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Identifying The Effects Naturally Forming Bacterial Communities Have On The Efficiency Of Passive Remediation Systems Built To Treat Abandoned Coal Mine Drainage, Michelle M. Valkanas
Identifying The Effects Naturally Forming Bacterial Communities Have On The Efficiency Of Passive Remediation Systems Built To Treat Abandoned Coal Mine Drainage, Michelle M. Valkanas
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Abandoned mine drainage (AMD) has resulted in worldwide devastation. Passive remediation systems (PRS) are a cost-effective option to treat AMD. While the geochemistry (abiotic) of these systems is well understood, little work has been done to characterize the microbial communities (biotic) that naturally form within these systems. The goal of this dissertation was to identify the effects that bacterial communities have on the efficiency of PRSs. Four passive remediation sites built to treat coal mine drainage were studied: two that treat acidic discharges (Boyce and Middle Branch) and two that treat circumneutral discharges (Wingfield Pines and Lowber). Survey studies suggested …