Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/R73539/01
Title:	Novel use of ochre from mine water treatment plants to reduce point and diffuse phosphorus pollution
Principal Investigator:	Smith, Professor KA
Other Investigators:	Heal, Professor K
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:	East of Scotland Water Scottish Environmental Protection Agency
Department:	Geosciences, Ecology and Resource Man
Organisation:	University of Edinburgh
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	01 March 2002	Ends:	28 February 2005	Value (£):	169,617
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Assess/Remediate Contamination Water Engineering
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Environment Water
Related Grants:	GR/R73522/01
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
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 Edinburgh will assess the performance of ochre for phosphorus removal in three settings: constructed wetlands for sewage effluent treatment; addition of powdered ochre to polluted standing waters (e.g. sewage treatment tanks, eutrophic lakes) so that phosphorus is stripped out as the ochre settles; and treatment of land drainage in field drains with filter cartridges containing ochre. We will also examine.the fate of spent ochre from these applications, when the material is saturated with phosphorus, by conducting greenhouse and field trials to assess its performance and environmental acceptability as a slow-release fertiliser.
Key Findings
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Potential use in non-academic contexts
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Impacts
Description This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk Summary Date Materialised
Sectors submitted by the Researcher
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Project URL:
Further Information:
Organisation Website:	http://www.ed.ac.uk