Strontium isotope study of coal utilization by-products interacting with environmental waters.

STRONTIUM ISOTOPE SYSTEMATICS OF COAL UTILIZATION BYPRODUCTS AND THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH ENVIRONMENTAL WATERS by

Geochemical and strontium isotope characterization of produced waters from Marcellus Shale natural gas extraction.

Extraction of natural gas by hydraulic fracturing of the Middle Devonian Marcellus Shale, a major gas-bearing unit in the Appalachian Basin, results in significant quantities of produced water containing high total dissolved solids (TDS). We carried out a strontium (Sr) isotope investigation to determine the utility of Sr isotopes in identifying and quantifying the interaction of Marcellus Form...

Boron and strontium isotopic characterization of coal combustion residuals: validation of new environmental tracers.

In the U.S., coal fired power plants produce over 136 million tons of coal combustion residuals (CCRs) annually. CCRs are enriched in toxic elements, and their leachates can have significant impacts on water quality. Here we report the boron and strontium isotopic ratios of leaching experiments on CCRs from a variety of coal sources (Appalachian, Illinois, and Powder River Basins). CCR leachate...

Evidence for Coal Ash Ponds Leaking in the Southeastern United States.

Coal combustion residuals (CCRs), the largest industrial waste in the United States, are mainly stored in surface impoundments and landfills. Here, we examine the geochemistry of seeps and surface water from seven sites and shallow groundwater from 15 sites in five states (Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Virginia, and North Carolina) to evaluate possible leaking from coal ash ponds. The assessmen...

Environmental impacts of the coal ash spill in Kingston, Tennessee: an 18-month survey.

An 18 month investigation of the environmental impacts of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) coal ash spill in Kingston, Tennessee combined with leaching experiments on the spilled TVA coal ash have revealed that leachable coal ash contaminants (LCACs), particularly arsenic, selenium, boron, strontium, and barium, have different effects on the quality of impacted environments. While LCACs lev...