Bioelectric neutralization of acid waters

Claim 2

A process for the bioelectrical neutralization of a body of water having a bottom of anaerobic mud and an acid supernatant liquid, said liquid consisting essentially of acid sulfate-containint water, comprising the step of placing in the body of water an apparatus comprising: A. a buoy; B. an upper electrode suspended from the buoy; C. a flexible insulated electrical conductor conductively attached to the upper electrode; and D. a lower electrode conductively attached to the insulated electrical conductor; wherein the buoy rides on the surface of the body of water; wherein the upper electrode is suspended in the acid supernatant liquid; wherein the lower electrode is embedded in the anaerobic mud.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein the body of water is a lake of acid mine waste water.

Claim 4

The process of claim 1 wherein the body of water is an acid-polluted river.

Claim 5

The process of claim 1 wherein the buoy has an integrally formed loop-shaped handle.

Claim 6

The process of claim 1 wherein the upper electrode is a carbon electrode.

Claim 7

The process of claim 1 wherein the insulated electrical conductor is a plastic coated copper cable.

Claim 8

The process of claim 6 wherein the copper cable is a coaxial cable.

Claim 9

The process of claim 1 wherein the lower electrode is an iron electrode.

Claim 10

The process of claim 8 wherein the lower electrode has a configuration comprising barbed hooks.

Claim 11

The process of claim 1 wherein a plurality of sets of apparatus are placed in the body of water.

Claim 12

The process of claim 10 wherein each set of apparatus is spaced from each next set of apparatus at a distance such that the measure of the current flowing in the insulated electrical conductor no longer increases with increasing distance between the embedded lower electrodes of each set of apparatus.

Claim 13

A process for the bioelectrical neutralization of a body of water having a bottom of anaerobic mud and an acid supernatant liquid, said liquid consisting essentially of acid sulfate-containing water, by placing in the body of water a plurality of sets of apparatus each set of apparatus comprising: A. a buoy; B. an upper electrode suspended from the buoy; C. an insulated electrical conductor conductively attached to the upper electrode; and D. a lower electrode conductively attached to the insulated electrical conductor said lower electrode being embedded in said anaerobic mud; said process comprising spacing each set of apparatus from each next set of apparatus at a distance such that the measure of the current flowing in the insulated electrical conductor no longer increases with increasing distance between the embedded lower electrodes of each set of apparatus.

Claim 14

A process for the bioelectrical neutralization of a body of water having a bottom of anaerobic mud and an acid supernatant liquid, said liquid consisting essentially of acid sulfate-containing water, by placing in the body of water a plurality of sets of apparatus each set of apparatus comprising: A. a buoy; B. an upper electrode suspended from the buoy; C. an insulated electrical conductor conductively attached to the upper electrode; and D. a lower electrode conductively attached to the insulated electrical conductor said lower electrode being embedded in said anaerobic mud; said process comprising spacing each set of apparatus from each next set of apparatus at a distance such that the measure of the current flowing in the insulated electrical conductor no longer increases with increasing distance between the embedded lower electrodes of each set of apparatus.

Claim 15

The process of claim 12 wherein the current flowing in the insulated electrical conductor is diverted to flow through apparatus used to monitor the process.

Claim 16

A process for the bioelectrical neutralization of a body of water having a bottom of anaerobic mud and an acid supernatant liquid said liquid consisting essentially of an acid sulfate-containing water, comprising the steps of placing in the body of water a plurality of sets of apparatus each set of apparatus comprising: A. a buoy comprising an empty, sealed, plastic container with an integrally formed loop-shaped handle; B. an upper electrode comprising carbon suspended from the buoy; C. a flexible, insulated electrical conductor comprising plastic coated copper cable, a first end of said conductor being conductively attached to the upper electrode, a second end of said conductor passing through the loop-shaped handle of the buoy; and D. a lower electrode comprising iron conductively attached to said second end of the flexible, insulated electrical conductor said lower electrode being of a configuration comprising barbed hooks embedded in said anaerobic mud; said process comprising the steps of: I. floating the buoy in the water; Ii. attaching the upper electrode to said first end of the flexible insulated electrical conductor with conductive contact between the upper electrode and the electrical conductor; Iii. passing said second end of the flexible insulated electrical conductor through the loop-shaped handle of the buoy; Iv. attaching said second end of the flexible insulated electrical conductor to the lower electrode with conductive contact between said electrical conductor and said lower electrode; V. embedding the barbed hooks of the lower electrode in the anaerobic mud such that a current flows between the lower electrode and the upper electrode through the insulated electrical conductor; Vi. measuring the current flowing in the insulated electrical conductor; and Vii. spacing each set of apparatus from each next set of apparatus at a distance such that the measure of the current flowing in the insulated electrical conductor no longer increases with increasing distance between the embedded lower electrodes of each set of apparatus.

Claim 17

A process for the bioelectrical neutralization of a body of water having a bottom of anaerobic mud and an acid supernatant liquid said liquid consisting essentially of an acid sulfate-containing water, comprising the steps of placing in the body of water a plurality of sets of apparatus each set of apparatus comprising: A. a buoy comprising an empty, sealed, plastic container with an integrally formed loop-shaped handle; B. an upper electrode comprising carbon suspended from the buoy; C. a flexible, insulated electrical conductor comprising plastic coated copper cable, a first end of said conductor being conductively attached to the upper electrode, a second end of said conductor passing through the loop-shaped handle of the buoy; and D. a lower electrode comprising iron conductively attached to said second end of the flexible, insulated electrical conductor said lower electrode being of a configuration comprising barbed hooks embedded in said anaerobic mud; said process comprising the steps of: I. floating the buoy in the water; Ii. attaching the upper electrode to said first end of the flexible insulated electrical conductor with conductive contact between the upper electrode and the electrical conductor; Iii. passing said second end of the flexible insulated electrical conductor through the loop-shaped handle of the buoy; Iv. attaching said second end of the flexible insulated electrical conductor to the lower electrode with conductive contact between said electrical conductor and said lower electrode; V. embedding the barbed hooks of the lower electrode in the anaerobic mud such that a current flows between the lower electrode and the upper electrode through the insulated electrical conductor; Vi. measuring the current flowing in the insulated electrical conductor; and Vii. spacing each set of apparatus from each next set of apparatus at a distance such that the measure of the current flowing in the insulated electrical conductor no longer increases with increasing distance between the embedded lower electrodes of each set of apparatus.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the body of water is a lake of acid mine waste water.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the body of 2ater is an acid-polluted river.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the buoy has an integrally formed loop-shaped handle.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the upper electrode is a carbon electrode.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the insulated electrical conductor is a plastic-coated copper cable.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the copper cable is a coaxial cable.

Claim 26

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the lower electrode is an iron electrode.

Claim 27

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the lower electrode has a configuration comprising barbed hooks.