Work

Assessing the Biogeochemical Development of Oxygen and Sulfur in Oil Sands Fluid Fine Tailings in Batch Microcosms

Year: 2012

Type: dissertation

Abstract: Elevated concentrations of hydrogen sulfide produced by sulfate-reducing prokaryotes are highly reducing, and can impair function of higher trophic levels inside end-pit lakes in the Alberta oil sands region. Microcosms have previously simulated the microbial community structure of tailing ponds; they are used here as analogues of the sediment-water interface of end-pit lake environments to determine sulfide generation patterns and the behaviour of oxygen. In this study, sulfide generation was positively correlated with depth and biotic activity, with production fluxes of ∼2 × 10 3 nmol cm-3 s-1 . Oxygen consumption in the tailings is dependent on both biotic and abiotic processes. These results have implications for quantitatively estimating impacts of sulfide production and oxygen availability to biota, in addition to the biogeochemical cycles linked to their functional roles in tailings-affected ecosystems.

Source: Scholarship at UWindsor (University of Windsor)

Author: Michael Chen

Institution: University of Windsor

Language: English

Topic: Mine drainage and remediation techniques

Subfield: Environmental Chemistry

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Affordable and clean energy

Open Access status: green

Funders: McMaster University, Suncor Energy Incorporated, Egg Farmers of Canada, Syncrude, Syddansk Universitet, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada

OpenAlex ID: W2161611174

Cites: 95

Cited by:

Related to: 10