PMID- 36104649 OWN - NLM STAT- MEDLINE DCOM- 20230207 LR - 20230207 IS - 1614-7499 (Electronic) IS - 0944-1344 (Print) IS - 0944-1344 (Linking) VI - 30 IP - 4 DP - 2023 Jan TI - Pilot-scale feasibility study for the stabilization of coal tailings via microbially induced calcite precipitation. PG - 8868-8882 LID - 10.1007/s11356-022-22316-1 [doi] AB - Sustainable long-term solutions to managing tailings storage facilities (TSFs) are integral for mines to operate in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. The long-term storage of subaqueous tailings can pose significant safety, environmental, and economic risks; therefore, alternative containment strategies for maintaining geochemical stability of reactive materials must be explored. In this study, the physical and geochemical stabilization of coal tailings using microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) was evaluated at a laboratory pilot scale. Three application techniques simulated commonly used agricultural approaches and equipment that could be deployed for field-scale treatment: spraying on treatment solutions with irrigation sprinklers, mixing tailings and treatment solutions with a rototiller, and distributing treatment solutions via shallow trenches using an excavator ripper. Test cells containing 1.0 x 1.0 x 0.5 m of tailings were treated with ureolytic bacteria (Sporosarcina pasteurii) and cementation solutions composed of urea and calcium chloride for 28 days. Penetrometer tests were performed following incubation to evaluate the extent of cementation. The spray-on application method showed the greatest strength improvement, with in an increase in surface strength of more than 50% for the 28-day testing period. The distribution of treatment solution using trenches was found to be less effective and resulted in greater variability in particle size distribution of treated tailings and would not be recommended for use in the field. The use of rototilling equipment provided a homogenous distribution of treatment solution; however, the disruption to the tailings material was less effective for facilitating effective cementation. Bacterial plate counts of soil samples indicated that S. pasteurii cultures remained viable in a tailings environment for 28 days at 18 degrees C and near-neutral pH. The treatment was also found to stabilize the pH of tailings porewater sampled over the 28-day incubation period, suggesting the potential for the treatment to provide short-term geochemical stability under unsaturated conditions. CI - (c) 2022. Crown. FAU - Rodin, Sarah AU - Rodin S AD - Department of Civil Engineering, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada. FAU - Champagne, Pascale AU - Champagne P AUID- ORCID: 0000-0002-9414-4827 AD - Department of Chemistry, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada. pascale.champagne@nrc-crnc-gc.ca. AD - Centre Eau Terre Et Environnement, Institut de La Recherche Scientifique, Quebec, QC, G1K 9A9, Canada. pascale.champagne@nrc-crnc-gc.ca. FAU - Mann, Vanessa AU - Mann V AD - Department of Civil Engineering, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada. LA - eng PT - Journal Article DEP - 20220915 PL - Germany TA - Environ Sci Pollut Res Int JT - Environmental science and pollution research international JID - 9441769 RN - H0G9379FGK (Calcium Carbonate) RN - 0 (Coal) SB - IM MH - *Calcium Carbonate MH - *Coal MH - Feasibility Studies MH - Mining MH - Bacteria MH - Chemical Precipitation PMC - PMC9898352 OTO - NOTNLM OT - Calcium carbonate OT - Coal OT - MICP OT - Mine waste OT - Soil stability COIS- The authors declare no competing interests. EDAT- 2022/09/15 06:00 MHDA- 2023/02/08 06:00 PMCR- 2022/09/15 CRDT- 2022/09/14 23:37 PHST- 2021/12/09 00:00 [received] PHST- 2022/07/27 00:00 [accepted] PHST- 2022/09/15 06:00 [pubmed] PHST- 2023/02/08 06:00 [medline] PHST- 2022/09/14 23:37 [entrez] PHST- 2022/09/15 00:00 [pmc-release] AID - 10.1007/s11356-022-22316-1 [pii] AID - 22316 [pii] AID - 10.1007/s11356-022-22316-1 [doi] PST - ppublish SO - Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2023 Jan;30(4):8868-8882. doi: 10.1007/s11356-022-22316-1. Epub 2022 Sep 15.