ABSTRACT
This chapter reports some of the cooperative studies performed to define environmental conditions and heavy metal toxicity in wastewaters and receiving streams of Missouri's New Lead Belt. Toxicity studies were performed in the laboratories of the University of Missouri-Rolla, using reagent grade metal salts and Pimephales promelas as the test organism. In order to best simulate natural conditions, finely ground metal salts were mixed with dechlorinated Rolla tap water. The meander system which has operated at the Buick Mine-MIll Complex since 1970 continues to provide adequate treatment of the combined mine-mill wastewater produced at the industrial site. This low-cost, low maintenance system routinely produces effluent which meets or surpasses the stringent guidelines established by state and federal regulatory agencies. It achieves the application of biological and physical processes which effectively trap, bind and retain heavy metal-containing particulate matter as well as other potential pollutants.
