Impact of Sewage Sludge on Groundwater Quality at a Formerly Remediated Tailings Impoundment

Abstract

Sewage sludge can be a suitable, organic-rich substrate to promote vegetation of sulfide-mine tailings, but it may contain contaminants, that, when oxidized, can adversely affect underlying groundwater systems. The geochemical impact of a surface application of 12,000 metric tons of anaerobically-digested sewage sludge on the groundwater quality of a remediated sulfide-tailings impoundment in northern Sweden was evaluated to determine if sludge-borne metals and nitrate were released to the underlying groundwater system. Two years of data from a field-scale groundwater monitoring programme initiated just before the sludge application was compared to groundwater data from 1998 to 2006. Grass was successfully established within 2 years. However, until that occurred, elevated concentrations of sludge-borne metals (Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) were released to the underlying groundwater. In addition, the release of nitrate likely exacerbated metal concentrations by providing an oxidant for pyrite in the underlying tailings. The release was periodic due to the establishment of the grass, which immobilized metals and nitrate in the sludge. Metals bound as organo-metallic complexes, due to dissolved organic carbon released from the sludge, migrated across the tailings impoundment. Model simulations indicate that the plume will take 6 years to exit the groundwater environment. Though the impacts are relatively short-term, this type of application should be reconsidered in the future.