Opportunities for using two low-cost methods for treatment of metal bearing aqueous streams

The feasibility of two non-traditional approaches - reedbeds as a natural wetland and adsorption on lignite and its maceral fractions - for their application in metal bearing effluent treatment is discussed. The main mechanisms of metals uptake are otulined. The preliminary results from a pilot scale wetland operation for metallurgical effluents purification are analysed. For the second approach - the different maceral fractions derived from coal refining have shown different metal uptake apptitude. Zeta potential studies and adsorption isotherms have explained these findings.