Ariab acidic mine-influenced water : a waste to waste treatment

Abstract EN

Six samples of Acidic Mine-Influenced Water (AMIW) from Arab area Red Sea Hills, northeastern part of Sudan, were analyzed for some waste water parameters.

The investigation showed that, the pH ranged between 1.30 to 1.88, sulphate content between 40200 to 235300 mg / 1, total iron 9879 to 103969 mg / 1, copper, 280.0 to 1112.5 mg / 1, zinc, 1825 to 3345 mg / 1, manganese, 210.0 to 570.0 mg / 1 in addition to high contents of cobalt and cadmium which are known for their negative impact on the environment.

Khartoum Refinery Sour Water (KRSW) sample was analyzed for some pollutants, the analysis showed that it is alkaline industrial waste having a pH of 10.10, alkalinity of 26381 mg / 1 as CaC03 / l, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) of 29400 mg / 1 as 02.

It was found to be relatively free of heavy and environmentally hazardous elements such as Fe, Co, Ca, Cd, Cu, Zn, Mn, Pb and Mg.

A waste to waste treatment was carried to Arab AMIW with KRSW; satisfactory results were obtained in reduction of the parameters studied in the treated effluent.

The pH of AMIW was raised to about 8.50, and the element contents of Fe, Co, Ca, Cd, Cu, Zn, Mn, Pb were either completely removed or reduced to levels that meet the allowed limits of the industrial effluent disposal threshold.

Sulphate content, however, decreased due to dilution, but still above the specified limits of the effluent disposal.