Blog 2: Acid Mine Drainage Essay Example

In a study conducted by the Bettingergroup at Carnegie Mellon University, a new technology was examined. The bioinspired cation exchange material has the capacity to manage waste water. This form of technology mainly uses melanin because of the substance’s ability to bind with other cations. One of the main characteristics of the bioinspired cation exchange material is its ability to reverse cation exchange. This implies several cycle time for materials without having to be replaced.
The bioinspired cation exchange material is believed to have the capacity to reverse the problem of the mid-Atlantic region about Acid Mine Drainage (AMD). The pollution leads to the death of various aquatic life forms and limits the recreation uses of streams thereby affecting the tourism industry. In addition, because of the pollution, waters from the streams are not safe to drink or even be used as water supplies to many industries. The acidic component of the water corrodes certain infrastructures. Bioinspired cation exchange material works well in filtering water manufactured by the gas and oil industry. The water derived from extraction of gas or oil is called “produced water,” which is made up of a mixture of solids and pollutants. The management of produced water costs around $18 billion USD every year.
The treatment of acid mine drainage poses some challenges including environmental, governmental, and economics. The most apparent challenge is finding the best method to eradicate this problem. A region affected by acid mine drainages will have a reduction in its recreational fish species and also a decline in tourism and outdoor creation. Hence, the need to remedy this problem in the mid-Atlantic region is requires extreme focus and prompt response.