1
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Tornabene BJ, Hossack BR, Halstead BJ, Eagles-Smith CA, Adams MJ, Backlin AR, Brand AB, Emery CS, Fisher RN, Fleming J, Glorioso BM, Grear DA, Grant EHC, Kleeman PM, Miller DAW, Muths E, Pearl CA, Rowe JC, Rumrill CT, Waddle JH, Winzeler ME, Smalling KL. Broad-Scale Assessment of Methylmercury in Adult Amphibians. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:17511-17521. [PMID: 37902062 PMCID: PMC10653216 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c05549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a toxic contaminant that has been mobilized and distributed worldwide and is a threat to many wildlife species. Amphibians are facing unprecedented global declines due to many threats including contaminants. While the biphasic life history of many amphibians creates a potential nexus for methylmercury (MeHg) exposure in aquatic habitats and subsequent health effects, the broad-scale distribution of MeHg exposure in amphibians remains unknown. We used nonlethal sampling to assess MeHg bioaccumulation in 3,241 juvenile and adult amphibians during 2017-2021. We sampled 26 populations (14 species) across 11 states in the United States, including several imperiled species that could not have been sampled by traditional lethal methods. We examined whether life history traits of species and whether the concentration of total mercury in sediment or dragonflies could be used as indicators of MeHg bioaccumulation in amphibians. Methylmercury contamination was widespread, with a 33-fold difference in concentrations across sites. Variation among years and clustered subsites was less than variation across sites. Life history characteristics such as size, sex, and whether the amphibian was a frog, toad, newt, or other salamander were the factors most strongly associated with bioaccumulation. Total Hg in dragonflies was a reliable indicator of bioaccumulation of MeHg in amphibians (R2 ≥ 0.67), whereas total Hg in sediment was not (R2 ≤ 0.04). Our study, the largest broad-scale assessment of MeHg bioaccumulation in amphibians, highlights methodological advances that allow for nonlethal sampling of rare species and reveals immense variation among species, life histories, and sites. Our findings can help identify sensitive populations and provide environmentally relevant concentrations for future studies to better quantify the potential threats of MeHg to amphibians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian J. Tornabene
- U.S.
Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain
Science Center, Missoula, Montana 59801, United States
| | - Blake R. Hossack
- U.S.
Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain
Science Center, Missoula, Montana 59801, United States
- Wildlife
Biology Program, W. A. Franke College of Forestry & Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812, United States
| | - Brian J. Halstead
- U.S.
Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research
Center, Dixon, California 95620, United States
| | - Collin A. Eagles-Smith
- U.S.
Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland
Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, Oregon 97331 United States
| | - Michael J. Adams
- U.S.
Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland
Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, Oregon 97331 United States
| | - Adam R. Backlin
- U.S.
Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research
Center, San Diego, California 92101, United States
| | - Adrianne B. Brand
- U.S. Geological
Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center
(Patuxent Wildlife Research Center), Turners Falls, Massachusetts 01376, United States
| | - Colleen S. Emery
- U.S.
Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland
Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, Oregon 97331 United States
| | - Robert N. Fisher
- U.S.
Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research
Center, San Diego, California 92101, United States
| | - Jill Fleming
- U.S. Geological
Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center
(Patuxent Wildlife Research Center), Turners Falls, Massachusetts 01376, United States
| | - Brad M. Glorioso
- U.S.
Geological
Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Lafayette, Louisiana 70506, United States
| | - Daniel A. Grear
- U.S.
Geological
Survey, National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, Wisconsin 53711, United States
| | - Evan H. Campbell Grant
- U.S. Geological
Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center
(Patuxent Wildlife Research Center), Turners Falls, Massachusetts 01376, United States
| | - Patrick M. Kleeman
- U.S.
Geological
Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Point Reyes Station, California 94956, United States
| | - David A. W. Miller
- Department
of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania
State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Erin Muths
- U.S. Geological
Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526, United States
| | - Christopher A. Pearl
- U.S.
Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland
Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, Oregon 97331 United States
| | - Jennifer C. Rowe
- U.S.
Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland
Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, Oregon 97331 United States
| | - Caitlin T. Rumrill
- U.S.
Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland
Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, Oregon 97331 United States
| | - J. Hardin Waddle
- U.S. Geological
Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Gainesville, Florida 32653, United States
| | - Megan E. Winzeler
- U.S.
Geological
Survey, National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, Wisconsin 53711, United States
| | - Kelly L. Smalling
- U.S. Geological
Survey, New Jersey Water Science Center, Lawrenceville, New Jersey 08648, United States
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2
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Cain DJ, Croteau MN, Fuller CC, Beisner KR, Campbell KM, Stoliker DL, Schenk ER. Aquatic insect accumulation of uranium at spring outflows in the Grand Canyon region as influenced by aqueous and sediment geochemistry and biological factors: implications for monitoring. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:841. [PMID: 37318641 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11254-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Potential adverse ecological effects of expanded uranium (U) mining within the Grand Canyon region motivated studies to better understand U exposure and risk to endemic species. This study documents U exposures and analyzes geochemical and biological factors affecting U bioaccumulation at spring-fed systems within the Grand Canyon region. The principal objective was to determine if aqueous U was broadly indicative of U accumulated by insect larvae, a dominate fauna. Analyses focused on three widely distributed taxa: Argia sp. (a predatory damselfly), Culicidae (suspension feeding mosquitos), and Limnephilus sp. (a detritivorous caddisfly). The study showed that U accumulated by aquatic insects (and periphyton) generally correlated positively with total dissolved U, although correlations were strongest when based on modeled concentrations of the U-dicarbonato complex, UO2(CO3)2-2, and UO2(OH)2. Sediment metal concentration was a redundant indicator of U bioaccumulation. Neither insect size or U in the gut content of Limnephilus sp. substantially affected correlations between aqueous U and whole-body U concentrations. However, in Limnephilus sp., the gut and its content contained large quantities of U. Estimates of the sediment burden in the gut indicated that sediment was a minor source of U mass but contributed substantially to the total insect weight. As a result, whole-body U concentration would tend to vary inversely with the sediment burden of the gut. The correlations between aqueous U and bioaccumulated U provide an initial relational baseline against which newly acquired data could be evaluated for changes in U exposure during and after mining operations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Cain
- US Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA.
| | | | | | | | - Kate M Campbell
- US Geological Survey, Denver Federal Center, Lakewood, CO, 80226, USA
| | | | - Edward R Schenk
- Flagstaff Water Services, 2323 N. Walgreens Dr., Flagstaff, AZ, 86004, USA
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3
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Horai S, Murakami S, Sakoda A, Nakashita R, Kunisue T, Ishimori Y. Environmental monitoring of trace elements and evaluation of environmental impacts to organisms near a former uranium mining site in Nigyo-toge, Japan. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2022; 194:415. [PMID: 35536368 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-022-10034-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This study was conducted to find out characteristics of trace element levels and those impacts to organisms at a former uranium (U) mining site. Concentrations of trace elements (Li, Mg, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Mo, Cd, Cs, Ba, Pb, Bi, and U) were determined in sediments, water, and three organism types (insects, frogs, and newts) from three zones in the former U mining site, Ningyo-toge in Japan. Concentrations of As and U in the sediments and water samples were the highest at the mill tailings pond (MP) site, where post-U extraction remnants have been accumulated. Additionally, among the organisms analyzed the highest concentrations of these elements/isotopes were found in newts from MP. Considering data analyses of the whole-body element concentrations, bioaccumulation factors, and δ15N values for the organisms, it was concluded that newts might be the most vulnerable species in this location. Further monitoring and more accurate evaluation of the ecological impacts are preferred for this former U mining site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sawako Horai
- Department of Environment and Public Health, National Institute for Minamata Disease, 4058-18, Hama, Minamata, Kumamoto, 867-0008, Japan.
| | - Shoichi Murakami
- Faculty of Regional Sciences, Tottori University, Tottori, Japan
| | - Akihiro Sakoda
- Ningyo-Toge Environmental Engineering Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Okayama, Japan
| | | | - Tatsuya Kunisue
- Center for Marine Environmental Studies, Ehime University, Ehime, Japan
| | - Yuu Ishimori
- Head Office of Tsuruga Decommissioning Demonstration, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Fukui, Japan
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4
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Smalling KL, Oja EB, Cleveland DM, Davenport JM, Eagles-Smith C, Campbell Grant EH, Kleeman PM, Halstead BJ, Stemp KM, Tornabene BJ, Bunnell ZJ, Hossack BR. Metal accumulation varies with life history, size, and development of larval amphibians. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 287:117638. [PMID: 34426379 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Amphibian larvae are commonly used as indicators of aquatic ecosystem health because they are susceptible to contaminants. However, there is limited information on how species characteristics and trophic position influence contaminant loads in larval amphibians. Importantly, there remains a need to understand whether grazers (frogs and toads [anurans]) and predators (salamanders) provide comparable information on contaminant accumulation or if they are each indicative of unique environmental processes and risks. To better understand the role of trophic position in contaminant accumulation, we analyzed composite tissues for 10 metals from larvae of multiple co-occurring anuran and salamander species from 20 wetlands across the United States. We examined how metal concentrations varied with body size (anurans and salamanders) and developmental stage (anurans) and how the digestive tract (gut) influenced observed metal concentrations. Across all wetlands, metal concentrations were greater in anurans than salamanders for all metals tested except mercury (Hg), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn). Concentrations of individual metals in anurans decreased with increasing weight and developmental stage. In salamanders, metal concentrations were less correlated with weight, indicating diet played a role in contaminant accumulation. Based on batches of similarly sized whole-body larvae compared to larvae with their digestive tracts removed, our results indicated that tissue type strongly affected perceived concentrations, especially for anurans (gut represented an estimated 46-97% of all metals except Se and Zn). This suggests the reliability of results based on whole-body sampling could be biased by metal, larval size, and development. Overall, our data shows that metal concentrations differs between anurans and salamanders, which suggests that metal accumulation is unique to feeding behavior and potentially trophic position. To truly characterize exposure risk in wetlands, species of different life histories, sizes and developmental stages should be included in biomonitoring efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly L Smalling
- US Geological Survey, New Jersey Water Science Center, Lawrenceville, NJ, 08648, USA.
| | - Emily B Oja
- US Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA
| | - Danielle M Cleveland
- US Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Columbia, MO, 65201, USA
| | - Jon M Davenport
- Department of Biology, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC, 28608, USA
| | - Collin Eagles-Smith
- US Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Evan H Campbell Grant
- U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, S.O. Conte Anadromous Fish Research Laboratory, Turner Falls, MA, 01376, USA
| | - Patrick M Kleeman
- US Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Point Reyes Field Station, Point Reyes Station, CA, 94956, USA
| | - Brian J Halstead
- US Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA
| | - Kenzi M Stemp
- Department of Biology, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC, 28608, USA
| | - Brian J Tornabene
- Wildlife Biology Program, W.A. Franke College of Forestry & Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA
| | - Zachary J Bunnell
- US Geological Survey, New Jersey Water Science Center, Lawrenceville, NJ, 08648, USA
| | - Blake R Hossack
- US Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA; Wildlife Biology Program, W.A. Franke College of Forestry & Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, USA
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5
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Valdez EW, Hanttula MK, Hinck JE. Seasonal Activity and Diets of Bats at Uranium Mines and Adjacent Areas near the Grand Canyon. WEST N AM NATURALIST 2021. [DOI: 10.3398/064.081.0101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ernest W. Valdez
- United States Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Department of Biology, MSC03 2020, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131
| | - Mollie K. Hanttula
- Department of Biology, MSC03 2020, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131
| | - Jo Ellen Hinck
- United States Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, 4200 New Haven Road, Columbia, MO 65201
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6
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Bayraktar OY. Possibilities of disposing silica fume and waste glass powder, which are environmental wastes, by using as a substitute for Portland cement. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:16843-16854. [PMID: 33394426 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-12195-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In this study, the possibilities of disposal of environmental waste, silica fume, and waste glass powder as substitutes in the mortar samples in Portland cement were investigated. For this purpose, Portland cement (CEM I), silica fume (SF), waste glass powder (WGP), CEN standard sand, and water were used in mortar production. Additive cements were obtained by using the SF, WGP, and SFWGP substitution methods in Portland cement at the rates of 10, 20, 30, and 40%. The flexural strength, compressive strength, radiation permeability (determination of linear absorption coefficient), high temperature, and alkali-silica reaction (ASR) effect on SF, WGP, and SFWGP were examined and compared with the control PC 42.5R samples. Mortar samples of 40 × 40 × 160 mm size were obtained with the grouts/mortars produced, and the samples were exposed to five temperature effects, namely, 20, 150, 300, 700, and 1000 ° C. Samples kept at 20 ° C are accepted as baseline. A total of 429 samples were studied, including the cooling process in the air (spontaneously in the laboratory, 20 ° C ± 2). After the samples achieved room temperature, flexural and compressive strength tests were carried out at 28 and 90 days. Test results demonstrate that SF, WGP, and SFWGP, which are environmental wastes, can be disposed both as a pozzolanic additive material both alone and together in cement mortars, can be utilized in buildings with high fire hazard, and the sample with the highest linear absorption coefficient is the sample obtained with SFWGP, and also, the expansion values that occur in SF and WGP are less than the control sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oguzhan Yavuz Bayraktar
- Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Department of Civil Engineering, Kastamonu University, Kuzeykent, Kastamonu, Turkey.
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7
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Hinck JE, Cleveland D, Sample BE. Terrestrial ecological risk analysis via dietary exposure at uranium mine sites in the Grand Canyon watershed (Arizona, USA). CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 265:129049. [PMID: 33250226 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.129049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The U.S. Department of the Interior recently included uranium (U) on a list of mineral commodities that are considered critical to economic and national security. The uses of U for commercial and residential energy production, defense applications, medical device technologies, and energy generation for space vehicles and satellites are known, but the environmental impacts of uranium extraction are not always well quantified. We conducted a screening-level ecological risk analysis based on exposure to mining-related elements via diets and incidental soil ingestion for terrestrial biota to provide context to chemical characterization and exposures at breccia pipe U mines in northern Arizona. Relative risks, calculated as hazard quotients (HQs), were generally low for all biological receptor models. Our models screened for risk to omnivores and insectivores (HQs>1) but not herbivores and carnivores. Uranium was not the driver of ecological risk; arsenic, cadmium, copper, and zinc were of concern for biota consuming ground-dwelling invertebrates. Invertebrate species composition should be considered when applying these models to other mining locations or future sampling at the breccia pipe mine sites. Dietary concentration thresholds (DCTs) were also calculated to understand food concentrations that may lead to ecological risk. The DCTs indicated that critical concentrations were not approached in our model scenarios, as evident in the very low HQs for most models. The DCTs may be used by natural resource and land managers as well as mine operators to screen or monitor for potential risk to terrestrial receptors as mine sites are developed and remediated in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jo Ellen Hinck
- U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, 4200 New Haven Road, Columbia, MO, 65201, USA.
| | - Danielle Cleveland
- U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, 4200 New Haven Road, Columbia, MO, 65201, USA
| | - Bradley E Sample
- Ecological Risk, Inc. 15036 Magno Ct., Rancho Murieta, CA, 95683, USA
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8
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Cleveland D, Hinck JE, Lankton JS. Elemental and radionuclide exposures and uptakes by small rodents, invertebrates, and vegetation at active and post-production uranium mines in the Grand Canyon watershed. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 263:127908. [PMID: 32835973 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.127908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The effects of breccia pipe uranium mining in the Grand Canyon watershed (Arizona) on ecological and cultural resources are largely unknown. We characterized the exposure of biota to uranium and co-occurring ore body elements during active ore production and at a site where ore production had recently concluded. Our results indicate that biota have taken up uranium and other elements (e.g., arsenic, cadmium, copper, molybdenum, uranium) from exposure to ore and surficial contamination, like blowing dust. Results indicate the potential for prolonged exposure to elements and radionuclides upon conclusion of active ore production. Mean radium-226 in deer mice was up to 4 times greater than uranium-234 and uranium-238 in those same samples; this may indicate a potential for, but does not necessarily imply, radium-226 toxicity. Soil screening benchmarks for uranium and molybdenum and other toxicity thresholds for arsenic, copper, selenium, uranium (e.g., growth effects) were exceeded in vegetation, invertebrates, and rodents (Peromyscus spp., Thomomys bottae, Tamias dorsalis, Dipodomys deserti). However, the prevalence and severity of microscopic lesions in rodent tissues (as direct evidence of biological effects of uptake and exposure) could not be definitively linked to mining. Our data indicate that land managers might consider factors like species, seasonal changes in environmental concentrations, and bioavailability, when determining mine permitting and remediation in the Grand Canyon watershed. Ultimately, our results will be useful for site-specific ecological risk analysis and can support future decisions regarding the mineral extraction withdrawal in the Grand Canyon watershed and elsewhere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Cleveland
- U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, 4200 New Haven Road, Columbia, MO, 65201, USA.
| | - Jo Ellen Hinck
- U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, 4200 New Haven Road, Columbia, MO, 65201, USA
| | - Julia S Lankton
- U.S. Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center, 6006 Schroeder Road, Madison, WI, 53711, USA
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9
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Fischer S, Krause T, Lederer F, Merroun ML, Shevchenko A, Hübner R, Firkala T, Stumpf T, Jordan N, Jain R. Bacillus safensis JG-B5T affects the fate of selenium by extracellular production of colloidally less stable selenium nanoparticles. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2020; 384:121146. [PMID: 31771888 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.121146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Revised: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the impact of microorganisms on the mobility of selenium (Se) is important for predicting the fate of toxic Se in the environment and improving wastewater treatment technologies. The bacteria strain Bacillus safensis JG-B5T, isolated from soil in a uranium mining waste pile, can influence the Se speciation in the environment and engineered systems. However, the mechanism and conditions of this process remain unknown. This study found that the B. safensis JG-B5T is an obligate aerobic microorganism with an ability to reduce 70% of 2.5 mM selenite to produce red spherical biogenic elemental selenium nanoparticles (BioSeNPs). Only extracellular production of BioSeNPs was observed using transmission electron microscopy. The two-chamber reactor experiments, genome analysis and corona proteins identified on BioSeNPs suggested that the selenite reduction process was primarily mediated through membrane-associated proteins, like succinate dehydrogenase. Extracellular presence and low colloidal stability of BioSeNPs as indicated by ζ-potential measurements, render B. safensis JG-B5T an attractive candidate in wastewater treatment as it provides easy way of recovering Se while maintaining low Se discharge. As this microorganism decreases Se mobility, it will affect Se bioavailability in the environment and decreases its toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Fischer
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf e. V., Institute of Resource Ecology, Bautzner Landstrasse 400, 01328 Dresden, Germany
| | - Thomas Krause
- Technische Universität Dresden, Institute of Microbiology, Chair of Molecular Biotechnology, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Franziska Lederer
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf e. V., Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology, Bautzner Landstrasse 400, 01328 Dresden, Germany
| | - Mohamed L Merroun
- University of Granada, Department of Microbiology, Campus Fuentenueva, E-18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Anna Shevchenko
- Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - René Hübner
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf e. V., Institute of Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research, Bautzner Landstrasse 400, 01328 Dresden, Germany
| | - Tamas Firkala
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf e. V., Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology, Bautzner Landstrasse 400, 01328 Dresden, Germany
| | - Thorsten Stumpf
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf e. V., Institute of Resource Ecology, Bautzner Landstrasse 400, 01328 Dresden, Germany
| | - Norbert Jordan
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf e. V., Institute of Resource Ecology, Bautzner Landstrasse 400, 01328 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Rohan Jain
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf e. V., Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology, Bautzner Landstrasse 400, 01328 Dresden, Germany.
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10
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Minter KM, Jannik GT, Hinck JE, Cleveland D, Kubilius WP, Kuhne WW. Biota Dose Assessment of Small Rodents Sampled Near Breccia Pipe Uranium Mines in the Grand Canyon Watershed. HEALTH PHYSICS 2019; 117:20-27. [PMID: 30889103 DOI: 10.1097/hp.0000000000001041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The biotic exposure and uptake of radionuclides and potential health effects due to breccia pipe uranium mining in the Grand Canyon watershed are largely unknown. This paper describes the use of the RESRAD-BIOTA dose model to assess exposure of small rodents (n = 11) sampled at three uranium mine sites in different stages of ore production (active and postproduction). Rodent tissue and soil concentrations of naturally occurring uranium (U, U, and U), thorium (Th, Th, and Th), and radium (Ra) radioisotopes were used in the dose model. The dose assessment results indicated that the potential internal, external, and total doses to rodents were below the US Department of Energy's biota dose standard of 1 mGy d. As expected, tissue concentrations of U, U, and Th were in approximate equilibrium; however, Ra results in tissue were 1.25 to 5.75 times greater than U, U, and Th tissue results for 10 out of 11 samples. Soil at the three sites also displayed Ra enrichment, so it is likely that the Ra enrichment in the rodents was from soil via typical activities (i.e., burrowing, incidental ingestion, bathing, etc.) or by dietary uptake of translocated Ra. The results suggest that Ra is more mobile in this environment and bioaccumulates in these rodent species (e.g., in bones via the bloodstream). Internal dose accounting suggests that Ra is the radionuclide of most concern for rodent exposure and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey M Minter
- Savannah River National Laboratory, Savannah River Site, Aiken, SC
| | - G Timothy Jannik
- Savannah River National Laboratory, Savannah River Site, Aiken, SC
| | - Jo Ellen Hinck
- US Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Columbia, MO
| | - Danielle Cleveland
- US Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Columbia, MO
| | | | - Wendy W Kuhne
- Savannah River National Laboratory, Savannah River Site, Aiken, SC
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11
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Bern CR, Walton-Day K, Naftz DL. Improved enrichment factor calculations through principal component analysis: Examples from soils near breccia pipe uranium mines, Arizona, USA. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2019; 248:90-100. [PMID: 30780071 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.01.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Revised: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The enrichment factor (EF) is a widely used metric for determining how much the presence of an element in a sampling media has increased relative to average natural abundance because of human activity. Calculation of an EF requires the selection of both a background composition and a reference element, choices that can strongly influence the result of the calculation. Here, it is shown how carefully applied, classical principal component analysis (PCA) examined via biplots can guide the selections of background compositions and reference elements. Elemental data were treated using the centered log ratio (CLR) transformation, and multiple subsets of major and trace elements were examined to gain different perspectives. The methodology was applied to a dataset of elemental soil concentrations from around breccia pipe uranium mines in Arizona, U.S.A., with most samples collected via incremental sampling methodology. Storage of ore at the surface creates the potential for wind dispersal of ore-derived material. Uranium was found to be the best individual tracer of dispersal of ore-derived material to nearby soils, with EF values up to 75. Sulfur, As, Mo, and Cu were also enriched but to lesser degrees. The results demonstrate several practical benefits of a PCA in these situations: (1) the ability to identify one or more elements best suited to distinguish a specific source of enrichment from background composition; (2) understanding how background compositions vary within and between sites; (3) identification of samples containing enriched or anthropogenic materials based upon their integrated, multi-element composition. Calculating the most representative EF values is useful for numerical assessment of enrichment, whether anthropogenic or natural. As shown here, however, the PCA and biplot method provide a visual approach that integrates information from all elements for a given subset of data in a manner that yields geochemical insights beyond the power of the EF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carleton R Bern
- Colorado Water Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO, 80225, USA.
| | - Katie Walton-Day
- Colorado Water Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO, 80225, USA
| | - David L Naftz
- Wyoming/Montana Water Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Helena, MT, 59601, USA
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Cleveland D, Hinck JE, Lankton JS. Assessment of chronic low-dose elemental and radiological exposures of biota at the Kanab North uranium mine site in the Grand Canyon watershed. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2019; 15:112-125. [PMID: 30136757 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Revised: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
High-grade U ore deposits are in various stages of exploitation across the Grand Canyon watershed, yet the effects of U mining on ecological and cultural resources are largely unknown. We characterized the concentrations of Al, As, Bi, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Pb, Hg, Mo, Ni, Se, Ag, Tl, Th, U, and Zn, gross alpha and beta activities, and U and Th radioisotopes in soil, vegetation (Hesperostipa comata, Artemisia tridentata, Tamarix chinensis), and rodents (Peromyscus maniculatus, P. boylii) to waste material at the Kanab North mine, a mine with decades-long surficial contamination, and compared the concentrations (P < 0.01) to those at a premining site (Canyon Mine). Rodent tissues were also analyzed for radium-226 and microscopic lesions. Radioactivities and some elemental concentrations (e.g., Co, Pb, U) were greater in the Kanab North mine biological samples than in Canyon Mine biota, indicating a mining-related elemental signature. Mean rodent Ra-226 (111 Bq/kg dry weight [dry wt]) was 3 times greater than expected, indicating radioactive disequilibrium. Multiple soil sample U concentrations exceeded a screening benchmark, growth inhibition thresholds for sensitive plants, and an EC20 for a soil arthropod. Lesions associated with metals exposure were also observed more frequently in rodents at Kanab North than those at Canyon Mine but could not be definitively attributed to U mining. Our results indicate that Kanab North biota have taken up U mining-related elements owing to chronic exposure to surficial contamination. However, no literature-based effects thresholds for small rodents were exceeded, and only a few soil and vegetation thresholds for sensitive species were exceeded; therefore, adverse effects to biota from U mining-related elements at Kanab North are unlikely despite chronic exposure. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2019;15:112-125. Published 2018. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Cleveland
- US Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Jo Ellen Hinck
- US Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Julia S Lankton
- US Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, Wisconsin
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Dipp VR, Valles S, Ortiz-Kerbertt H, Suarez JV, Bardullas U. Neurobehavioral Alterations in Zebrafish Due to Long-Term Exposure to Low Doses of Inorganic Arsenic. Zebrafish 2018; 15:575-585. [PMID: 30183563 DOI: 10.1089/zeb.2018.1627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Inorganic arsenic (As) is one of the most ubiquitous and toxic substances with widespread health effects on human populations and biodiversity. Although arsenic is a frequent surface water pollutant, there is scant evidence about neurotoxicity in aquatic species in different stages of development. In the present study, we investigated the neurobehavioral effects of chronic exposure to environmentally relevant doses of arsenic. We exposed zebrafish to 50 and 500 ppb during the larval, juvenile, and adult stage (from 4 h to 150 days postfertilization). We then used broad behavioral screening to evaluate motor function, social behavior, learning and memory, and anxiety-like behaviors. Our results show that arsenic exposure to 500 ppb alters motor function from the embryo to the adult stage. Furthermore, during the adult phase, associative learning and the sensorimotor response are affected with both high and low doses of As, respectively. Notably, exposure to 500 ppb of As induces behaviors associated with anxiety, during the juvenile and adult phase but not the larval stage, without changes in whole-body cortisol levels. These results indicate that chronic exposure to arsenic during their lifespan is capable of producing alterations in different behavioral markers in aquatic vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Víctor René Dipp
- Laboratorio de Biología Integrativa, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC) , Ensenada, México
| | - Selma Valles
- Laboratorio de Biología Integrativa, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC) , Ensenada, México
| | - Héctor Ortiz-Kerbertt
- Laboratorio de Biología Integrativa, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC) , Ensenada, México
| | - Julio V Suarez
- Laboratorio de Biología Integrativa, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC) , Ensenada, México
| | - Ulises Bardullas
- Laboratorio de Biología Integrativa, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC) , Ensenada, México
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Metabarcoding of Environmental DNA Samples to Explore the Use of Uranium Mine Containment Ponds as a Water Source for Wildlife. DIVERSITY-BASEL 2017. [DOI: 10.3390/d9040054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how anthropogenic impacts on the landscape affect wildlife requires a knowledge of community assemblages. Species surveys are the first step in assessing community structure, and recent molecular applications such as metabarcoding and environmental DNA analyses have been proposed as an additional and complementary wildlife survey method. Here, we test eDNA metabarcoding as a survey tool to examine the potential use of uranium mine containment ponds as water sources by wildlife. We tested samples from surface water near mines and from one mine containment pond using two markers, 12S and 16S rRNA gene amplicons, to survey for vertebrate species. We recovered large numbers of sequence reads from taxa expected to be in the area and from less common or hard to observe taxa such as the tiger salamander and gray fox. Detection of these two species is of note because they were not observed in a previous species assessment, and tiger salamander DNA was found in the mine containment pond sample. We also found that sample concentration by centrifugation was a more efficient and more feasible method than filtration in these highly turbid surface waters. Ultimately, the use of eDNA metabarcoding could allow for a better understanding of the area’s overall biodiversity and community composition as well as aid current ecotoxicological risk assessment work.
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