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Innovations
Top photo credit: Michael P. Hunerlach/USGS
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Probing the Depths of a Solution for Acid Mine Drainage Lance Frazer Abstract
Acid mine drainage (AMD) , caused by the physical and chemical weathering of sulfide-containing minerals such as iron pyrite, has been called one of the biggest threats to the U.S. environment. It has polluted ground and surface water, and has rendered streams and even whole river systems unfit for human consumption and unable to sustain any form of wildlife. To fight AMD, scientists must monitor and take samples from sites where it may potentially occur to check for oxidation, the first step in the process that results in acid drainage. Now, thanks to a new probe developed by Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, that goal may be within reach. Researchers there have developed a small electrochemical probe that can be buried in a mine waste site. The low-cost, durable probe sends a signal up a thin wire to the surface, yielding foolproof data that are relatively easy to interpret.
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