In the U.S., the combustion of coal to generate electricity produces about 130 MT of Coal Combustion Residues (CCRs) annually. Current regulations have improved air quality with advanced capture technology, but traded it for significant enrichments of contaminants in CCRs and effluent discharged from power-plants. This study systematically documents effluent quality at eleven sites and the impact on associated waterways in North Carolina. We measured the concentrations of major and trace elements in over 300 samples from CCR effluents, surface water, and porewater extracted from sediments. The data show that CCR effluents contain high levels of contaminants that in several cases exceed the EPA guidelines for both drinking water and ecological effects. This investigation demonstrates the quality of receiving waters depends on 1) the dilution effect and 2) recycling of trace elements through adsorption on suspended particles and release to deep surface or porewater in bottom sediments during anoxic conditions.

Impact of coal combustion residues on water quality

245th National Meeting (2013)

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