Frank von Willert, Ph.D. candidate in agronomy

Frank von Willert, Ph.D. candidate in agronomy, is working on a project to reclaim acid mine spoils using compost and gypsum. Pennsylvania's long history of coal mining has left large areas of exposed acid mine spoils that contaminate ground and surface waters with acid mine drainage and eroded sediment. The low pH and high Al3+ and Fe3+ concentrations of these mine spoils make them unfavorable for plant growth. Revegetation of the spoils is the first step to reducing acid mine drainage and erosion. Traditional methods of reestablishing vegetation include applications of topsoil or lime, but this improves only the uppermost layer of the mine spoil. Many of the spoil areas have been abandoned by the companies that mined them and if they are to be cleaned up, it will be at taxpayer expense. Therefore, environmental agencies are looking for a cost effective method that requires as little input as possible. Von Willert and his advisor, Dr. Richard Stehouwer, assistant professor of environmental soil science, are investigating a new method of detoxifying mine spoils by combining tow waste products, gypsum and various organic materials.      Gypsum is produced during the scrubbing of emissions from coal-fired power plants. Emissions scrubbing is required under the Clean Air Act Amendments to remove the sulfur that is partially responsible for producing acid rain. Millions of tons of gypsum are produced every year in the U.S. and currently, most of it is landfilled.      "Initial field research conducted by Dr. Stehouwer shows that the combination of gypsum and compost is very successful in reclaiming mine spoils," says von Willert. Now the team is doing basic research to explain why the process works and how to optimize it. Some factors under study

include the source and age of the compost. "This is basic research that tries to understand the processes involved," says von Willert.      The research is sponsored by the U.S.-Israel Binational Agricultural Research Development program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A team in Israel is studying the same processes with high pH soils.      Von Willert graduated with an M.S. in geoecology from the University of Bayreuth in Germany. He conducted research on soil fertility in an agroforestry system in Kenya for his master's degree. This system intermingles nitrogen-fixing trees with crops so that the leaves of the trees and dead roots fertilize the crops. Although he enjoyed the cultural experience of living in Kenya, he learned that he did not want to pursue tropical ecology.      Von Willert came to Penn State in 1998 and, with the help of the graduate students in the department, soon felt at home. "I like the accessibility of the faculty here too," he says. "It's a big difference from Germany. Here you can usually just walk up to faculty members and talk to them and it feels like they're really interested in you." He also enjoys the greenness of the University Park campus and the easy accessibility to nature. He expects to complete his degree in 2001. When he's done here, he plans to teach at the college level or work for industry or a consulting group. He's uncertain about whether he'll stay in the U.S. or return to Germany.      Von Willert can be reached by email at frankvw@psu.edu or by phone at (814) 865-6541.