Abstract: The capability of soil fines to fix harmful elements, e.g. heavy metals and arsenic, depends on specific surface area and other characteristics, such as surface charge. In the pH-range typical of natural waters (pH 5,5-7,5), the surfaces of fine-grained silicate particles and manganese oxides are negatively charged; consequently cations, such as heavy metals, fix effectively to them. The iron oxide surfaces are usually positively charged and typically fix anions, such as sulphate and arsenate. Retention of anions is especially extensive to precipitates formed from acid mine drainage (pH 2,5-5,0). For example, precipitates found at Paroistenjarvi mine, Finland, contain more than 70 g/kg of arsenic (dry matter). Adsorbed anions, e.g. sulphate, enhance the capacity of precipitate to fix heavy metal cations in low-pH environments.

Abstract: Phosphate-induced metal stabilization involving the reactive medium Apatite II(TM) [Ca10-xNax(PO4)6-x(CO3)x(OH)2], where x < 1, was used in a subsurface permeable reactive barrier (PRB) to treat acid mine drainage in a shallow alluvial groundwater containing elevated concentrations of Zn, Pb, Cd, Cu, SO4 and NO3. The groundwater is treated in situ before it enters the East Fork of Ninemile Creek, a tributary to the Coeur d'Alene River, Idaho. Microbially mediated SO4 reduction and the subsequent precipitation of sphalerite [ZnS] is the primary mechanism occurring for immobilization of Zn and Cd. Precipitation of pyromorphite [Pb10(PO4)6(OH,Cl)2] is the most likely mechanism for immobilization of Pb. Precipitation is occurring directly on the original Apatite II. The emplaced PRB has been operating successfully since January of 2001, and has reduced the concentrations of Cd and Pb to below detection (2 μg L-1), has reduced Zn to near background in this region (about 100 μg L-1), and has reduced SO4 by between 100 and 200 mg L-1 and NO3 to below detection (50 μg L-1). The PRB, filled with 90 tonnes of Apatite II, has removed about 4550 kg of Zn, 91 kg of Pb and 45 kg of Cd, but 90% of the immobilization is occurring in the first 20% of the barrier, wherein the reactive media now contain up to 25 wt% Zn. Field observations indicate that about 30% of the Apatite II material is spent (consumed).