10 Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology (Posters)
Thursday, 1 April 2004
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
A QUANTITATIVE COMPARISON OF THE BENEFITS OF EUGLENA MUTABILIS AND A SIMILAR SPECIES OF EUGLENA IN ACID MINE DRAINAGE SYSTEMS
Paper number: 10-11
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Authors
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S.F. WolfIndiana State Univ, Terre Haute, IN
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H.K. DannellyIndiana State Univ, Terre Haute, IN
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S.S. BrakeIndiana State Univ, Terre Haute, IN
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J. AdamicIndiana State Univ, Terre Haute, IN
Abstract
Euglena mutabilis, a photosynthetic, acidophilic protozoan, forms benthic mats in acid mine drainage (AMD) systems associated with coal mining activities. Recent investigations have shown that E. mutabilis has a significant affect on the pH of AMD effluent and the concentration of dissolved iron, as well as other hazardous metals common in such environments. In a previous study, laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the amount of iron removal that can be attributed to the presence of E. mutabilis. This study also recorded changes in pH as a result of the variations in AMD water chemistry. The current experiment involves the same procedures and uses a similar species of euglena to determine its effects on AMD effluent and to compare the relative benefits of both species to the removal of hazardous metals in AMD systems.