BIOMAN (Bioabsorption of metals from abandoned mine sites)

Developed by an international team of scientists and led by researchers at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth (UWA), the BIOMAN (Bioabsorption of metals from abandoned mine sites) water purification system could represent a significant step forward in tackling a world wide pollution problem. Key to the process is the dealginated seaweed’s ion-exchange capacity. The dealginate seaweed is a by-product of an industrial process to make food additives from seaweed. Initial laboratory tests have shown that dealginated seaweed has the capacity to trap the principal mine water pollutants, in this case zinc, lead and cadmium, as the water flows through the tank. The principal aim of this project is to develop an effective and sustainable equipment capable to remove the toxic materials from the water. Important considerations also include cost, so that the unit is not too expensive and requires relatively little maintenance. The first prototype is set to undergo field trials at three different locations in the Cambrian Mountains of mid-Wales, will treat 1 litre of mine water per minute. A second set of field trials featuring equipment with the capacity to treat 10 litres per minute will start later in the autumn in Wales and in an area of Italy where the predominant metal mined was copper and where the chemical properties of the water are different, the Libiola Mine near Genova.