Remediation of coastal marine sediments using granulated coal ash

It is very important to reduce phosphorus flux from sediment as well as cutting down terrigenous loads in order to control eutrophication in semi-enclosed coastal seas. Hydrogen sulfide is also a noxious substance which is highly toxic and fatal to benthic organisms. The purpose of this study is to evaluate remediation efficiency of organically enriched sediments using granulated coal ash (GCA) in terms of reducing benthic phosphorus flux and hydrogen sulfide. A flow-through experimental system was used to simulate the semi-enclosed water bodies. The application of GCA decreased the concentration of PO43− in the pore water effectively, and reduced phosphate releasing flux from the sediment into overlying water by 37-44% compared to the control. The hydrogen sulfide in the pore water was also decreased by 77-100%, due to adsorption onto the GCA and deactivation of sulfate-reducing bacteria due to increasing pH. Thus, GCA is a promising recycled material for reducing phosphate releasing flux from organically enriched sediment to alleviate eutrophication as well as reduce the concentration of hydrogen sulfide in pore water.