Positive and negative impacts of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum on water quality

Authors: ZINNERT, A - Auburn University; GLADFELTER, M - Auburn University; POE, H - Auburn University; MERRILL, K - Auburn University; HENNESSEY, A - Auburn University; MCDONALD, M - Auburn University; WANG, D - Auburn University; Torbert, Henry - Allen; WILSON, A - Auburn University

Submitted to: Environmental Management
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/9/2023
Publication Date: 10/19/2023
Citation: Zinnert, A., Gladfelter, M.F., Poe, H.P., Merrill, K.L., Hennessey, A.V., Mcdonald, M.B., Wang, D., Torbert III, H.A., Wilson, A.E. 2023. Positive and negative impacts of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum on water quality. Environmental Management. 348:119307. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119307.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119307

Interpretive Summary: Flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum, a byproduct of coal power plants, has typically been used as an agricultural amendment to enhance crop production and improve the quality of runoff. Limited studies have investigated its benefits when used directly in aquatic settings, such as ponds and lakes, to increase hardness and potentially mitigate eutrophication. A 36-day field mesocosm experiment tested a larger range of FGD gypsum concentrations to investigate its desired and potentially undesired impacts on water quality and the algal community. Ultimately, the lower application rate (500 mg/L) treatment was found to have fewer undesired impacts while still resulting in significant desired effects, including those on hardness and pH, as well as moderate reductions in algal abundance. This experiment provides a better understanding of the effects of FGD gypsum when directly used in an aquatic setting, determines an optimal dose for future field experiments, and helps provide the groundwork for developing an upper threshold on FGD gypsum so as to not have the negative effects outweigh the positive.

Technical Abstract: Flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum, a byproduct of carbon-based energy sources that would otherwise sit in landfills, has typically been used as an agricultural amendment to enhance crop production and improve the quality of runoff. Limited studies have investigated its benefits when used directly in aquatic settings, such as ponds and lakes, to increase hardness and potentially mitigate eutrophication. A 36-day field mesocosm experiment tested a larger range of FGD gypsum concentrations than those previously tested in the literature to investigate its desired and potentially undesired impacts on water quality and the algal community. High FGD gypsum concentrations, 1,000 and 2,000 mg/L, were found to have more undesired impacts than the 500 mg/L treatment, including an initial spike in cyanobacteria, a decrease in total zooplankton abundance, and an increase in certain trace metals in the highest treatment. Ultimately, the 500 mg/L treatment was found to have fewer undesired impacts while still resulting in significant desired effects, including those on hardness and pH, as well as moderate reductions in algal abundance. This experiment provides a better understanding of the effects of FGD gypsum when directly used in an aquatic setting, determines an optimal dose for future field experiments, and helps provide the groundwork for developing an upper threshold on FGD gypsum so as to not have the negative effects outweigh the positive.