable to those in the overlying Technosol. These metal(loid)s form their own phases (e.g., cerussite, smithsonite) or are adsorbed onto goethite and clays, limiting their release under the sludge's natural pH (6.3-7.1). Leaching is primarily confined to the sludge-Technosol interface, where the Technosol's low pH (~4) promotes mobilization of Cd, Pb, and Zn (e.g., up to 342 mg kg(-1) Zn and 278 mg kg(-1) Pb in CaCl2 extracts from the Technosol). These findings are consistent with PHREEQC modeling. A remediation scenario involving raising the Technosol pH to >= 7 (e.g., by liming), combined with metal(loid)-binding amendments (amorphous Mn oxide, biochar, zeolite), could reduce metal(loid) migration from the sludge to the Technosol by ~99.9% (especially for Cd, Pb, and Zn) and significantly decrease their bioavailability to plants. This study provides the first field-based evidence that untreated neutral mine drainage sludge can remain geochemically stable for over a century, and suggests remediation strategies to ensure environmental safety of such historical mine residues.
Czech name
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Czech description
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Classification
Type
J<sub>imp</sub> - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database
CEP classification
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OECD FORD branch
10505 - Geology
Result continuities
Project
<a href="/en/project/EH22_008%2F0004605" target="_blank" >EH22_008/0004605: Natural and anthropogenic georisks</a><br>
Continuities
P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)<br>I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace
Others
Publication year
2025
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data specific for result type
Name of the periodical
Environmental Geochemistry and Health
ISSN
0269-4042
e-ISSN
1573-2983
Volume of the periodical
47
Issue of the periodical within the volume
12
Country of publishing house
NL - THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS
Number of pages
19
Pages from-to
555
UT code for WoS article
001611559300002
EID of the result in the Scopus database
2-s2.0-105021069322