COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: Stream-Sediment Bed Exchange of Colloids and Colloid-Associated Metals in Acid Mine Drainage Environments

为了更好地优先考虑和规划受酸性矿山排水影响的河流的补救措施，需要更好地了解胶体和胶体相关金属的河流沉积物床交换的重要性。 直到最近，在模拟地表水中胶体和悬浮沉积物的运输时，才将潜流带包括在内。 为了更好地了解的作用，潜流带，我们将研究一些关键过程中的胶体和胶体相关的金属运输在酸性矿山排水影响流在科罗拉多落基山脉。 本研究的目的是（1）表征酸性矿山排水影响的河流中胶体的性质、尺寸、表面化学和聚集动力学，（2）评估胶体和胶体伴生金属的潜流带交换的重要性，（3）检查潜流带沉积物中胶体去除的机制，以及（4）改进和调整目前的胶体相关污染物迁移模型，以改善对受酸性矿山排水影响的河流中金属的归宿和迁移的评估。 这项研究的结果将促进更好地理解，并允许更好地预测酸性矿山排水对高山溪流水质的影响。 有了这些知识，环境科学家和工程师以及环境监管机构将能够更好地评估金属污染对人类和水生生物的风险，并设计补救战略。 为了促进这项研究成果的使用，我们将在广泛阅读的期刊上传播我们的结果。 我们还将继续作为流域利益相关者团体的技术顾问提供服务，并将这项活动发展成为一个外展中心，让本科生和研究生参与为社区服务的研究和学习。 我们还将把研究纳入我们机构教授的常规学术课程和环境专业人员的短期课程。

To better prioritize and plan remediation of streams affected by acid mine drainage, better understanding of the importance of stream-sediment bed exchange of colloids and colloid-associated metals is needed. Only recently has the hyporheic zone been included in modeling of the transport of colloids and suspended sediments in surface water. To better understand the role of the hyporheic zone, we will examine some of the key processes in colloid and colloid-associated metal transport in an acid mine drainage-affected stream in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The objectives of this research are to (1) characterize the nature, size, surface chemistry, and aggregation kinetics of colloids in acid mine drainage-affected streams, (2) evaluate the importance of hyporheic zone exchange for colloids and colloid-associated metals, (3) examine the mechanisms of colloid removal in hyporheic zone sediments, and (4) advance and adapt the current model for colloid-associated contaminant transport to improve assessment of the fate and transport of metals in acid mine drainage-affected streams. The results of this research will promote better understanding and allow better prediction of the effects of acid mine drainage on water quality in alpine streams. With this knowledge, environmental scientists and engineers and environmental regulators will be better equipped to assess the risks of metal contamination to humans and aquatic life, and to design remediation strategies. To foster use of the products of this research, we will disseminate our results in widely-read journals. We will also continue our service as technical advisors for watershed stakeholder groups and develop this activity into an outreach center to engage undergraduate and graduate students in research and learning in service to communities. We will also integrate the research into regular academic courses taught at our institutions and into a short course for environmental professionals.