Abstract
Coal mine drainage (CMD) negatively affects aquatic ecosystems around the world. This article presents the current state of regulatory guidelines and discharge limits established for selected parameters of concern in CMD: specific conductance (SC), SO42−, and Mn. Though not exhaustive, this review provides a representative snapshot of the existing regulatory status in developed nations of North America, Australia, Asia, Europe, and Africa. It was found that most of the nations surveyed have a separate approach to regulating CMD apart from other water quality issues, varying from national or regional guidelines and standards to individual site licenses or permits. In addition, there is broad variability between nations and regions. The selected parameters have a range of required discharge concentrations and in the case of Mn, a variety of categories (i.e. dissolved, total, bioavailable). A few countries use toxicity testing to assist in determining discharge limits, while others take a watershed-based approach to determine mass loading of pollutants, considering the status of the receiving water body and dilution effects. Overall, the myriad approaches encountered underscores the complex and dynamic scientific, ecosystemic, and political landscape in which these regulatory systems have evolved.
Zusammenfassung
Eine Bestandsaufnahme der Grenzwerte für Leitfähigkeit, Sulfat und Mangan aus Kohlenbergwerken in IndustrienationenÜberall auf der Welt wirkt sich Grubenwasser aus Kohlebergwerken negativ auf aquatische Ökosysteme aus, so dass die gesetzlichen Grenzwerte für die Ableitung des Grubenwassers ein bedeutendes Thema sind. Dieser Artikel stellt den aktuellen Stand der Richtlinien und Grenzwerte für ausgewählte Parameter vor, die bei diesem Grubenwasser von Bedeutung sind: elektrische Leitfähigkeit, SO2-4 und Mn. Obwohl diese Übersicht nicht erschöpfend ist, stellt sie eine repräsentative Bestandsaufnahme der bestehenden Regularien in den entwickelten Ländern Nordamerikas, Australiens, Asiens, Europas und Afrikas dar. Es wurde festgestellt, dass die meisten der untersuchten Länder neben anderen Wasserqualitätskriterien einen separaten Ansatz zur Regulierung von Grubenwasser aus Kohlebergwerken cerfolgen, der von nationalen oder regionalen Richtlinien und Normen bis hin zu individuellen Standortlizenzen oder -genehmigungen reicht. Darüber hinaus gibt es eine große Variabilität in den Grenzwerten zwischen den Nationen und den Regionen. Die ausgewählten Parameter haben eine Spannbreite von einzuhaltenden Abflusskonzentrationen und im Falle von Mn eine Vielzahl von Kategorien (gelöst, gesamt, bioverfügbar). Einige wenige Länder verwenden Toxizitätstests, um die Bestimmung von Grenzwerten zu unterstützen. Andere hingegen verfolgen einen auf dem Einzugsgebiet basierten Ansatz zur Bestimmung der Schadstofffrachten wobei sowohl der Zustand des aufnehmenden Gewässers als auch Verdünnungseffekte berücksichtigt werden. Insgesamt unterstreichen die vielfältigen Ansätze die komplexe und dynamische Wissenschafts-, Ökosystem- und Politiklandschaft, in der sich diese Reglungssysteme entwickelt haben.
Resumen
Un breve resumen de los límites de descarga de drenaje de minas de carbón para conductividad, sulfato y manganeso en todo el mundo desarrolladoEl drenaje de minas de carbón (CMD) afecta negativamente a los ecosistemas acuáticos de todo el mundo, lo que hace que los límites reglamentarios de las aguas descargadas sean un tema de suma importancia. Este artículo presenta el estado actual de las pautas regulatorias y los límites de descarga establecidos para los parámetros de interés seleccionados en CMD: conductancia específica (SC), SO 4 2- y Mn. Aunque no es exhaustiva, esta revisión proporciona un resumen representativo del estado regulatorio existente en los países desarrollados de América del Norte, Australia, Asia, Europa y África. Se encontró que la mayoría de las naciones encuestadas tienen un enfoque para regular la CMD, separado de otros problemas de calidad del agua, que varían desde pautas y estándares nacionales o regionales hasta licencias o permisos de sitios individuales. Además, existe una amplia variabilidad en los límites entre naciones y regiones. Los parámetros seleccionados tienen un rango de concentraciones de descarga requeridas y, en el caso de Mn, una variedad de categorías (es decir, disuelto, total, biodisponible). Unos pocos países utilizan pruebas de toxicidad para determinar los límites de descarga, mientras que otros adoptan un enfoque basado en cuencas hidrográficas para determinar la carga masiva de contaminantes, considerando el estado del cuerpo de agua receptor y los efectos de la dilución. En general, los innumerables enfoques encontrados subrayan el complejo y dinámico panorama científico, ecosistémico y político en el que han evolucionado estos sistemas reguladores.
发达国家煤矿废水的电导率、硫酸盐和锰排放标准概览
煤矿废水(CMD) 消极地影响着世界各地水文生态系统,使得煤矿废水排放标准成为一个极重要的话题。文章介绍了现有管理规范和排放标准所规定的煤矿废水(CMD)的电导率(SC)、SO2-4和Mn指标概况。虽未能一一尽举,但给出了北美、澳大利亚、亚洲、欧洲和非洲地区发达国家煤矿废水规范管理的代表性概述。多数被调查国家对煤矿废水(CMD)单独制定了不同于其它水质问题的管理规范,从国家或地区导则与标准到个体采场执照或许可证发放尽显不同。此外,国家之间和地区之间的排放界限标准也存在较大变数。所选择指标既存在一个规定的排放浓度范围也有各自的形态类型变化 (如锰的可溶解、总量和生物有效性形态类型)。一些国家利用毒性试验协助确定排放标准,也有一些国家采用计算流域污染物荷载的方法,考虑接受水体状况和稀释作用而制定。总之,各类方法展示出管理规范逐渐发展起来的复杂、动态、科学、生态和政治前景。
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Acknowledgements
This work would have been impossible without the assistance of Peter Bajtos, Paul Behum, Adam Jarvis, Cherie McCullough, Hugh Potter, Naďa Rapantová, Abhay Soni, Peter Smyntek, Wanghua Sui, Tomasz Suponik, Jacek Szczepiński and the innumerable other expert members of the International Mine Water Association (IMWA) that responded to our request for information. Eric Baker, Bartholomew Blair, Stefan Long, Logan Madison, David Madl, Nicholas McKnight, Ashley Rovder, Staci Shoemaker, and Ryan Siwy, students from the Saint Francis University Environmental Engineering program, also provided important literature search support. This is contribution number 1877 for the Belle W. Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences.
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Strosnider, W.H.J., Hugo, J., Shepherd, N.L. et al. A Snapshot of Coal Mine Drainage Discharge Limits for Conductivity, Sulfate, and Manganese across the Developed World. Mine Water Environ 39, 165–172 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10230-020-00669-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10230-020-00669-8