Radium and barium removal through blending hydraulic fracturing fluids with acid mine drainage.
Abstract
Wastewaters generated during hydraulic fracturing of the Marcellus Shale typically
contain high concentrations of salts, naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM),
and metals, such as barium, that pose environmental and public health risks upon inadequate
treatment and disposal. In addition, fresh water scarcity in dry regions or during
periods of drought could limit shale gas development. This paper explores the possibility
of using alternative water sources and their impact on NORM levels through blending
acid mine drainage (AMD) effluent with recycled hydraulic fracturing flowback fluids
(HFFFs). We conducted a series of laboratory experiments in which the chemistry and
NORM of different mix proportions of AMD and HFFF were examined after reacting for
48 h. The experimental data combined with geochemical modeling and X-ray diffraction
analysis suggest that several ions, including sulfate, iron, barium, strontium, and
a large portion of radium (60-100%), precipitated into newly formed solids composed
mainly of Sr barite within the first ∼ 10 h of mixing. The results imply that blending
AMD and HFFF could be an effective management practice for both remediation of the
high NORM in the Marcellus HFFF wastewater and beneficial utilization of AMD that
is currently contaminating waterways in northeastern U.S.A.
Type
Journal articleSubject
AcidsBarium
Chemical Precipitation
Electric Conductivity
Geography
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Kinetics
Mining
Molecular Weight
Pennsylvania
Radium
Thermodynamics
Waste Disposal, Fluid
Waste Water
Water Pollutants, Chemical
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https://hdl.handle.net/10161/8302Published Version (Please cite this version)
10.1021/es403852hPublication Info
Kondash, Andrew J; Warner, Nathaniel R; Lahav, Ori; & Vengosh, Avner (2014). Radium and barium removal through blending hydraulic fracturing fluids with acid mine
drainage. Environ Sci Technol, 48(2). pp. 1334-1342. 10.1021/es403852h. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/8302.This is constructed from limited available data and may be imprecise. To cite this
article, please review & use the official citation provided by the journal.
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Show full item recordScholars@Duke
Aj Kondash
Duke Temporary Service
Avner Vengosh
Professor of Earth and Ocean Sciences
My research aims to link environmental geochemistry and isotope hydrology in order
to trace the sources and mechanisms of water contamination and relationships with
human health. Current research includes global changes of the chemical and isotopic
compositions of water resources due to human intervention and contamination, salinization
of water resources in the Middle East and Northern Africa, naturally occurring contaminants
(arsenic, fluoride, boron) and radioactivity in water resources, the
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