wise use of mires and peatlands - Peatland Ecology Research Group

56 VALUES AND FUCTIONS OF MIRES AND PEATLANDS1. Water soluble humic preparations havebeen found to be effective in thepurification of metallic surfaces fromradioactive substances. They were usedsuccessfully in the Chernobyl zone in1986– 1987 for the purification oftechnological equipment. It is consideredthat they may have potential in thepurification of technological equipment inactive nuclear power stations.2. Humic preparations which are soluble inacids have been used for the extraction ofvaluable metals from raw materials,especially in underground extraction.3. Activated carbon from peat is effective ina number of applications including thepurification of soil and water from organiccontaminants, for example from pesticides 53 .4. Peat has been found to be an inhibitor ofcorrosion. Special preparations for thetransformation of rust into metal have beenwidely used in Belarus, for example toremove rust from automobiles.The total amount of peat used in the chemicalindustry is not great. For example, in Belarusthe amount used is not more than 10,000tonnes per year. Globally approximately138,000 tonnes of black peat per year are usedto produce some 15,000 tonnes of activatedcarbon 54 .(ae) Peat as bedding material 55Slightly humified sphagnum peat (“whitepeat”, “peat moss”) was used as a litter instables in enormous amounts from ca. 1885until 1919. This use was the basis for theexplosive development of the peat mossindustry in countries such as Germany,Sweden and the Netherlands.The main users were armies, transportcompanies, railways, mining companies andindustrial enterprises where horses wereemployed. For example, the CompagnieGénérale d’Omnibus in Paris had 13,500horses. If the amount of peat used per horseper day is estimated at 4 to 5 kilos, this onecustomer needed about 22,000 tonnes peryear.Dry peat moss can absorb about ten times itsown weight in liquids, reduces unpleasantsmells and has a favourable effect on thehealth of the animals. These were majoradvantages compared to straw. Anotheradvantage was the after-use of the peat asmanure for local vegetable-growers.Peat moss was later used for the same purposefor poultry and cats. In the Netherlands andGermany it was even recommended for babies,although the cot had to be adjusted to usethis uncommon material.The use of peat as litter continues to-day 56 .(af) Peat as a filter and absorbentmaterial 57Peat functions as a filter and absorbentmaterial both in situ (see §3.4.2 (i)) and exsitu. The pollution treatment capabilities ofpeat materials include:1. Physical filtration2. Chemical adsorption/absorption3. Biological transformation.Because of the high cation exchange capacity,porosity, surface area and absorption abilityof peat, all of the above treatment characteristicsoccur simultaneously within a peatmaterial whether used for water/wastewateror gaseous treatment.Firstly, the peat filters out suspended solidsand microbiological contaminants. Secondly,chemical components are adsorbed orretained within the peat. Finally biologicalinactivation occurs as a result of theproliferation of a microbial populationindigenous to the peat.