Working as a Scientist Asking Questions and Making Predictions
Bioremediation of Old Mine Sites Acid mine drainage (AMD) is acidic water that flows from metal or coal mines. It has a low pH and contains metals, such as zinc (Zn). Too much zinc causes soil and water pollution and can be dangerous to plants and animals.
Dr Siobhán Jordan and Laura Holland are researchers at the Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT). They are working on an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funded project examining the use of organic materials such as spent mushroom substrate (SMS) as a way of treating AMD.
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Fig. 5.4.1 Spent mushroom substrate (SMS)
The use of organisms or organic materials to treat pollution in soil or water is called bioremediation.
