Utilisation of geosynthetic liner for prevention of ground water contamination due to coal ash disposal in abandoned open cast mines

Abstract

Prevention of groundwater contamination by using Permeable Reactive Barrier (PRB) or zeosynthetic liner is a new and innovative technology. PRB’s are constructed underground across the flow path of contaminated ground water. The contaminants are removed from contaminated water by geochemical process taking place in the reactive material of the PRB. The suitable materials used in PRBs are commonly activated carbon, zeolites, clay minerals and others. In the present work fly ash has been converted into zeolitic mineral and the prepared zeolite has been used as PRB (zeosynthetic liner) to react with contaminants of leachate water of coal ash and make it clean. The process would reduce contamination of groundwater of abandoned opencast mine mine, if the mine is filled with coal ash which contained lining of fly ash zeolite at its bottom. In the present laboratory scale study it has been found that fly ash zeolite can be utilized as effective PRB (zeosynthetic liner) for prevention of groundwater contamination.