| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/R73522/01 |
| Title: |
Novel use of ochre from mine water treatment plants to reduce point and diffuse phosphorus pollution |
| Principal Investigator: |
Younger, Professor PL |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Civil Engineering and Geosciences |
| Organisation: |
Newcastle University |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
01 March 2002 |
Ends: |
28 February 2005 |
Value (£): |
171,955
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Assess/Remediate Contamination |
Water Engineering |
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
| Manufacturing |
Environment |
| Water |
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| Related Grants: |
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| Panel History: |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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Treatment of polluting discharges from abandoned mines is producing large quantities of ochre (a mixture of iron hydroxides) for which no major enduse has yet been identified. The proposed research by Newcastle and Edinburgh Universities will develop a possible large-scale use for the ochre in the removal of unwanted phosphorus from sewage effluent and land drainage. Phosphorus pollution is a serious threat to the water environment in industrialised countries, causing eutrophication, algal blooms, fish kills and loss of water resources. Both universities have independently demonstrated that ochre is an excellent adsorbent of phosphorus from solution. The research will build upon this preliminary work to develop valuable uses for a lowvalue by-product of mine water treatment, with benefits for the mining and water industries and the water environment as a whole. Work at Newcastle will focus on the engineering aspects of the project, in particular the granulation of ochre for specific hydraulic applications, the design, monitoring and performance modelling of constructed wetlands receiving secondary-treated sewage effluent, and the practicalities of ochre use to strip P from agricultural drainage, using filter cartridges containing granulated ochre. All results will be ingtegrated with those of Edinburgh University, and assessed with stakeholders and potential end-users in a Management Advisory Group.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.ncl.ac.uk |