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Johnston SG, Aaso T, Maher DT, Burton ED, Call M, Birch M, Schmidt J, Ferguson A. Extreme iron cycling in a coastal lake-lagoon system driven by interactions between climate and entrance management. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 935:173345. [PMID: 38782265 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Intermittently closed and open coastal lakes and lagoons (ICOLLs) are ecologically important and hydrologically sensitive estuarine systems. We explore how extreme drought and ICOLL entrance management intersect to influence the geochemical cycling of iron. Opening the ICOLL entrance just prior to an extreme drought in 2019 led to prolonged extremely low water levels, thereby exposing intertidal/subtidal sulfidic sediments and causing oxidation of sedimentary pyrite. Subsequent reflooding of exposed sediments for ∼4 months led to extremely elevated Fe2+(aq) (>10 mM) in intertidal hyporheic porewaters, consistent with Fe2+(aq) release via pyrite oxidation and via reductive dissolution of newly-formed Fe(III) phases. Re-opening the ICOLL entrance caused a rapid fall in water levels (∼1.5 m over 7 d), driving the development of effluent groundwater gradients in the intertidal zone, thereby transporting Fe2+-rich porewater into surface sediments and surface waters. This was accompanied by co-mobilisation of some trace metals and nutrients. On contact with oxic, circumneutral-pH estuarine water, the abundant Fe2+(aq) oxidised, forming a spatially extensive accumulation of poorly crystalline Fe(III) oxyhydroxide floc (up to 25 % Fe dry weight) in shallow intertidal zone benthic sediments throughout the ICOLL. Modelling estimates ∼4050 × 103 kg of poorly-crystalline Fe was translocated into surficial sediments. The newly formed Fe(III)-oxyhydroxides serve as a metastable sink encouraging enrichment of both phosphate and various trace metal(loid)s in near-surface sediments, which may have consequences for future cycling of nutrients, metals and ICOLL ecological function. The additional Fe also may enhance ICOLL sensitivity to similar future drought events by encouraging pyrite formation in shallow (<5 cm) benthic sediments. This system-wide translocation of Fe from deeper sediments into surficial benthic sediments represents a form of geochemical hysteresis with an uncertain recovery trajectory. This study demonstrates how climate extremes can interact with anthropogenic management to amplify ICOLL hydrological oscillations and influence biogeochemistry in complex ways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott G Johnston
- Catchments, Coasts and Communities Cluster, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia; Faculty of Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia.
| | - Thor Aaso
- Soil Conservation Service, 13 Short Street, Port Macquarie, NSW, Australia
| | - Damien T Maher
- Catchments, Coasts and Communities Cluster, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia; Faculty of Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia
| | - Edward D Burton
- Catchments, Coasts and Communities Cluster, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia; Faculty of Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia
| | - Mitchell Call
- Catchments, Coasts and Communities Cluster, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia; Faculty of Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia
| | - Mathew Birch
- Soil Conservation Service, 13 Short Street, Port Macquarie, NSW, Australia
| | - John Schmidt
- Science Division, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, NSW, Australia
| | - Angus Ferguson
- Science Division, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, NSW, Australia
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Izaditame F, LeMonte JJ, Siebecker MG, Yu X, Fischel M, Tappero R, Sparks DL. Sea-level rise and arsenic-rich soils: A toxic relationship. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 472:134528. [PMID: 38733785 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134528] [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: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
In the United States, dangerously high arsenic (As) levels have been found in drinking water wells in more than 25 states, potentially exposing 2.1 million people to drinking water high in As; a known carcinogen. The anticipated sea-level rise (SLR) is expected to alter soil biogeochemical and hydrological conditions, potentially impacting their ability to sequester As. In our study of coastal Wilmington, DE, an area projected to experience a 1 -meter SLR by 2100, we examined the spatial distribution, speciation, and release possibilities of As due to SLR. To understand the complex dynamics at play, we employed a comprehensive approach, including bulk and micro X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements, hydrological pattern evaluation, and macroscopic stirred-flow experiments. Our results suggest that introducing reducing and saline conditions can increase As release in both river water and seawater inundation scenarios, most likely due to ionic competition and the dissolution of As-bearing Fe/Mn oxides. Regardless of the salinity source, the released As concentrations consistently exceeded the EPA threshold for drinking water. Our results provide valuable insights for developing appropriate remedial and management strategies for this site and numerous others facing similar environmental challenges. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: With nearly two hundred million individuals living within coastal flood plains and with two million square kilometers of land and one trillion dollars' worth of assets lying less than 1 m above current sea level, sea-level rise (SLR) is one of the significant socio-economic threats associated with global warming. Arsenic is a prevalent contaminant in coastal areas impacted by industrial activities, many of which are susceptible to being impacted by SLR. This study examines SLR's impact on arsenic fate and speciation in a densely populated coastline in Wilmington, DE, expecting 1 meter of SLR by 2100.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Izaditame
- Department of Sustainable Earth Systems Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA.
| | - Joshua J LeMonte
- Department of Geological Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA.
| | - Matthew G Siebecker
- Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA.
| | - Xuan Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China.
| | - Matthew Fischel
- Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA.
| | - Ryan Tappero
- Soil Scientist, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA.
| | - Donald L Sparks
- Department of Plant & Soil Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA.
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Ma L, Banda JF, Wang Y, Yang Q, Zhao L, Hao C, Dong H. Metagenomic insight into the acidophilic functional communities driving elemental geochemical cycles in an acid mine drainage lake. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 466:133070. [PMID: 38278071 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.133070] [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: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Acidophiles play a key role in the generation, evolution and attenuation of acid mine drainage (AMD), which is characterized by strong acidity (pH<3.5) and high metal concentrations. In this study, the seasonal changes of acidophilic communities and their roles in elemental cycling in an AMD lake (pH∼3.0) in China were analyzed through metagenomics. The results showed eukaryotic algae thrived in the lake, and Coccomyxa was dominant in January (38.1%) and May (33.9%), while Chlorella in July (9.5%). The extensive growth of Chlamydomonas in December (22.7%) resulted in an ultrahigh chlorophyll a concentration (587 μg/L), providing abundant organic carbon for the ecosystem. In addition, the iron-oxidizing and nitrogen-fixing bacterium Ferrovum contributed to carbon fixation. Ammonia oxidation likely occurred in the acidic lake, as was revealed by archaea Ca. Nitrosotalea. To gain a competitive advantage in the nutrient-poor environment, some acidophiles exhibited facultative characteristics, e.g. the most abundant bacterium Acidiphilium utilized both organic and inorganic carbon, and obtained energy from organic matter, inorganic sulfur, and sunlight simultaneously. It was suggested that sunlight, rather than chemical energy of reduced iron-sulfur was the major driver of elemental cycling in the AMD lake. The results are beneficial to the development of bioremediation strategies for AMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linqiang Ma
- Center for Geomicrobiology and Biogeochemistry Research, State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China; School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Joseph Frazer Banda
- Center for Geomicrobiology and Biogeochemistry Research, State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China; School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yikai Wang
- Center for Geomicrobiology and Biogeochemistry Research, State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China; School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Qingwei Yang
- Center for Geomicrobiology and Biogeochemistry Research, State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China; School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Linting Zhao
- Center for Geomicrobiology and Biogeochemistry Research, State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China; School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Chunbo Hao
- Center for Geomicrobiology and Biogeochemistry Research, State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China; School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China.
| | - Hailiang Dong
- Center for Geomicrobiology and Biogeochemistry Research, State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
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Bharat AP, Singh AK, Mahato MK. Heavy metal geochemistry and toxicity assessment of water environment from Ib valley coalfield, India: Implications to contaminant source apportionment and human health risks. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 352:141452. [PMID: 38354867 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141452] [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: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
The present study aims to investigate the hydrogeochemical evolution of heavy metals and assesses impacts of mining activities on the groundwater resources and potential human health risks in the coal mining areas of Ib valley coalfield. In this perspective, a total of one hundred and two mine water and groundwater samples were collected from different locations. The water samples were analysed for some selected heavy metals i.e. Mn, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Co, As, Se, Al, Sr, Ba, Cd, Cr, V and Fe using ICP-MS. In addition, pH and SO42- concentration were also measured following APHA procedure. The water pH in the Ib valley coalfields ranged from 3.26 to 8.18 for mine water and 5.23 to 8.52 for groundwater, indicating acidic to alkaline nature of water. Mn in mine water and Zn in groundwater environment were observed as the most dominant metals. The water hazard index (WHI) reflects that around 80% of mine water are non-toxic (WHI<5), 5% slightly toxic (510) and 15% extremely toxic (WHI>15). Relatively high pH and low concentration of dissolved metals and SO42- in groundwater as compared to mine water indicate lesser impact of mining activities. The calculated drinking water quality index (DWQI) suggests that Mn, Al, Ni and Fe in mine water and Mn, Fe, Ni and Pb in groundwater were the major objectionable metals which caused the water quality deterioration for drinking uses. Further, the non-carcinogenic health risk assessment for adult male, female and child populations identifies Co, Mn, Ni as the key elements making the water hazardous for human health. Comparatively higher ratio of ingestion rate and body weight in child population might be causing higher health risks in child population as compared to adult male and adult female population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek Pandey Bharat
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, Uttar Pradesh, India; CSIR-Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research, Dhanbad 826001, Jharkhand, India.
| | - Abhay Kumar Singh
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, Uttar Pradesh, India; CSIR-Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research, Dhanbad 826001, Jharkhand, India
| | - Mukesh Kumar Mahato
- Department of Environmental Studies, Lakshmibai College, University of Delhi, India
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Cuevas M, Francisco I, Díaz-González F, Diaz M, Quatrini R, Beamud G, Pedrozo F, Temporetti P. Nutrient structure dynamics and microbial communities at the water-sediment interface in an extremely acidic lake in northern Patagonia. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1335978. [PMID: 38410393 PMCID: PMC10895001 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1335978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Lake Caviahue (37° 50 'S and 71° 06' W; Patagonia, Argentina) is an extreme case of a glacial, naturally acidic, aquatic environment (pH ~ 3). Knowledge of the bacterial communities in the water column of this lake, is incipient, with a basal quantification of the bacterioplankton abundance distribution in the North and South Basins of Lake Caviahue, and the described the presence of sulfur and iron oxidizing bacteria in the lake sediments. The role that bacterioplankton plays in nutrient utilization and recycling in this environment, especially in the phosphorus cycle, has not been studied. In this work, we explore this aspect in further depth by assessing the diversity of pelagic, littoral and sediment bacteria, using state of the art molecular methods and identifying the differences and commonalties in the composition of the cognate communities. Also, we investigate the interactions between the sediments of Lake Caviahue and the microbial communities present in both sediments, pore water and the water column, to comprehend the ecological relationships driving nutrient structure and fluxes, with a special focus on carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. Two major environmental patterns were observed: (a) one distinguishing the surface water samples due to temperature, Fe2+, and electrical conductivity, and (b) another distinguishing winter and summer samples due to the high pH and increasing concentrations of N-NH4+, DOC and SO42-, from autumn and spring samples with high soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and iron concentrations. The largest bacterial abundance was found in autumn, alongside higher levels of dissolved phosphorus, iron forms, and increased conductivity. The highest values of bacterial biomass were found in the bottom strata of the lake, which is also where the greatest diversity in microbial communities was found. The experiments using continuous flow column microcosms showed that microbial growth over time, in both the test and control columns, was accompanied by a decrease in the concentration of dissolved nutrients (SRP and N-NH4+), providing proof that sediment microorganisms are active and contribute significantly to nutrient utilization/mobilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayra Cuevas
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente (INIBIOMA), Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche-UNComahue, CCT-Patagonia Norte, CONICET, San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
| | - Issotta Francisco
- Centro Científico y Tecnológico de Excelencia Ciencia & Vida, Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Santiago, Chile
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, School of Biological Sciences, P. Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Fernando Díaz-González
- Centro Científico y Tecnológico de Excelencia Ciencia & Vida, Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Santiago, Chile
- Facultad de Medicina y Ciencia, Universidad San Sebastián, Santiago, Chile
| | - Mónica Diaz
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente (INIBIOMA), Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche-UNComahue, CCT-Patagonia Norte, CONICET, San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
| | - Raquel Quatrini
- Centro Científico y Tecnológico de Excelencia Ciencia & Vida, Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Santiago, Chile
- Facultad de Medicina y Ciencia, Universidad San Sebastián, Santiago, Chile
| | - Guadalupe Beamud
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente (INIBIOMA), Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche-UNComahue, CCT-Patagonia Norte, CONICET, San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
| | - Fernando Pedrozo
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente (INIBIOMA), Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche-UNComahue, CCT-Patagonia Norte, CONICET, San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
| | - Pedro Temporetti
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente (INIBIOMA), Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche-UNComahue, CCT-Patagonia Norte, CONICET, San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
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Matei E, Predescu AM, Șăulean AA, Râpă M, Sohaciu MG, Coman G, Berbecaru AC, Predescu C, Vâju D, Vlad G. Ferrous Industrial Wastes-Valuable Resources for Water and Wastewater Decontamination. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:13951. [PMID: 36360832 PMCID: PMC9657322 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192113951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Ferrous waste by-products from the metallurgical industry have a high potential for valorization in the context of the circular economy, and can be converted to value-added products used in environmental remediation. This research reviews the latest data available in the literature with a focus on: (i) sources from which these types of iron-based wastes originate; (ii) the types of ferrous compounds that result from different industries; (iii) the different methods (with respect to the circular economy) used to convert them into products applied in water and wastewater decontamination; (iv) the harmful effects ferrous wastes can have on the environment and human health; and (v) the future perspectives for these types of waste.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ecaterina Matei
- Faculty of Materials Sciences and Engineering, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independentei, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Andra Mihaela Predescu
- Faculty of Materials Sciences and Engineering, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independentei, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Anca Andreea Șăulean
- Faculty of Materials Sciences and Engineering, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independentei, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Maria Râpă
- Faculty of Materials Sciences and Engineering, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independentei, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Mirela Gabriela Sohaciu
- Faculty of Materials Sciences and Engineering, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independentei, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
| | - George Coman
- Faculty of Materials Sciences and Engineering, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independentei, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Andrei-Constantin Berbecaru
- Faculty of Materials Sciences and Engineering, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independentei, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Cristian Predescu
- Faculty of Materials Sciences and Engineering, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 313 Splaiul Independentei, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Dumitru Vâju
- ICPE Bistrita, 7 Parcului Street, 420035 Bistrita, Romania
| | - Grigore Vlad
- ICPE Bistrita, 7 Parcului Street, 420035 Bistrita, Romania
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Chen H, Ai Y, Jia Y, Li J, Gu M, Chen M. Effective and simultaneous removal of heavy metals and neutralization of acid mine drainage using an attapulgite-soda residue based adsorbent. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 843:157120. [PMID: 35787898 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Revised: 06/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Implementing an economical and effective measure for treating acid mine drainage (AMD) from abandoned mines using low-cost restoration reagents present a significant challenge. In this study, natural attapulgite (AT) and soda residue (SR) composite particles (AT-SR) were firstly prepared and utilized in AMD treatment. The efficiencies and mechanisms of AT-SR composites for regulating acidity and removing metals in AMD, the critical factors influencing the treatment efficiencies, and the regeneration performance and environmental risk were investigated. It is illustrated that AT and SR quality ratio of 5:5, dosage of 0.5 g L-1, particle size < 1.5 mm, concentrations of 150 mg L-1 for Fe, 75 mg L-1 for Mn and 100 mg L-1 for Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb, and adsorption time of 120 min were the optimized conditions. The maximum adsorption capacities of Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb under single metal scenarios were 51.61, 22.30, 37.05, 40.21, 37.39 and 49.53 mg g-1, respectively. Under the mixed metal scenarios, competitive adsorption was predominated with the rate constants in the reducing order of 3.169 for Fe > 0.841 for Cu > 0.657 for Pb > 0.083 for Zn > 0.024 for Cd > 0.006 for Mn. The experimental data was fitted well with the pseudo-second-order and the Freundlich isotherm models. AT-SR is an outstanding neutralizer for AMD due to its richness in calcium and magnesium oxides and the spent AT-SR composites could be easily regenerated while maintaining high metal removal efficiencies under the subsequent usages. It is determined under the aqua regia digestion and Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) tests that AT-SR can be used safely without posing environmental risks, thus promoting the resource recovery and utilization of soda residue and providing a green and effective method for treating AMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongping Chen
- Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory for Soil and Groundwater Remediation of Contaminated Sites, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Yulu Ai
- Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory for Soil and Groundwater Remediation of Contaminated Sites, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Yufei Jia
- Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory for Soil and Groundwater Remediation of Contaminated Sites, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Jing Li
- Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Mingyue Gu
- Nanjing Kaiye Environmental Technology Co Ltd, Nanjing 210034, China
| | - Mengfang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory for Soil and Groundwater Remediation of Contaminated Sites, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China.
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Zhang R, Wang Z, Huang H, Song J, Wu B, Wang M, Xu H. Assessment about bioindicator capacity of acrocarpous moss Campylopus schmidii exposed to abandoned pyritic tailings. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 317:115471. [PMID: 35751270 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115471] [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: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Terrestrial mosses are promising species to study concerning metal deposition, absorption, and soil fertility as moss biocrusts. However, acrocarpous moss, as a kind of terrestrial mosses, has not yet been well understood, both in environmental monitoring and ecological application, especially exposed to an abandoned pyrite mining. Herein, we investigated the concentrations of different heavy metals in soil underlying acrocarpous moss Campylopus schmidii at three distances from an abandoned pyrite mine tailings (0.5, 1, 2 km) by sampling analysis, as well as the accumulation properties of heavy metals in different parts of mosses and soil nutrients under intact mosses and moss-free layers. The results indicated that the soil we researched was heavily polluted by Cr, Cu, and Cd, which was 4.46, 4.18, and 1.77 times higher than the standard of risk screening values for soil environment quality in China. And there was a marked difference in the concentrations and distribution of heavy metals in mosses, with higher concentrations of Cr, Cu, Ni and Pb mainly in the ageing parts. In addition, mosses can effectively promote soil fertility. Compared with the bare soil without the moss layer, the total organic matter and total potassium concentrations of the soil covered by the intact moss layer were significantly increased, by 113.91% and 186.08% respectively. Correlation analysis indicated that similar pollution sources for Zn, Cd, Cu, and Pb, and the concentrations of these heavy metals in soil connected with the distance from the source of pollution. Overall, we expected that these findings could assess the greater potential of single native dominant moss species C.schmidii to act as biomonitors in specific pyrite mine tailings characterized by barren soil with strong acids (pH < 4.0) and polymetallic pollution. Meanwhile, our results revealed may serve as a possibility reference for similar areas and is recommended for developing a vegetative cover utilizing local acrocarpous mosses to achieve greening of degraded tailings in the future, as well as environmental management and protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, Sichuan, PR China.
| | - Ziru Wang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Huayan Huang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Jianjincang Song
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Bohan Wu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Maolin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Heng Xu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, Sichuan, PR China; Key Laboratory of Environment Protection, Soil Ecological Protection and Pollution Control, Sichuan University & Department of Ecology and Environment of Sichuan, Chengdu, 610065, Sichuan, PR China.
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Fuentes-López JM, Olías M, León R, Basallote MD, Macías F, Moreno-González R, Cánovas CR. Stream-pit lake interactions in an abandoned mining area affected by acid drainage (Iberian Pyrite Belt). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 833:155224. [PMID: 35421501 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Opencast mining of sulfide ore deposits may lead to the formation of anthropogenic acidic lakes with highly polluted waters. In these systems, it is crucial to understand the hydrological connections between surface and groundwater and their contribution to the pollutant load delivered to the downgradient streams. This study characterizes the interactions between surface and groundwater in an acidic pit lake using different geochemical tracers (i.e., REE and other trace metals). The San Telmo pit lake, located in one of the most pollutant sources of the Iberian Pyrite Belt (IPB), can be considered as a flow-through pit lake except during dry periods, when it behaves as a terminal lake due to lower inputs by surface waters and higher outputs by evaporation. Results based on geochemical tracers indicate that the main inputs to the pit lake come from surface waters, with minor groundwater inputs rich in As, Cr, Cu, Fe and Pb. The contaminant load released from the mining area is very high (e.g., median values of 520 kg/day of Fe and 38 kg/day of Zn), causing the degradation of the fluvial network downstream. Most of released pollutants come from waste dumps located at the W of the mining zone (~50-70% of Al, Cd, Mg, Mn, Ni, SO4 and Zn and > 70% for Cu, Cr, Fe and, V), while the contribution of the water coming out the pit lake and other dumps is much lower. Thus, remediation efforts to improve the area and fluvial courses downstream must focus on the W waste dumps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose M Fuentes-López
- Department of Earth Sciences & Research Center on Natural Resources, Health and the Environment, University of Huelva, Campus 'El Carmen', 21071, Huelva, Spain
| | - Manuel Olías
- Department of Earth Sciences & Research Center on Natural Resources, Health and the Environment, University of Huelva, Campus 'El Carmen', 21071, Huelva, Spain
| | - Rafael León
- Department of Earth Sciences & Research Center on Natural Resources, Health and the Environment, University of Huelva, Campus 'El Carmen', 21071, Huelva, Spain
| | - Maria Dolores Basallote
- Department of Earth Sciences & Research Center on Natural Resources, Health and the Environment, University of Huelva, Campus 'El Carmen', 21071, Huelva, Spain
| | - Francisco Macías
- Department of Earth Sciences & Research Center on Natural Resources, Health and the Environment, University of Huelva, Campus 'El Carmen', 21071, Huelva, Spain
| | - Raul Moreno-González
- Department of Earth Sciences & Research Center on Natural Resources, Health and the Environment, University of Huelva, Campus 'El Carmen', 21071, Huelva, Spain
| | - Carlos R Cánovas
- Department of Earth Sciences & Research Center on Natural Resources, Health and the Environment, University of Huelva, Campus 'El Carmen', 21071, Huelva, Spain.
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10
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Roesel LK, Zak DH. Treating acid mine drainage with decomposed organic soil: Implications for peatland rewetting. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 311:114808. [PMID: 35245841 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.114808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Acidification and salinisation of groundwater and surface water bodies are worldwide problems in post-mining landscapes due to acid mine drainage (AMD). In this study, we hypothesised that highly decomposed peat offers a suitable substrate for mitigating AMD pollution of water bodies and that hydraulic load affects the removal efficiency of iron and sulphate. A lysimeter experiment was conducted mimicking peatland rewetting to quantify iron and sulphate removal and pH changes at different loading rates. The low initial pH of 4 rose to 6 and electrical conductivity declined by up to 47%. The initially high concentrations of iron (>250 mg/L) and sulphate (>770 mg/L) declined by, on average, 87 and 78%, respectively. The removal efficiency of sulphate was negatively correlated with either the hydraulic or the sulphate load, respectively, i. e. the lower the hydraulic load, the higher the removal efficiency of sulphate. However, the removal of iron was not explained by the load. The results imply that desulphurication and thus subsequent precipitation of iron sulphides was the main removal process and that peatland rewetting is an effective measure to mitigate AMD pollution of freshwater systems. For the heavily AMD-polluted studied section of the River Spree, we estimated by combining experimental with field data that a sulphate load reduction of the river by about 20% (36,827 tons/yr) will occur if all peatlands in the sub-catchment (6067 ha; 6.7% of the total area) are rewetted. Future investigations must show if the pollutant removal is declining over time in decomposed peat layers due to acidification and/or lack of bioavailable carbon and how the rewetting of peatland with AMD will affect the restoration of their ecosystem functioning in the long term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia K Roesel
- Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany; FIB - Research Institute for Post-Mining Landscapes, Finsterwalde, Germany.
| | - Dominik H Zak
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Denmark; Department of Ecohydrology and Biogeochemistry, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Germany.
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11
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Song T, Liang Q, Du Z, Wang X, Chen G, Du Z, Mu D. Salinity Gradient Controls Microbial Community Structure and Assembly in Coastal Solar Salterns. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13020385. [PMID: 35205428 PMCID: PMC8872224 DOI: 10.3390/genes13020385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Salinity acts as a critical environmental filter on microbial communities in natural systems, negatively affecting microbial diversity. However, how salinity affects microbial community assembly remains unclear. This study used Wendeng multi-pond saltern as a model to evaluate the prokaryotic community composition and diversity and quantify the relative importance of ecological processes across salinity gradients. The results showed that low-saline salterns (45–80 g/L) exhibited higher bacterial diversity than high-saline salterns (175–265 g/L). The relative abundance of taxa assigned to Halomicrobiaceae, Rhodobacteraceae, Saprospiraceae, and Thiotrichaceae exhibited a hump-shaped dependence on increasing salinity. Salinity and pH were the primary environmental factors that directly or indirectly determined the composition and diversity of prokaryotic communities. Microbial co-occurrence network dynamics were more complex in the sediment than in the water of salterns. An infer Community Assembly Mechanisms by Phylogenetic-bin-based null model analysis (iCAMP) showed that microbial community assembly in sediment and water differed. Our findings provide more information about microbial community structure and the importance of various ecological processes in controlling microbial community diversity and succession along salinity gradients in water and sediment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianran Song
- SDU-ANU Joint Science College, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China;
| | - Qiyun Liang
- College of Marine Science, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China; (Q.L.); (Z.D.); (X.W.); (G.C.)
| | - Zhaozhong Du
- College of Marine Science, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China; (Q.L.); (Z.D.); (X.W.); (G.C.)
| | - Xiaoqun Wang
- College of Marine Science, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China; (Q.L.); (Z.D.); (X.W.); (G.C.)
| | - Guanjun Chen
- College of Marine Science, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China; (Q.L.); (Z.D.); (X.W.); (G.C.)
| | - Zongjun Du
- College of Marine Science, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China; (Q.L.); (Z.D.); (X.W.); (G.C.)
- Correspondence: (Z.D.); (D.M.)
| | - Dashuai Mu
- SDU-ANU Joint Science College, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China;
- College of Marine Science, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China; (Q.L.); (Z.D.); (X.W.); (G.C.)
- Correspondence: (Z.D.); (D.M.)
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12
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Couic E, Tribondeau A, Alphonse V, Livet A, Grimaldi M, Bousserrhine N. The Impact of Ecological Restoration on Biogeochemical Cycling and Mercury Mobilization in Anoxic Conditions on Former Mining Sites in French Guiana. Microorganisms 2021; 9:1702. [PMID: 34442781 PMCID: PMC8400979 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9081702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Successive years of gold mining in French Guiana has resulted in soil degradation and deforestation leading to the pollution and erosion of mining plots. Due to erosion and topography, gold panning sites are submitted to hydromorphy during rainfall and groundwater increases. This original study focused on characterizing the impact of hydromorphic anaerobic periods on bio-geochemical cycles. We sampled soil from five rehabilitated sites in French Guiana, including sites with herbaceous vegetation and sites restored with fabaceous plants, Clitoria racemosa (Cli) mon-oculture, Acacia mangium (Aca) monoculture, Clitoria racemosa and Acacia mangium (Mix) bi-culture. We conducted mesocosm experiments where soil samples were incubated in anaerobic conditions for 35 days. To evaluate the effect of anaerobic conditions on biogeochemical cycles, we measured the following parameters related to iron-reducing bacteria and sulfate-reducing bacteria metabolism throughout the experiment: CO2 release, carbon dissolution, sulphide production and sulphate mobilization. We also monitored the solubilization of iron oxyhydroxides, manganese oxides, aluminum oxides and mercury in the culture medium. Iron-reducing bacteria (IRB) and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are described as the major players in the dynamics of iron, sulfur and metal elements including mercury in tropical environments. The results revealed two trends in these rehabilitated sites. In the Aca and Mix sites, bacterial iron-reducing activity coupled with manganese solubilization was detected with no mercury solubilization. In herbaceous sites, a low anaerobic activity coupled with sulphide production and mercury solubilization were detected. These results are the first that report the presence and activity of iron- and sulfate-reductive communities at rehabilitated mining sites and their interactions with the dynamics of metallic elements and mercury. These results report, however, the positive impact of ecological restoration of mining sites in French Guiana by reducing IRB and SRB activities, the potential mobility of mercury and its risk of transfer and methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewan Couic
- Observatory of Sciences of the Universe, UMR 6118 Géosciences, 35000 Rennes, France
- Water, Environment and Urban Systems Laboratory (Leesu), University of Paris-Créteil, 94010 Créteil, France; (V.A.); (A.L.)
| | | | - Vanessa Alphonse
- Water, Environment and Urban Systems Laboratory (Leesu), University of Paris-Créteil, 94010 Créteil, France; (V.A.); (A.L.)
| | - Alexandre Livet
- Water, Environment and Urban Systems Laboratory (Leesu), University of Paris-Créteil, 94010 Créteil, France; (V.A.); (A.L.)
| | | | - Noureddine Bousserrhine
- Water, Environment and Urban Systems Laboratory (Leesu), University of Paris-Créteil, 94010 Créteil, France; (V.A.); (A.L.)
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13
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Bundschuh J, Schneider J, Alam MA, Niazi NK, Herath I, Parvez F, Tomaszewska B, Guilherme LRG, Maity JP, López DL, Cirelli AF, Pérez-Carrera A, Morales-Simfors N, Alarcón-Herrera MT, Baisch P, Mohan D, Mukherjee A. Seven potential sources of arsenic pollution in Latin America and their environmental and health impacts. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 780:146274. [PMID: 34030289 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This review presents a holistic overview of the occurrence, mobilization, and pathways of arsenic (As) from predominantly geogenic sources into different near-surface environmental compartments, together with the respective reported or potential impacts on human health in Latin America. The main sources and pathways of As pollution in this region include: (i) volcanism and geothermalism: (a) volcanic rocks, fluids (e.g., gases) and ash, including large-scale transport of the latter through different mechanisms, (b) geothermal fluids and their exploitation; (ii) natural lixiviation and accelerated mobilization from (mostly sulfidic) metal ore deposits by mining and related activities; (iii) coal deposits and their exploitation; (iv) hydrocarbon reservoirs and co-produced water during exploitation; (v) solute and sediment transport through rivers to the sea; (vi) atmospheric As (dust and aerosol); and (vii) As exposure through geophagy and involuntary ingestion. The two most important and well-recognized sources and mechanisms for As release into the Latin American population's environments are: (i) volcanism and geothermalism, and (ii) strongly accelerated As release from geogenic sources by mining and related activities. Several new analyses from As-endemic areas of Latin America emphasize that As-related mortality and morbidity continue to rise even after decadal efforts towards lowering As exposure. Several public health regulatory institutions have classified As and its compounds as carcinogenic chemicals, as As uptake can affect several organ systems, viz. dermal, gastrointestinal, peptic, neurological, respiratory, reproductive, following exposure. Accordingly, ingesting large amounts of As can damage the stomach, kidneys, liver, heart, and nervous system; and, in severe cases, may cause death. Moreover, breathing air with high As levels can cause lung damage, shortness of breath, chest pain, and cough. Further, As compounds, being corrosive, can also cause skin lesions or damage eyes, and long-term exposure to As can lead to cancer development in several organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jochen Bundschuh
- UNESCO Chair on Groundwater Arsenic within the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, University of Southern Queensland, West Street, Toowoomba 4350, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Jerusa Schneider
- Department of Geology and Natural Resources, Institute of Geosciences, University of Campinas, 13083-855 Campinas, SP, Brazil; Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Federal University of Grande Dourados, João Rosa Góes St., 1761, Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, 79804-970, Brazil
| | - Mohammad Ayaz Alam
- Departamento de Geología, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Atacama, Avenida Copayapu 485, Copiapó, Región de Atacama, Chile
| | - Nabeel Khan Niazi
- Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan
| | - Indika Herath
- UNESCO Chair on Groundwater Arsenic within the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, University of Southern Queensland, West Street, Toowoomba 4350, Queensland, Australia
| | - Faruque Parvez
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, 60 Haven Ave, B-1, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Barbara Tomaszewska
- AGH University of Science and Technology, Mickiewicza 30 Av., 30-059 Kraków, Poland
| | | | - Jyoti Prakash Maity
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, 168 University Road, Min-Hsiung, Chiayi County 62102, Taiwan
| | - Dina L López
- Department of Geological Sciences, Ohio University, 316 Clippinger Laboratories, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Alicia Fernández Cirelli
- University of Buenos Aires, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Animal (UBA-CONICET), Centro de Estudios, Transdiciplinarios del Agua (UBA), Av. Chorroarín 280, CABA C1427CWO, Argentina
| | - Alejo Pérez-Carrera
- University of Buenos Aires, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Centro de Estudios Transdiciplinarios del Agua (UBA), Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Animal (UBA-CONICET), Cátedra de Química Orgánica de Biomoléculas, Av. Chorroarín 280, CABA C1427CWO, Argentina
| | - Nury Morales-Simfors
- UNESCO Chair on Groundwater Arsenic within the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, University of Southern Queensland, West Street, Toowoomba 4350, Queensland, Australia; RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Division ICT-RISE SICS East, Linköping SE-581.83, Sweden
| | - Maria Teresa Alarcón-Herrera
- Departamento de Ingeniería Sustentable, Centro de Investigación en Materiales Avanzados SC Unidad Durango, C. CIMAV # 110, Ejido Arroyo Seco, Durango, Dgo., Mexico
| | - Paulo Baisch
- Laboratório de Oceanografia Geológica, Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG), Campus Carreiros, CP 474, CEP 96203-900 Rio Grande, RS, Brazil
| | - Dinesh Mohan
- UNESCO Chair on Groundwater Arsenic within the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, University of Southern Queensland, West Street, Toowoomba 4350, Queensland, Australia; School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Abhijit Mukherjee
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India
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14
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Demir EK, Yaman BN, Çelik PA, Puhakka JA, Sahinkaya E. Simulated acid mine drainage treatment in iron oxidizing ceramic membrane bioreactor with subsequent co-precipitation of iron and arsenic. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 201:117297. [PMID: 34118649 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Acid mine drainage (AMD), generated in the active and abandoned mine sites, is characterized by low pH and high metal concentrations. One AMD treatment possibility is biologically oxidizing Fe2+ followed by precipitation through pH control. As compared to autotrophic iron oxidizing microbial community, a microbial community enriched in the presence of organic nutrients was hypothesized to yield higher biomass during commissioning the bioreactor. In this study, the treatment of Fe, Cu, Co, Mn, Zn, Ni, and As containing simulated AMD was studied using an iron-oxidizing ceramic membrane bioreactor (CMBR) at varying hydraulic retention times (HRTs) (6-24 h) and two different feed Fe2+ concentrations (250 and 750 mg/L). The impact of tryptone soya broth (TSB) on the CMBR performance was also investigated. Almost complete Fe2+ oxidation and sustainable flux at around 5.0 L/(m2.h) were obtained in the CMBR with the Alicyclobacillus tolerans and Acidiphilium cryptum dominated enrichment culture. The Fe2+ oxidation rate, as assessed in batch operation cycles of CMBR, increased significantly with increasing Fe2+ loading to the bioreactor. The iron oxidation rate decreased by the elimination of organic matter from the feed. The increase of the CMBR permeate pH to 3.5-4.0 resulted in selective co-precipitation of As and Fe (over 99%) with the generation of biogenic schwertmannite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emir Kasım Demir
- Environmental and Energy Systems Engineering Program, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Istanbul, 34700, Turkey
| | - Belma Nural Yaman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, 26040, Turkey
| | - Pınar Aytar Çelik
- Environmental Protection and Control Program, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, 26110, Turkey
| | - Jaakko A Puhakka
- Tampere University, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, P.O. Box 541, FI-33104 Tampere University, Finland
| | - Erkan Sahinkaya
- Environmental and Energy Systems Engineering Program, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Istanbul, 34700, Turkey; Department of Bioengineering, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Istanbul, 34700, Turkey.
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15
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Vejříková I, Vejřík L, Čech M, Říha M, Peterka J. Succession of submerged vegetation in a hydrologically reclaimed opencast mine during first 10 years. Restor Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Vejříková
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences Institute of Hydrobiology, Na Sádkách 7, 37005 České Budějovice Czech Republic
| | - Lukáš Vejřík
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences Institute of Hydrobiology, Na Sádkách 7, 37005 České Budějovice Czech Republic
| | - Martin Čech
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences Institute of Hydrobiology, Na Sádkách 7, 37005 České Budějovice Czech Republic
| | - Milan Říha
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences Institute of Hydrobiology, Na Sádkách 7, 37005 České Budějovice Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Peterka
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences Institute of Hydrobiology, Na Sádkách 7, 37005 České Budějovice Czech Republic
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16
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Kölbl A, Kaiser K, Winkler P, Mosley L, Fitzpatrick R, Marschner P, Wagner FE, Häusler W, Mikutta R. Transformation of jarosite during simulated remediation of a sandy sulfuric soil. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 773:145546. [PMID: 33940732 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Aeration of wetland soils containing iron (Fe) sulfides can cause strong acidification due to the generation of large amounts of sulfuric acid and formation of Fe oxyhydroxy sulfate phases such as jarosite. Remediation by re-establishment of anoxic conditions promotes jarosite transformation to Fe oxyhydroxides and/or Fe sulfides, but the driving conditions and mechanisms are largely unresolved. We investigated a sandy, jarosite-containing soil (initial pH = 3.0, Eh ~600 mV) in a laboratory incubation experiment under submerged conditions, either with or without wheat straw addition. Additionally, a model soil composed of synthesized jarosite mixed with quartz sand was used. Eh and pH values were monitored weekly. Solution concentrations of total dissolved organic carbon, Fe, S, and K as well as proportions of Fe2+ and SO42- were analysed at the end of the experiment. Sequential Fe extraction, X-ray diffraction, and Mössbauer spectroscopy were used to characterize the mineral composition of the soils. Only when straw was added to natural and artificial sulfuric soils, the pH increased up to 6.5, and Eh decreased to approx. 0 mV. The release of Fe (mainly Fe2+), K, and S (mainly SO42-) into the soil solution indicated redox- and pH-induced dissolution of jarosite. Mineralogical analyses confirmed jarosite losses in both soils. While lepidocrocite formed in the natural sulfuric soil, goethite was formed in the artificial sulfuric soil. Both soils showed also increases in non-sulfidized, probably organically associated Fe2+/Fe3+, but no (re-)formation of Fe sulfides. Unlike Fe sulfides, the formed Fe oxyhydroxides are not prone to support re-acidification in the case of future aeration. Thus, inducing moderately reductive conditions by controlled supply of organic matter could be a promising way for remediation of soils and sediments acidified by oxidation of sulfuric materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelika Kölbl
- Soil Science and Soil Protection, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany.
| | - Klaus Kaiser
- Soil Science and Soil Protection, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Pauline Winkler
- Soil Science and Soil Protection, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Luke Mosley
- Acid Sulfate Soils Centre, The University of Adelaide, South Australia 5064, Australia
| | - Rob Fitzpatrick
- Acid Sulfate Soils Centre, The University of Adelaide, South Australia 5064, Australia
| | - Petra Marschner
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
| | - Friedrich E Wagner
- Physik Department, Technische Universität München, 85747 Garching, Germany
| | - Werner Häusler
- Lehrstuhl für Bodenkunde, Technische Universität München, 85350 Freising, Germany
| | - Robert Mikutta
- Soil Science and Soil Protection, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
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17
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Thawkar BS, Kaur G. Zebrafish as a Promising Tool for Modeling Neurotoxin-Induced Alzheimer's Disease. Neurotox Res 2021; 39:949-965. [PMID: 33687726 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-021-00343-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Drug discovery and development for Alzheimer's disease (AD) are complex and challenging due to the higher failure rate in the drug development process. The overproduction and deposition of Aβ senile plaque and intracellular neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) formation are well-recognized diagnostic hallmarks of AD. Numerous transgenic models of Alzheimer's disease have restrictions on cost-effectiveness and time in the preclinical setup. Zebrafish has emerged as an excellent complementary model for neurodegenerative research due to simpler organisms with robust, clearly visible behavior forms. Glutaminergic and cholinergic pathways responsible for learning and memory are present in zebrafish and actively participate in the transmission process. Therefore, it is imperative to study neurotoxic agents' mechanisms that induce dysfunction of memory, learning, and neurons in the zebrafish. This review illustrates the in-depth molecular mechanism of several neurotoxic agents such as okadaic acid, cigarette smoke extract, and metals to produce cognitive deficits or neurodegeneration similar to mammals. These updates would determine an ideal and effective neurotoxic agent for producing AD pathophysiology in the zebrafish brain for preclinical screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baban S Thawkar
- Shobhaben Pratapbhai Patel School of Pharmacy & Technology Management, SVKM's NMIMS, V.L. Mehta Road, Vile Parle (W), 400056, Mumbai, India
| | - Ginpreet Kaur
- Shobhaben Pratapbhai Patel School of Pharmacy & Technology Management, SVKM's NMIMS, V.L. Mehta Road, Vile Parle (W), 400056, Mumbai, India.
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18
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Chen F, Tao W, Ng DHL, Zhang L, Liu S. A sand composite with surface gel coating containing alkylamine toward the removal and immobilization of complex metal ions from electroplating wastewater. WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY : A JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION ON WATER POLLUTION RESEARCH 2020; 81:1471-1478. [PMID: 32616699 DOI: 10.2166/wst.2020.232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
SiO2 gel was formed on the grain surface of silica sand by hydrolysis and condensation of tetraethyl orthosilicate in water with the addition of 1-butylamine. The resultant product was a composite consisting of sand grains with mesoporous silica coating containing alkylamine inside. This composite exhibited basicity in the wastewater from copper electroplating due to its release of amine. As a result, the strongly acidic wastewater was neutralized and the co-precipitation of complex metal ions occurred. It was shown that up to 12 major metal ions in the wastewater could be simultaneously removed under static condition at room temperature by using the sand composite. The Fe and Cu in the wastewater could be removed completely, while the concentrations of Al, Cd, Ti, V, and Zn in the wastewater were reduced by two to three orders of magnitude. After the removal of multiple metal ions from the electroplating wastewater, the used sand was further applied as a raw material for making a silicate glass. The glass was chemically stable and thus the heavy metal ions from the wastewater were immobilized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Chen
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, Shandong, China E-mail: ;
| | - Wenhong Tao
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, Shandong, China E-mail: ;
| | - Dickon H L Ng
- Department of Physics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Luteng Zhang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, Shandong, China E-mail: ;
| | - Shiquan Liu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, Shandong, China E-mail: ;
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Molecular Mechanisms Underpinning Aggregation in Acidiphilium sp. C61 Isolated from Iron-Rich Pelagic Aggregates. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8030314. [PMID: 32106516 PMCID: PMC7142476 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8030314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Iron-rich pelagic aggregates (iron snow) are hot spots for microbial interactions. Using iron snow isolates, we previously demonstrated that the iron-oxidizer Acidithrix sp. C25 triggers Acidiphilium sp. C61 aggregation by producing the infochemical 2-phenethylamine (PEA). Here, we showed slightly enhanced aggregate formation in the presence of PEA on different Acidiphilium spp. but not other iron-snow microorganisms, including Acidocella sp. C78 and Ferrovum sp. PN-J47. Next, we sequenced the Acidiphilium sp. C61 genome to reconstruct its metabolic potential. Pangenome analyses of Acidiphilium spp. genomes revealed the core genome contained 65 gene clusters associated with aggregation, including autoaggregation, motility, and biofilm formation. Screening the Acidiphilium sp. C61 genome revealed the presence of autotransporter, flagellar, and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) production genes. RNA-seq analyses of Acidiphilium sp. C61 incubations (+/− 10 µM PEA) indicated genes involved in energy production, respiration, and genetic processing were the most upregulated differentially expressed genes in the presence of PEA. Additionally, genes involved in flagellar basal body synthesis were highly upregulated, whereas the expression pattern of biofilm formation-related genes was inconclusive. Our data shows aggregation is a common trait among Acidiphilium spp. and PEA stimulates the central cellular metabolism, potentially advantageous in aggregates rapidly falling through the water column.
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Attia TMS, Elsheery NI. Nanomaterials: Scope, Applications, and Challenges in Agriculture and Soil Reclamation. SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE REVIEWS 41 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-33996-8_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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21
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Ly T, Wright JR, Weit N, McLimans CJ, Ulrich N, Tokarev V, Valkanas MM, Trun N, Rummel S, Grant CJ, Lamendella R. Microbial Communities Associated With Passive Acidic Abandoned Coal Mine Remediation. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1955. [PMID: 31507566 PMCID: PMC6716070 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Accepted: 08/08/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Acid mine drainage (AMD) is an environmental issue that can be characterized by either acidic or circumneutral pH and high dissolved metal content in contaminated waters. It is estimated to affect roughly 3000 miles of waterways within the state of Pennsylvania, with half being acidic and half being circumneutral. To negate the harmful effects of AMD, ∼300 passive remediation systems have been constructed within the state of Pennsylvania. In this study, we evaluated the microbial community structure and functional capability associated with Middle Branch passive remediation system in central PA. Sediment and water samples were collected from each area within the passive remediation system and its receiving stream. Environmental parameters associated with the remediation system were found to explain a significant amount of variation in microbial community structure. This study revealed shifts in microbial community structure from acidophilic bacteria in raw AMD discharge to a more metabolically diverse set of taxa (i.e., Acidimicrobiales, Rhizobiales, Chthoniobacteraceae) toward the end of the system. Vertical flow ponds and the aerobic wetland showed strong metabolic capability for sulfur redox environments. These findings are integral to the understanding of designing effective passive remediation systems because it provides insight as to how certain bacteria [sulfate reducing bacteria (SRBs) and sulfur oxidizing bacteria (SOBs)] are potentially contributing to a microbially mediated AMD remediation process. This study further supports previous investigations that demonstrated the effectiveness of SRBs in the process of removing sulfate and heavy metals from contaminated water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Truc Ly
- Department of Biology, Juniata College, Huntingdon, PA, United States
| | | | - Nicholas Weit
- Department of Biology, Juniata College, Huntingdon, PA, United States
| | | | - Nikea Ulrich
- Department of Biology, Juniata College, Huntingdon, PA, United States
| | | | - Michelle M Valkanas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Nancy Trun
- Department of Biological Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | | | | | - Regina Lamendella
- Department of Biology, Juniata College, Huntingdon, PA, United States.,Wright Labs LLC., Huntingdon, PA, United States
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22
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Zheng L, Qiu Z, Tang Q, Li Y. Micromorphology and environmental behavior of oxide deposit layers in sulfide-rich tailings in Tongling, Anhui Province, China. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2019; 251:484-492. [PMID: 31103008 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.04.131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Sulfide-rich tailings produced by mineral processing are prone to oxidation and cause many pollution problems in the surrounding environment; therefore, this issue has become a focus of attention. The Tongling Shuimuchong tailings reservoir contains a large amount of sulfide minerals, especially pyrrhotite and pyrite. This reservoir features obvious oxidation in the surface layer, and the slab is very hard. Mineralogical and environmental geochemical analyses were performed on tailings with different degrees of oxidation in the Shuimuchong tailings reservoir to investigate the influence of the formation of the hard oxidized layer on environmental pollution in the tailings pond. The samples were first subjected to particle-size analysis. The shallow tailings were mainly composed of medium particle; the proportions of coarse particle and fine tailings particles were equal; and the proportions of clay and silt were less than those of the other size fractions. Mineralogical analysis showed that pyrrhotite and pyrite were replaced by residual structures in the oxide layer. The secondary minerals goethite, hematite and jarosite were attached to the edges and fractures of sulfide minerals. The samples were geochemically analyzed to determine the total concentrations of 5 elements, the pH and the major anions. The maximum SO42- concentrations of 33,970 and 32,749 mg/kg were observed at a depth of 40 cm in profiles 1 and 2, respectively. Metal sulfide mineral oxidation in the tailings lowered the pH of the materials to values less than 4. The concentration of HCO3- (122-635 mg/kg) in the tailings samples was very low, and the concentration of CO32- was zero. As (53.2-133.7 mg/kg), Pb (24.2-307.5 mg/kg) and Hg (0.03-0.06 mg/kg) were concentrated in the highly oxidized layer at the surface; the Cd content (0.23-10.5 mg/kg) increased with decreasing oxidation degree of the tailings; and the Cr content (38.0-54.9 mg/kg) fluctuated around a certain value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liugen Zheng
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Anhui Mining Ecological Remediation Engineering Laboratory Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China.
| | - Zheng Qiu
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Anhui Mining Ecological Remediation Engineering Laboratory Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China
| | - Quan Tang
- School of Life Sciences, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China
| | - Yang Li
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Anhui Mining Ecological Remediation Engineering Laboratory Hefei, 230601, Anhui, China
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23
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Oldham C, Beer J, Blodau C, Fleckenstein J, Jones L, Neumann C, Peiffer S. Controls on iron(II) fluxes into waterways impacted by acid mine drainage: A Damköhler analysis of groundwater seepage and iron kinetics. WATER RESEARCH 2019; 153:11-20. [PMID: 30685632 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2018.12.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Revised: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 12/08/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
When acidic groundwater flows into an aquatic system the sediment water interface (SWI) acts as a transition zone between the groundwater and lake water, and often exhibits strong physical and biogeochemical gradients. The fate of groundwater-borne solutes, such as Fe(II), is determined by the balance between the exposure time during transport across the SWI and the reaction time within the SWI, however the relative role of groundwater seepage rates and iron kinetics on acidity generation in lakes is unknown. Porewater seepage velocities, porewater chemical profiles, and limnological data were collected across multiple field campaigns over the last two decades, in acid Mine Lake 77, in Lusatia, Germany. This rare data set was analyzed using a Damköhler approach that compares exposure and reactions timescales, to determine that Fe(II) would typically be transported with little reaction across the SWI, spatially separating it from sediment-processes that produce alkalinity and providing a source of acidity to the lake. This Damköhler analysis further showed that remediation should be focused on reducing groundwater seepage velocities and enhancing exposure times. Strategic planting of submerged benthic macroalgae would slow groundwater inflows, as well as oxygenating overlying waters and supplying organic matter to the sediments. A similar Damköhler analysis could be used to assess the fate of any groundwater-borne reactive chemicals (e.g. phosphorus) into lakes and streams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn Oldham
- School of Engineering, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia.
| | - Julia Beer
- University of Bayreuth, Department of Hydrology, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Christian Blodau
- University of Münster, Ecohydrology and Biogeochemistry Group, Institute of Landscape Ecology, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Jan Fleckenstein
- University of Bayreuth, Department of Hydrology, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), 95440 Bayreuth, Germany; Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Hydrogeology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lydia Jones
- School of Engineering, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Christianne Neumann
- University of Bayreuth, Department of Hydrology, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Stefan Peiffer
- University of Bayreuth, Department of Hydrology, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
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Schoepfer VA, Burton ED, Johnston SG, Kraal P. Phosphate loading alters schwertmannite transformation rates and pathways during microbial reduction. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 657:770-780. [PMID: 30677942 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.12.082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Revised: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Acid sulfate systems commonly contain the metastable ferric oxyhydroxysulfate mineral schwertmannite, as well as phosphate (PO43-) - a nutrient that causes eutrophication when present in excess. However, acid sulfate systems often experience reducing conditions that destabilize schwertmannite. Under such conditions, the long-term fate of both schwertmannite and PO43- may be influenced by interactions during microbially-mediated Fe(III) and SO42- reduction. This study investigates the influence of PO43- on Fe(III) and SO42- reduction and the subsequent mineralogical transformation(s) in schwertmannite-rich systems exposed to reducing conditions. To accomplish this, varied PO43- loadings were established in microbially-inoculated schwertmannite suspensions that were incubated under anoxic conditions for 82 days. Increased PO43- attenuated the onset of microbial Fe(III) reduction. This delayed consequent pH increases, which in turn had cascading effects on the initiation of SO42- reduction and subsequent mineral species formed. Under zero PO43- loading, goethite (αFeOOH) formed first, followed by mackinawite (FeS) and siderite (FeCO3). In contrast, in higher PO43- treatments, vivianite (Fe3(PO4)2) and/or sulfate green rust (FeII4FeIII2(OH)12SO4) became increasingly important over time at the expense of goethite and mackinawite compared to PO43--free conditions. The findings imply that PO43- loading alters the rates and onset of microbial Fe(III)- and SO42-- reduction and the subsequent formation of secondary Fe-bearing phases. In addition, schwertmannite reduction and the associated mineralogical evolution under anoxic conditions appears to sequester large quantities of PO43- in the form of green rusts and vivianite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie A Schoepfer
- Southern Cross GeoScience, Southern Cross University, P.O. Box 157, Lismore, New South Wales 2480, Australia
| | - Edward D Burton
- Southern Cross GeoScience, Southern Cross University, P.O. Box 157, Lismore, New South Wales 2480, Australia.
| | - Scott G Johnston
- Southern Cross GeoScience, Southern Cross University, P.O. Box 157, Lismore, New South Wales 2480, Australia
| | - Peter Kraal
- Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Ocean Systems, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, the Netherlands
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Wang X, Jiang H, Fang D, Liang J, Zhou L. A novel approach to rapidly purify acid mine drainage through chemically forming schwertmannite followed by lime neutralization. WATER RESEARCH 2019; 151:515-522. [PMID: 30654257 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2018.12.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2018] [Revised: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Acid mine drainage (AMD) has been recognized as a major challenge to the global mining industry due to its environmental consequences. Lime neutralization has been a traditional treatment for AMD, but the abundance of iron and sulfate in AMD usually renders it ineffective by forming iron hydroxide and gypsum precipitate coating on the surface of lime. In light of ubiquitous biological mineralization phenomena present at AMD sites, a rapid chemical mineralization was developed to reduce iron and sulfate and recovery of iron from AMD prior to lime neutralization. Through a cyclic reduction-oxidation process by the addition of iron powder and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), over 90% Fe3+ and 40% SO42- could be removed beforehand by forming schwertmannite. The pretreated AMD drastically reduced both the required lime slurry in the subsequent lime neutralization process and the amount of neutralized sludge. The resultant schwertmannite had a specific surface area of 3.9 m2/g and a formula of Fe8O8(OH)4·5(SO4)1.75. This technique could reduce lime consumption, increase metal level in neutralized sludge, and harvest environmentally friendly materials. These results demonstrate that the integrated chemical mineralization and lime neutralization treatment is expected to be widely used in practical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomeng Wang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China
| | - Hekai Jiang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China
| | - Di Fang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China
| | - Jianru Liang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China
| | - Lixiang Zhou
- Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China.
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26
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Effects of Acid Mine Drainage on Calcareous Soil Characteristics and Lolium perenne L. Germination. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2018; 15:ijerph15122742. [PMID: 30563040 PMCID: PMC6313324 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15122742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2018] [Revised: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a serious environmental problem resulting from extensive sulfide mining activities. There is a lack of more comprehensive and detailed studies on the effect of AMD on calcareous soil characteristics and seed germination. In this study, five calcareous soil samples, collected from Xiaoyi, Taigu, Xiangning, Hejin, and Xixian counties in Shanxi Province, China, were used to investigate the effects of acid AMD on soil characteristics and Lolium perenne L. germination through laboratory culture experiments. The results showed that the increase in the total soil calcium oxide and magnesium oxide (CaO + MgO) contents led to a rise in the amount of Fe2+ in AMD converted into Fe3+, and that major ions (H⁺, Fe, SO₄2-) in AMD were trapped in the soil. The total Cao + MgO contents in the soil collected from Hejin and Taigu counties were 14.23% and 6.42%, the pH of AMD-polluted soil decreased to 7.24 and 3.10, and 98.7% and 54.0% of the Fe2+, 99.9% and 58.6% of the total Fe, and 76.0% and 26.4% of the SO₄2-, respectively, were trapped in the soil when the AMD volume to soil mass ratio was 10 mL/g. The results for the soil from Taigu County showed that when the soil had an AMD volume to soil mass ratio of 10 mL/g, the organic matter, available phosphorus (available P), available potassium (available K), Cr, and Cd contents in soil decreased by 16.2%, 63.0%, 97.1%, 7.8%, and 73.2%, respectively; the total phosphorus (total P) and total potassium (total K) did not significantly change; whereas the available nitrogen (available N) and total nitrogen (total N) increased to 16.1 times and 1.76 times, respectively. Compared to the initial soil collected from Taigu County, the Lolium perenne L. germination rate decreased by 81.1%, and the cumulative amount of Cr in the Lolium perenne L. increased by 7.24 times in the AMD-polluted soil when the AMD volume to soil mass ratio was 6 mL/g. The soil conditions could not support Lolium perenne L. germination when the AMD volume to soil mass ratio was 10 mL/g. The outcomes of this study could have important implication in understanding the hydrological/geochemical-behaviour of major ions of AMD in calcareous soil. The findings also have great significance in predicting plant growth behavior in AMD-polluted calcareous soil.
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27
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Choppala G, Burton ED. Chromium(III) substitution inhibits the Fe(II)-accelerated transformation of schwertmannite. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0208355. [PMID: 30517205 PMCID: PMC6281269 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0208355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Schwertmannite is an Fe(III)-oxyhydroxysulfate which is common in acid mine drainage (AMD) and acid sulfate soil (ASS) environments. Natural schwertmannite is often enriched in Cr(III), yet the effects of Cr(III) substitution on schwertmannite transformation to more stable Fe(III) minerals has not been addressed. Here we examine, for the first time, the effects of Cr(III) substitution on the Fe(II)-accelerated transformation of schwertmannite. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fe K-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy shows that Cr(III) substitution inhibits schwertmannite transformation. Substitution at a Cr(III):Fe(III) ratio of 0.025 decreased schwertmannite transformation (at pH 6.5) by 18–49% (depending on Fe(II) concentrations) relative to that of Cr(III)-free schwertmannite. Formation of crystalline secondary phases (predominantly goethite) caused associated decreases in solid-phase Fe and Cr extractability by 1 M HCl. The extractability of Cr was consistently greater than that of Fe, suggesting some accumulation of Cr(III) at the residual schwertmannite surface–a phenomenon which passivates the surface against Fe(II)/Fe(III) electron transfer and atom exchange required for the Fe(II)-accelerated transformation process. The finding that Cr(III)-substitution inhibits schwertmannite transformation implies that it may also significantly impact associated Fe, S and trace metal(loid) behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Girish Choppala
- Southern Cross GeoScience, Southern Cross University, Lismore, New South Wales, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Edward D. Burton
- Southern Cross GeoScience, Southern Cross University, Lismore, New South Wales, Australia
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28
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Timofeev I, Kosheleva N, Kasimov N. Contamination of soils by potentially toxic elements in the impact zone of tungsten‑molybdenum ore mine in the Baikal region: A survey and risk assessment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 642:63-76. [PMID: 29894883 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.06.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2018] [Revised: 05/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Mining of mineral resources exerts strong impact on the environment and leads to irreversible changes in vegetation, soils, atmosphere, surface and ground waters. The aim of this study is to assess the modern geochemical state of soil cover in Zakamensk, a city located in Buryat Republic (Russia) and known as one of the biggest ore mining center in the former Soviet Union. The center was operating for 68 years and closed 17 years ago. Soil-geochemical survey was conducted in 2012 and included collection of 103 soil samples in Zakamensk and 27 samples in the background areas. The bulk contents of 16 potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in the soil samples were determined by mass spectrometry and by atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma. Background sites are characterized by increased concentrations of ore elements W and Mo. The mineral deposit development and physical and chemical weathering of tailings' material have led to a sharp increase in Bi, Cd, Cu, Mo, Pb, Sb, W and Zn levels in the soils of different land-use areas. Near the tailings, the concentration of Sb in soils was 356 times higher than in the background area; Cd - 70 times; Mo, Bi, Cu, and W - 42-55 times; Pb and As - 34-37 times; and Zn and Sn - 6-12 higher. In the north of the city a prominent anomaly of PTEs occurs in sandy sediments of the Modonkul floodplain. It was formed due to the washout and subsequent sedimentation of suspended matter carried by the Modonkul River from the Barun-Naryn, the Dzhida, and emergency tailings. So, the anthropogenic activities are the most important source of ore and accompanying elements in the urban soils. High levels of accessory elements also depends on natural factors such as physicochemical properties of soils, position in the landscape, and genesis of parent materials. The environmental assessment of topsoils in Zakamensk showed that Pb, Sb, Cd, and As concentrations exceeds the Russian MPCs by 1.7-7.8 times, which creates a significant hazard for the environment and adversely affects human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Timofeev
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie gory 1, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Natalia Kosheleva
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie gory 1, Moscow 119991, Russia.
| | - Nikolay Kasimov
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie gory 1, Moscow 119991, Russia
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29
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McCullough CD, Schultze M. Engineered river flow-through to improve mine pit lake and river values. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 640-641:217-231. [PMID: 29859438 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.05.279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Revised: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 05/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Mine pit lakes may develop at mine closure when mining voids extend below groundwater levels and fill with water. Acid and metalliferous drainage (AMD) and salinity are common problems for pit lake water quality. Contaminated pit lake waters can directly present significant risk to both surrounding and regional communities and natural environmental values and limit beneficial end use opportunities. Pit lake waters can also discharge into surface and groundwater; or directly present risks to wildlife, stock and human end users. Riverine flow-through is increasingly proposed to mitigate or remediate pit lake water contamination using catchment scale processes. This paper presents the motivation and key processes and considerations for a flow-through pit lake closure strategy. International case studies as precedent and lessons for future application are described from pit lakes that use or propose flow-through as a key component of their mine closure design. Chemical and biological processes including dilution, absorption and flocculation and sedimentation can sustainably reduce pit lake contaminant concentrations to acceptable levels for risk and enable end use opportunities to be realised. Flow-through may be a valid mine closure strategy for pit lakes with poor water quality. However, maintenance of existing riverine system values must be foremost. We further suggest that decant river water quality may, in some circumstances, be improved; notably in examples of meso-eutrophic river waters flowing through slightly acidic pit lakes. Flow-through closure strategies must be scientifically justifiable and risk-based for both lake and receptors potentially affected by surface and groundwater transport. Due to the high-uncertainty associated with this complex strategy, biotic and physico-chemical attributes of both inflow and decant river reaches as well as lake should be well monitored. Monitoring should directly feed into an adaptive management framework discussed with key stakeholders with validation of flow-through as a sustainable strategy prior to mine relinquishment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Martin Schultze
- UFZ Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Lake Research, Magdeburg, Germany.
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30
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Karimian N, Johnston SG, Burton ED. Iron and sulfur cycling in acid sulfate soil wetlands under dynamic redox conditions: A review. CHEMOSPHERE 2018; 197:803-816. [PMID: 29407844 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.01.096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2017] [Revised: 01/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Acid sulfate soils (ASS) contain substantial quantities of iron sulfide minerals or the oxidation reaction products of these sulfidic minerals. Transformation of iron (Fe) and sulfur (S) bearing minerals is an important process in ASS wetlands with fluctuating redox conditions. A range of potentially toxic metals and metalloids can either be adsorbed on or incorporated into the structure of Fe and S bearing minerals. Therefore, transformation of these minerals as affected by dynamic redox conditions may regulate the mobility and bioavailability of associated metals/metalloids. Better understanding of the interaction between Fe/S biogeochemistry and trace metal/metalloid mobility under fluctuating redox conditions is important for assessing contaminant risk to the environment. This review paper provides an overview of current knowledge regarding cycling of Fe, S and selected trace metal/metalloids in ASS wetlands under fluctuating redox conditions and outlines future research challenges and directions on this subject.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niloofar Karimian
- Southern Cross GeoScience, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, 2480, Australia.
| | - Scott G Johnston
- Southern Cross GeoScience, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, 2480, Australia
| | - Edward D Burton
- Southern Cross GeoScience, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, 2480, Australia
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31
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32
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Schoepfer VA, Burton ED, Johnston SG, Kraal P. Phosphate-Imposed Constraints on Schwertmannite Stability under Reducing Conditions. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:9739-9746. [PMID: 28766328 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b02103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Schwertmannite is a ferric oxyhydroxysulfate mineral, which is common in acid sulfate systems. Such systems contain varying concentrations of phosphate (PO43-)-an essential nutrient whose availability may be coupled to schwertmannite formation and fate. This study examines the effect of phosphate on schwertmannite stability under reducing conditions. Phosphate was added at 0, 80, 400, and 800 μmoles g-1 (i.e., zero, low, medium, and high loading) to schwertmannite suspensions which were inoculated with wetland sediment and suspended in N2-purged artificial groundwater. pH remained between 2.7 and 4.3 over the 41 day experiment duration. Fe(II) accumulated in solution due to dissimilatory Fe(III)-reduction, which was most pronounced at intermediate PO43- loadings (i.e., in the low PO43- treatment). Partial transformation of schwertmannite to goethite occurred in the zero and low PO43- treatments, with negligible transformation in higher PO43- treatments. Overall, the results suggest that intermediate PO43- loadings provide conditions which facilitate optimal reductive dissolution of schwertmannite. At zero PO43- loading, reductive dissolution appears to be constrained by the rapid transformation of schwertmannite to goethite, which thereby decreases the bioavailability of solid-phase Fe(III). Conversely, at high loadings, PO43- appears to stabilize the schwertmannite surface against dissolution; probably via the formation of strong surface complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie A Schoepfer
- Southern Cross GeoScience, Southern Cross University , PO Box 157, Lismore, New South Wales 2480, Australia
| | - Edward D Burton
- Southern Cross GeoScience, Southern Cross University , PO Box 157, Lismore, New South Wales 2480, Australia
| | - Scott G Johnston
- Southern Cross GeoScience, Southern Cross University , PO Box 157, Lismore, New South Wales 2480, Australia
| | - Peter Kraal
- Department of Earth Sciences-Geochemistry, Faculty of GeoSciences, Utrecht University , PO Box 80021, 3508 TA Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Salmon SU, Hipsey MR, Wake GW, Ivey GN, Oldham CE. Quantifying Lake Water Quality Evolution: Coupled Geochemistry, Hydrodynamics, and Aquatic Ecology in an Acidic Pit Lake. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:9864-9875. [PMID: 28813138 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b01432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Assessment of water quality evolution in the thousands of existing and future mine pit lakes worldwide requires new numerical tools that integrate geochemical, hydrological, and biological processes. A coupled model was used to test alternative hypothesized controls on water quality in a pit lake over ∼8 years. The evolution of pH, Al, and Fe were closely linked; field observations were reproduced with generic solubility equilibrium controls on Fe(III) and Al and a commonly reported acceleration of the abiotic Fe(II) oxidation rate by 2-3 orders of magnitude. Simulations indicated an ongoing acidity loading at the site, and the depletion of Al mineral buffering capacity after ∼5 years. Simulations also supported the existence of pH limitation on nitrification, and a limitation on phytoplankton growth other than the commonly postulated P and DIC limitations. Furthermore, the model reproduced the general patterns of salinity, pH, Al, and Fe during an uncontrolled river breach in 2011, however, incorporating sediment biogeochemical feedbacks is required to reproduce the observed postbreach internal alkalinity generation in the lake. The modeling approach is applicable to the study of hydrological, geochemical, and biological interactions for a range of lake and reservoir management challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Ursula Salmon
- UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, University of Western Australia , (M087) 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia 6009
| | - Matthew R Hipsey
- UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, University of Western Australia , (M087) 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia 6009
| | - Geoffrey W Wake
- School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering, University of Western Australia , (M051) 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia 6009
| | - Gregory N Ivey
- School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering, University of Western Australia , (M051) 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia 6009
| | - Carolyn E Oldham
- School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering, University of Western Australia , (M051) 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia 6009
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LeMonte JJ, Stuckey JW, Sanchez JZ, Tappero R, Rinklebe J, Sparks DL. Sea Level Rise Induced Arsenic Release from Historically Contaminated Coastal Soils. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:5913-5922. [PMID: 28472587 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b06152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Climate change-induced perturbations in the hydrologic regime are expected to impact biogeochemical processes, including contaminant mobility and cycling. Elevated levels of geogenic and anthropogenic arsenic are found along many coasts around the world, most notably in south and southeast Asia but also in the United States, particularly along the Mid-Atlantic coast. The mechanism by and the extent to which arsenic may be released in contaminated coastal soils due to sea level rise are unknown. Here we show a series of data from a coastal arsenic-contaminated soil exposed to sea and river waters in biogeochemical microcosm reactors across field-validated redox conditions. We find that reducing conditions lead to arsenic release from historically contaminated coastal soils through reductive dissolution of arsenic-bearing mineral oxides in both sea and river water inundations, with less arsenic release from seawater scenarios than river water due to inhibition of oxide dissolution. For the first time, we systematically display gradation of solid phase soil-arsenic speciation across defined redox windows from reducing to oxidizing conditions in natural waters by combining biogeochemical microcosm experiments and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Our results demonstrate the threat of sea level rise stands to impact arsenic release from contaminated coastal soils by changing redox conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua J LeMonte
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Delaware Environmental Institute, University of Delaware , Newark, Delaware 19711, United States
| | - Jason W Stuckey
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Delaware Environmental Institute, University of Delaware , Newark, Delaware 19711, United States
| | - Joshua Z Sanchez
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Delaware Environmental Institute, University of Delaware , Newark, Delaware 19711, United States
| | - Ryan Tappero
- Photon Sciences Division, Brookhaven National Laboratory , Building 743, Upton, New York 11973, United States
| | - Jörg Rinklebe
- Institute of Foundation Engineering, Water- and Waste-Management, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, University of Wuppertal , Wuppertal 42285, Germany
| | - Donald L Sparks
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Delaware Environmental Institute, University of Delaware , Newark, Delaware 19711, United States
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Hao C, Wei P, Pei L, Du Z, Zhang Y, Lu Y, Dong H. Significant seasonal variations of microbial community in an acid mine drainage lake in Anhui Province, China. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2017; 223:507-516. [PMID: 28131478 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.01.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2016] [Revised: 01/15/2017] [Accepted: 01/17/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Acid mine drainage (AMD),characterized by strong acidity and high metal concentrations, generates from the oxidative dissolution of metal sulfides, and acidophiles can accelerate the process significantly. Despite extensive research in microbial diversity and community composition, little is known about seasonal variations of microbial community structure (especially micro eukaryotes) in response to environmental conditions in AMD ecosystem. To this end, AMD samples were collected from Nanshan AMD lake, Anhui Province, China, over a full seasonal cycle from 2013 to 2014, and water chemistry and microbial composition were studied. pH of lake water was stable (∼3.0) across the sampling period, while the concentrations of ions varied dramatically. The highest metal concentrations in the lake were found for Mg and Al, not commonly found Fe. Unexpectedly, ultrahigh concentration of chlorophyll a was measured in the extremely acidic lake, reaching 226.43-280.95 μg/L in winter, even higher than those in most eutrophic freshwater lakes. Both prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities showed a strong seasonal variation. Among the prokaryotes, "Ferrovum", a chemolithotrophic iron-oxidizing bacterium was predominant in most sampling seasons, although it was a minor member prior to September, 2012. Fe2+ was the initial geochemical factor that drove the variation of the prokaryotic community. The eukaryotic community was simple but varied more drastically than the prokaryotic community. Photoautotrophic algae (primary producers) formed a food web with protozoa or flagellate (top consumers) across all four seasons, and temperature appeared to be responsible for the observed seasonal variation. Ochromonas and Chlamydomonas (responsible for high algal bloom in winter) occurred in autumn/summer and winter/spring seasons, respectively, because of their distinct growth temperatures. The closest phylogenetic relationship between Chlamydomonas species in the lake and those in Arctic and Alpine suggested that the native Chlamydomonas species may have been both acidophilic and psychrophilic after a long acclimation time in this extreme environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunbo Hao
- Geomicrobiology Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China; School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Pengfei Wei
- Geomicrobiology Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China; School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Lixin Pei
- Geomicrobiology Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China; School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Zerui Du
- Geomicrobiology Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China; School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Geomicrobiology Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China; School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yanchun Lu
- Geomicrobiology Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China; School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Hailiang Dong
- Geomicrobiology Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China; Department of Geology and Environmental Earth Science, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, USA.
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Bundschuh J, Maity JP, Mushtaq S, Vithanage M, Seneweera S, Schneider J, Bhattacharya P, Khan NI, Hamawand I, Guilherme LRG, Reardon-Smith K, Parvez F, Morales-Simfors N, Ghaze S, Pudmenzky C, Kouadio L, Chen CY. Medical geology in the framework of the sustainable development goals. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 581-582:87-104. [PMID: 28062106 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.11.208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2016] [Revised: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 11/30/2016] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to geogenic contaminants (GCs) such as metal(loid)s, radioactive metals and isotopes as well as transuraniums occurring naturally in geogenic sources (rocks, minerals) can negatively impact on environmental and human health. The GCs are released into the environment by natural biogeochemical processes within the near-surface environments and/or by anthropogenic activities such as mining and hydrocarbon exploitation as well as exploitation of geothermal resources. They can contaminate soil, water, air and biota and subsequently enter the food chain with often serious health impacts which are mostly underestimated and poorly recognized. Global population explosion and economic growth and the associated increase in demand for water, energy, food, and mineral resources result in accelerated release of GCs globally. The emerging science of "medical geology" assesses the complex relationships between geo-environmental factors and their impacts on humans and environments and is related to the majority of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals in the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations for Sustainable Development. In this paper, we identify multiple lines of evidence for the role of GCs in the incidence of diseases with as yet unknown etiology (causation). Integrated medical geology promises a more holistic understanding of the occurrence, mobility, bioavailability, bio-accessibility, exposure and transfer mechanisms of GCs to the food-chain and humans, and the related ecotoxicological impacts and health effects. Scientific evidence based on this approach will support adaptive solutions for prevention, preparedness and response regarding human and environmental health impacts originating from exposure to GCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jochen Bundschuh
- Deputy Vice-Chancellor's Office (Research and Innovation), University of Southern Queensland, West Street, Toowoomba 4350 QLD, Australia; International Centre for Applied Climate Science, University of Southern Queensland, West Street, Toowoomba 4350 QLD, Australia; Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, West Street, Toowoomba 4350 QLD, Australia; KTH-International Groundwater Arsenic Research Group, Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 76, SE-10044 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Jyoti Prakash Maity
- International Centre for Applied Climate Science, University of Southern Queensland, West Street, Toowoomba 4350 QLD, Australia; Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, 168 University Road, Min-Hsiung, Chiayi County 62102, Taiwan.
| | - Shahbaz Mushtaq
- International Centre for Applied Climate Science, University of Southern Queensland, West Street, Toowoomba 4350 QLD, Australia.
| | - Meththika Vithanage
- International Centre for Applied Climate Science, University of Southern Queensland, West Street, Toowoomba 4350 QLD, Australia; Chemical and Environmental Systems Modeling Research Group, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy 20000, Sri Lanka.
| | - Saman Seneweera
- Centre for Crop Health, University of Southern Queensland, West Street, Toowoomba 4350 QLD, Australia.
| | - Jerusa Schneider
- Sanitation and Environment Dept., School of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Urban Design, State University of Campinas, 113083-889 Campinas, (SP), Brazil.
| | - Prosun Bhattacharya
- International Centre for Applied Climate Science, University of Southern Queensland, West Street, Toowoomba 4350 QLD, Australia; KTH-International Groundwater Arsenic Research Group, Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 76, SE-10044 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Nasreen Islam Khan
- College of Medicine, Biology and Environment, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia; GIS Social Science Division, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Los Banos, Laguna 4031, Philippines.
| | - Ihsan Hamawand
- International Centre for Applied Climate Science, University of Southern Queensland, West Street, Toowoomba 4350 QLD, Australia.
| | - Luiz R G Guilherme
- Soil Science Department, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Campus Universitário, Caixa Postal 3037, CEP: 37200-000 Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
| | - Kathryn Reardon-Smith
- International Centre for Applied Climate Science, University of Southern Queensland, West Street, Toowoomba 4350 QLD, Australia.
| | - Faruque Parvez
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman, School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th St., 10032 NewYork, NY, USA.
| | | | - Sara Ghaze
- Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, West Street, Toowoomba 4350 QLD, Australia.
| | - Christa Pudmenzky
- International Centre for Applied Climate Science, University of Southern Queensland, West Street, Toowoomba 4350 QLD, Australia.
| | - Louis Kouadio
- International Centre for Applied Climate Science, University of Southern Queensland, West Street, Toowoomba 4350 QLD, Australia.
| | - Chien-Yen Chen
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, 168 University Road, Min-Hsiung, Chiayi County 62102, Taiwan.
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Karimian N, Johnston SG, Burton ED. Effect of cyclic redox oscillations on water quality in freshwater acid sulfate soil wetlands. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 581-582:314-327. [PMID: 28063656 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.12.131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2016] [Revised: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Restoration of acid sulfate soil (ASS) wetlands by freshwater re-flooding can lead to the reformation of various Fe(II) and reduced inorganic sulfur (RIS) species in surface soil layers. However, in many locations, wetland water levels undergo large seasonal fluctuations that drive extreme redox oscillations. Newly formed RIS species [e.g. greigite, mackinawite, nano-pyrite and S(0)] and Fe(II) are vulnerable to rapid oxidation during dry periods and may generate substantial acidity. Rainfall following a dry period may then mobilise acidity and metal cations in surface waters prior to eventual recovery in pH by re-establishment of reducing conditions. We explore this dry-wet transition by subjecting soil samples from two freshwater re-flooded ASS wetlands to oxidative incubation for up to 130days followed by re-flooding simulation for 84days. During very early stages of re-flooding (up to 7days) there was an initial pulse-release of acidity, and trace metals/metalloids (Al, Mn, Zn and As). This was followed by a rapid reversion to anoxia, and Fe(III) and SO4 reducing conditions which generated alkalinity, ameliorated acidity and sequestered Fe, S, Zn, Mn and As. Field-observations of surface water quality in an ASS wetland at a sub-catchment scale also confirms re-establishment of SO4 reducing conditions and recovery of pH within ~4-8weeks of re-flooding after dry periods. These observations suggest that retaining surface water in ASS wetlands for ~8weeks after a dry-wet transition will allow sufficient time for alkalinity producing reductive processes to ameliorate most surface water acidity. Although management of freshwater re-flooded ASS wetlands in a highly dynamic climate will remain challenging over the long term and the post-remediation effectiveness of the method depends on initial soil characteristics, knowledge of the timing of redox oscillations and the associated changes in water geochemistry can be helpful for mitigating the risks to downstream estuarine water quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niloofar Karimian
- Southern Cross GeoScience, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia.
| | - Scott G Johnston
- Southern Cross GeoScience, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia
| | - Edward D Burton
- Southern Cross GeoScience, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia
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Sanliyuksel Yucel D, Balci N, Baba A. Generation of Acid Mine Lakes Associated with Abandoned Coal Mines in Northwest Turkey. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2016; 70:757-782. [PMID: 26987541 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-016-0270-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2015] [Accepted: 02/26/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
A total of five acid mine lakes (AMLs) located in northwest Turkey were investigated using combined isotope, molecular, and geochemical techniques to identify geochemical processes controlling and promoting acid formation. All of the investigated lakes showed typical characteristics of an AML with low pH (2.59-3.79) and high electrical conductivity values (1040-6430 μS/cm), in addition to high sulfate (594-5370 mg/l) and metal (aluminum [Al], iron [Fe], manganese [Mn], nickel [Ni], and zinc [Zn]) concentrations. Geochemical and isotope results showed that the acid-generation mechanism and source of sulfate in the lakes can change and depends on the age of the lakes. In the relatively older lakes (AMLs 1 through 3), biogeochemical Fe cycles seem to be the dominant process controlling metal concentration and pH of the water unlike in the younger lakes (AMLs 4 and 5). Bacterial species determined in an older lake (AML 2) indicate that biological oxidation and reduction of Fe and S are the dominant processes in the lakes. Furthermore, O and S isotopes of sulfate indicate that sulfate in the older mine lakes may be a product of much more complex oxidation/dissolution reactions. However, the major source of sulfate in the younger mine lakes is in situ pyrite oxidation catalyzed by Fe(III) produced by way of oxidation of Fe(II). Consistent with this, insignificant fractionation between δ(34) [Formula: see text] and δ(34) [Formula: see text] values indicated that the oxidation of pyrite, along with dissolution and precipitation reactions of Fe(III) minerals, is the main reason for acid formation in the region. Overall, the results showed that acid generation during early stage formation of an AML associated with pyrite-rich mine waste is primarily controlled by the oxidation of pyrite with Fe cycles becoming the dominant processes regulating pH and metal cycles in the later stages of mine lake development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deniz Sanliyuksel Yucel
- Department of Geological Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Canakkale, Turkey.
| | - Nurgul Balci
- Department of Geological Engineering, Faculty of Mines, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Alper Baba
- Department of Civil Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Izmir Institute of Technology, Izmir, Turkey
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Zhong ZP, Liu Y, Miao LL, Wang F, Chu LM, Wang JL, Liu ZP. Prokaryotic Community Structure Driven by Salinity and Ionic Concentrations in Plateau Lakes of the Tibetan Plateau. Appl Environ Microbiol 2016; 82:1846-1858. [PMID: 26746713 PMCID: PMC4784034 DOI: 10.1128/aem.03332-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2015] [Accepted: 12/31/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The prokaryotic community composition and diversity and the distribution patterns at various taxonomic levels across gradients of salinity and physiochemical properties in the surface waters of seven plateau lakes in the Qaidam Basin, Tibetan Plateau, were evaluated using Illumina MiSeq sequencing. These lakes included Lakes Keluke (salinity, <1 g/liter), Qing (salinity, 5.5 to 6.6 g/liter), Tuosu (salinity, 24 to 35 g/liter), Dasugan (salinity, 30 to 33 g/liter), Gahai (salinity, 92 to 96 g/liter), Xiaochaidan (salinity, 94 to 99 g/liter), and Gasikule (salinity, 317 to 344 g/liter). The communities were dominated by Bacteria in lakes with salinities of <100 g/liter and by Archaea in Lake Gasikule. The clades At12OctB3 and Salinibacter, previously reported only in hypersaline environments, were found in a hyposaline lake (salinity, 5.5 to 6.6 g/liter) at an abundance of ∼1.0%, indicating their ecological plasticity. Salinity and the concentrations of the chemical ions whose concentrations covary with salinity (Mg(2+), K(+), Cl(-), Na(+), SO4 (2-), and Ca(2+)) were found to be the primary environmental factors that directly or indirectly determined the composition and diversity at the level of individual clades as well as entire prokaryotic communities. The distribution patterns of two phyla, five classes, five orders, five families, and three genera were well predicted by salinity. The variation of the prokaryotic community structure also significantly correlated with the dissolved oxygen concentration, pH, the total nitrogen concentration, and the PO4 (3-) concentration. Such correlations varied depending on the taxonomic level, demonstrating the importance of comprehensive correlation analyses at various taxonomic levels in evaluating the effects of environmental variable factors on prokaryotic community structures. Our findings clarify the distribution patterns of the prokaryotic community composition in plateau lakes at the levels of individual clades as well as whole communities along gradients of salinity and ionic concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Ping Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Li-Li Miao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Fang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Li-Min Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Jia-Li Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Shandong River Wetlands, Laiwu, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhi-Pei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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40
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Lee H, Kim D, Kim J, Ji MK, Han YS, Park YT, Yun HS, Choi J. As(III) and As(V) removal from the aqueous phase via adsorption onto acid mine drainage sludge (AMDS) alginate beads and goethite alginate beads. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2015; 292:146-154. [PMID: 25804789 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2015.03.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2014] [Revised: 03/13/2015] [Accepted: 03/14/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Acid mine drainage sludge (AMDS) is a solid waste generated following the neutralization of acid mine drainage (AMD). This material entrapped in calcium alginate was investigated for the sorption of As(III) and As(V). Three different adsorbent materials were prepared: AMDS alginate beads (AABs), goethite alginate beads (GABs), and pure alginate beads. The effects of pH and the adsorption kinetics were investigated, and the adsorption isotherms were also evaluated. The optimum pH range using the AABs was determined to be within 2-10 for As(III) and 2-9 for As(V). Adsorption equilibrium data were evaluated using the Langmuir isotherm model, and the maximum adsorption capacity qmax was 18.25 and 4.97 mg g(-1) for As(III) on AAB and GAB, respectively, and 21.79 and 10.92 mg g(-1) for As(V) on AAB and GAB, respectively. The adsorption of As(III) and As(V) was observed to follow pseudo-second order kinetics. The As K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) revealed that the adsorbed As(III) on the AABs was oxidized to As(V) via manganese oxide in the AMDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongkyun Lee
- Green City Technology Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technolgy, Seoul 136-791, South Korea
| | - Dohyeong Kim
- Green City Technology Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technolgy, Seoul 136-791, South Korea
| | - Jongsik Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Dong-A University, Busan 604-714, South Korea
| | - Min-Kyu Ji
- Green City Technology Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technolgy, Seoul 136-791, South Korea
| | - Young-Soo Han
- Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, 124 Gwahang-no, Daejeon 305-350, South Korea
| | - Young-Tae Park
- Green City Technology Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technolgy, Seoul 136-791, South Korea
| | - Hyun-Shik Yun
- Green City Technology Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technolgy, Seoul 136-791, South Korea; Department of Environmental Engineering, Yonsei University, Wonju 220 710, South Korea
| | - Jaeyoung Choi
- Green City Technology Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technolgy, Seoul 136-791, South Korea.
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Quiroga MV, Valverde A, Mataloni G, Cowan D. Understanding diversity patterns in bacterioplankton communities from a sub-Antarctic peatland. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2015; 7:547-553. [PMID: 25727763 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2015] [Accepted: 02/22/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Bacterioplankton communities inhabiting peatlands have the potential to influence local ecosystem functions. However, most microbial ecology research in such wetlands has been done in ecosystems (mostly peat soils) of the Northern Hemisphere, and very little is known of the factors that drive bacterial community assembly in other regions of the world. In this study, we used high-throughput sequencing to analyse the structure of the bacterial communities in five pools located in a sub-Antarctic peat bog (Tierra del Fuego, Argentina), and tested for relationships between bacterial communities and environmental conditions. Bacterioplankton communities in peat bog pools were diverse and dominated by members of the Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Verrucomicrobia. Community structure was largely explained by differences in hydrological connectivity, pH and nutrient status (ombrotrophic versus minerotrophic pools). Bacterioplankton communities in ombrotrophic pools showed phylogenetic clustering, suggesting a dominant role of deterministic processes in shaping these assemblages. These correlations between habitat characteristics and bacterial diversity patterns provide new insights into the factors regulating microbial populations in peatland ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Victoria Quiroga
- Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental (3iA), Universidad Nacional de San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Angel Valverde
- Department of Genetics, Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics (CMEG), Genomics Research Institute (GRI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Gabriela Mataloni
- Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental (3iA), Universidad Nacional de San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Don Cowan
- Department of Genetics, Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics (CMEG), Genomics Research Institute (GRI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
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Tucci NJ, Gammons CH. Influence of copper recovery on the water quality of the acidic Berkeley Pit lake, Montana, U.S.A. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2015; 49:4081-4088. [PMID: 25723275 DOI: 10.1021/es504916n] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The Berkeley Pit lake in Butte, Montana, formed by flooding of an open-pit copper mine, is one of the world's largest accumulations of acidic, metal-rich water. Between 2003 and 2012, approximately 2 × 10(11) L of pit water, representing 1.3 lake volumes, were pumped from the bottom of the lake to a copper recovery plant, where dissolved Cu(2+) was precipitated on scrap iron, releasing Fe(2+) back to solution and thence back to the pit. Artificial mixing caused by this continuous pumping changed the lake from a meromictic to holomictic state, induced oxidation of dissolved Fe(2+), and caused subsequent precipitation of more than 2 × 10(8) kg of secondary ferric compounds, mainly schwertmannite and jarosite, which settled to the bottom of the lake. A large mass of As, P, and sulfate was also lost from solution. These unforeseen changes in chemistry resulted in a roughly 25-30% reduction in the lake's calculated and measured total acidity, which represents a significant potential savings in the cost of lime treatment, which is not expected to commence until 2023. Future monitoring is needed to verify that schwertmannite and jarosite in the pit sediment do not convert to goethite, a process which would release stored acidity back to the water column.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Tucci
- †Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, Butte, Montana 59701, United States
| | - Christopher H Gammons
- ‡Department of Geological Engineering, Montana Tech of The University of Montana, Butte, Montana 59701, United States
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Rosa IC, Costa R, Gonçalves F, Pereira JL. Bioremediation of metal-rich effluents: could the invasive bivalve work as a biofilter? JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 2014; 43:1536-1545. [PMID: 25603239 DOI: 10.2134/jeq2014.02.0069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Industrial effluents are important sources of contamination of water and sediments, frequently causing serious damage at different levels of biological organization. Management and treatment of harmful industrial wastes is thus a major concern. Metal-bearing effluents, such as acid mine drainage (AMD), are particularly problematic because metals can easily bioaccumulate in organisms and biomagnify across the trophic chain. Several solutions have been proposed to treat AMD, including active methods involving the addition of neutralizing agents and passive techniques that use natural energy sources for remediation. However, increasing environmental and economic requirements lead the constant search for more sustainable solutions. The present study explores the possibility of using , an invasive freshwater bivalve, as a bioremediation tool using AMD as a model, metal-bearing effluent. The study compares untreated and biotreated effluents at two dilution levels (4 and 10% v/v) following two distinct approaches: (i) chemical characterization of the metal concentrations in water complemented by determination of the accumulation in the clams' soft tissues and shells; and (ii) ecotoxicity assessment using standard organisms (the bacterium , the microalgae , and the cladoceran ). Significant removal of metals from water was recorded for both effluent dilutions, with higher purification levels found for the 4% effluent. The environmental toxicity of the effluents generally decreased after the treatment with the clams. Thus, this study provides evidence for the suitability of as a bioremediator for metal-bearing effluents, especially if the treatment can be materialized in a multistage configuration system.
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Miguel-Chinchilla L, González E, Comín FA. Assessing metal pollution in ponds constructed for controlling runoff from reclaimed coal mines. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2014; 186:5247-5259. [PMID: 24781304 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-014-3774-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2013] [Accepted: 04/17/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Constructing ponds to protect downstream ecosystems is a common practice in opencast coal mine reclamation. As these ponds remain integrated in the landscape, it is important to evaluate the extent of the effect of mine pollution on these ecosystems. However, this point has not been sufficiently addressed in the literature. The main objective of this work was to explore the metal pollution in man-made ponds constructed for runoff control in reclaimed opencast coal mines over time. To do so, we evaluated the concentration of ten heavy metals in the water, sediment, and Typha sp. in 16 runoff ponds ranging from 1 to 19 years old that were constructed in reclaimed opencast coal mines of northeastern Spain. To evaluate degree of mining pollution, we compared these data to those from a pit lake created in a local unreclaimed mine and to local streams as an unpolluted reference, as well as comparing toxicity levels in aquatic organisms. The runoff ponds showed toxic concentrations of Al, Cu, and Ni in the water and As and Ni in the sediment, which were maintained over time. Metal concentrations in runoff ponds were higher than in local streams, and macrophytes showed high metal concentrations. Nevertheless, metal concentrations in water and sediment in runoff ponds were lower than those in the pit lake. This study highlights the importance of mining reclamation to preserve the health of aquatic ecosystems and suggests the existence of chronic metal toxicity in the ponds, potentially jeopardizing pond ecological functions and services.
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Virtanen S, Simojoki A, Hartikainen H, Yli-Halla M. Response of pore water Al, Fe and S concentrations to waterlogging in a boreal acid sulphate soil. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2014; 485-486:130-142. [PMID: 24704964 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.03.071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2013] [Revised: 03/07/2014] [Accepted: 03/16/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Environmental hazards caused by acid sulphate (AS) soils are of worldwide concern. Among various mitigation measures, waterlogging has mainly been studied in subtropical and tropical conditions. To assess the environmental relevance of waterlogging as a mitigation option in boreal AS soils, we arranged a 2.5-year experiment with monolithic lysimeters to monitor changes in the soil redox potential, pH and the concentrations of aluminium (Al), iron (Fe) and sulphur (S) in pore water in response to low and high groundwater levels in four AS soil horizons. The monoliths consisted of acidic oxidized B horizons and a reduced C horizon containing sulphidic material. Eight lysimeters were cropped (reed canary grass, Phalaris arundinacea) and two were bare without a crop. Waterlogging was conducive to reduction reactions causing a slight rise in pH, a substantial increase in Fe (Fepw) and a decrease in Al (Alpw) in the pore water. The increase in Fepw was decisively higher in the cropped waterlogged lysimeters than in the bare ones, which was attributable to the microbiologically catalysed reductive dissolution of poorly ordered iron oxides and secondary minerals. In contrast to warmer climates, Fepw concentrations remained high throughout the experiment, indicating that the reduction was poised in the iron range, while sulphate was not reduced to sulphide. Therefore, the precipitation of iron sulphide was negligible in the environment with a low pH and abundant with poorly ordered Fe oxides. Increased Fe in pore water counteracts the positive effects of waterlogging, when water is flushed from fields to watercourses, where re-oxidation of Fe causes acidity and oxygen depletion. However, waterlogging prevented further oxidation of sulphidic materials and decreased Alpw to one-tenth of the initial concentrations, and even to one-hundredth of the levels in the low water table lysimeters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seija Virtanen
- Department of Food and Environmental Sciences, P.O. Box 27, Latokartanonkaari 11, Environmental Soil Science, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland; Finnish Drainage Foundation, Simonkatu 12 B 25, 00100 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Asko Simojoki
- Department of Food and Environmental Sciences, P.O. Box 27, Latokartanonkaari 11, Environmental Soil Science, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Helinä Hartikainen
- Department of Food and Environmental Sciences, P.O. Box 27, Latokartanonkaari 11, Environmental Soil Science, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Markku Yli-Halla
- Department of Food and Environmental Sciences, P.O. Box 27, Latokartanonkaari 11, Environmental Soil Science, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland
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Pinto PX, Al-Abed SR, Holder C, Reisman DJ. Evaluation of metal partitioning and mobility in a sulfidic mine tailing pile under oxic and anoxic conditions. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2014; 140:135-144. [PMID: 24747936 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2014.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2013] [Revised: 03/07/2014] [Accepted: 03/12/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Mining-influenced water emanating from mine tailings and potentially contaminating surface water and groundwater is one of the most important environmental issues linked to the mining industry. In this study, two subsets of Callahan Mine tailings (mainly comprised of silicates, sulfides, and carbonates) were collected using sealed containers, which allowed keeping the samples under anoxic conditions during transportation and storage. Among the potential contaminants, in spite of high concentrations of Cu, Mn, Pb, and Zn present in the solid mine tailings, only small amounts of Mn and Zn were found in the overlying pore water. The samples were subjected to leaching tests at different reduction-oxidation (redox) conditions to compare metal and S mobilization under oxic and anoxic conditions. It was observed that Cd, Cu, Mn, Pb, S, and Zn were mobilized at higher rates under oxic conditions, while Fe was mobilized at a higher rate under anoxic conditions in comparable constant pH experiments. These results suggest that metal mobilization is significantly impacted by redox conditions. When anoxic metal mobilization assessment is required, it is recommended to always maintain anoxic conditions because oxygen exposure may affect metal mobilization. A sequential extraction performed under oxic conditions revealed that most of the metals in the samples were associated with the sulfidic fraction and that the labile fraction was associated with Mn and moderate amounts of Pb and Zn.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricio X Pinto
- Pegasus Technical Services, Inc., 46 E. Hollister St., Cincinnati, OH 45219, United States
| | - Souhail R Al-Abed
- National Risk Management Research Laboratory U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 26 W. Martin Luther King Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45268, United States.
| | - Christopher Holder
- Pegasus Technical Services, Inc., 46 E. Hollister St., Cincinnati, OH 45219, United States
| | - David J Reisman
- CDM Smith, 8805 Governor's Hill Drive Suite 305, Cincinnati, OH 45249, United States
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Delgado-Martin J, Juncosa-Rivera R, Falcón-Suárez I, Canal-Vila J. Four years of continuous monitoring of the Meirama end-pit lake and its impact in the definition of future uses. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2013; 20:7520-7533. [PMID: 23516036 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-013-1618-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2012] [Accepted: 03/06/2013] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Following the technical closure of the brown lignite Meirama mine (NW Spain) in April 2008, the reclamation of the mined area is being accomplished with the controlled flooding of its large pit. During the first 7 months of flooding, the sequential arrest of the ground water dewatering system led to the growth of an acidic water body of about 2 hm3. Since October 2008, the surface waters from some local streams have been diverted towards the pit so that these have become the major water input in the flooding process. Surface water has promoted a major change in the chemical composition of the lake water so that, at present, its surface has a circum neutral pH, net alkalinity, and low conductivity. At present, the lake has slightly more than one half of its final volume, and it is expected the overflow in 3 to 3.5 years. The lake is meromictic, with a sharp chemocline separating the acidic monimolimnion (pH≈3.2, acidity≈150 mg CaCO3/L, κ 25≈2.4 mS/cm) from the main water body (pH≈6.5, alkalinity≈15 mg CaCO3/L, κ 25≈0.3 mS/cm). Oxygen is being depleted at the bottom of the lake so that the monimolimnion became anoxic in January 2011. Above the chemocline, the composition of the lake is similar, but not identical, to that of the flooding stream waters. Close to the surface, some constituents (pH, metals) show strong seasonal variations in coincidence with the phytoplankton growing periods. Those parameters whose limits are legally prescribed comply with the corresponding water quality standards, and they are also consistent with the forecasting results obtained in early modeling. At present, a project considering the construction of an uptake tunnel to exploit the lake is being developed for the emergency water supply of the metropolitan area of A Coruña.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Delgado-Martin
- Water and Environment Engineering Group (GEAMA), Universidade da Coruña, Campus de Elviña s/n, 15192, A Coruña, Spain,
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Santofimia E, González-Toril E, López-Pamo E, Gomariz M, Amils R, Aguilera Á. Microbial Diversity and Its Relationship to Physicochemical Characteristics of the Water in Two Extreme Acidic Pit Lakes from the Iberian Pyrite Belt (SW Spain). PLoS One 2013; 8:e66746. [PMID: 23840525 PMCID: PMC3694112 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0066746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2013] [Accepted: 05/10/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The Iberian Pyrite Belt (IPB) hosts one of the world’s largest accumulations of acidic mine wastes and pit lakes. The mineralogical and textural characteristics of the IPB ores have favored the oxidation and dissolution of metallic sulfides, mainly pyrite, and the subsequent formation of acidic mining drainages. This work reports the physical properties, hydrogeochemical characteristics, and microbial diversity of two pit lakes located in the IPB. Both pit lakes are acidic and showed high concentrations of sulfate and dissolved metals. Concentrations of sulfate and heavy metals were higher in the Nuestra Señora del Carmen lake (NSC) by one order of magnitude than in the Concepción (CN) lake. The hydrochemical characteristics of NSC were typical of acid mine waters and can be compared with other acidic environments. When compared to other IPB acidic pit lakes, the superficial water of CN is more diluted than that of any of the others due, probably, to the strong influence of runoff water. Both pit lakes showed chemical and thermal stratification with well defined chemoclines. One particular characteristic of NSC is that it has developed a chemocline very close to the surface (2 m depth). Microbial community composition of the water column was analyzed by 16S and 18S rRNA gene cloning and sequencing. The microorganisms detected in NSC were characteristic of acid mine drainage (AMD), including iron oxidizing bacteria (Leptospirillum, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans) and facultative iron reducing bacteria and archaea (Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, Acidiphilium, Actinobacteria, Acidimicrobiales, Ferroplasma) detected in the bottom layer. Diversity in CN was higher than in NSC. Microorganisms known from AMD systems (Acidiphilium, Acidobacteria and Ferrovum) and microorganisms never reported from AMD systems were identified. Taking into consideration the hydrochemical characteristics of these pit lakes and the spatial distribution of the identified microorganisms, a model explaining their geomicrobiology is advanced.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - María Gomariz
- Departamento de Fisiología, Genética y Microbiología, Universidad de Alicante, Alicante, Spain
| | - Ricardo Amils
- Centro de Astrobiología, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Universidad Autónoma, Madrid, Spain
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Insights into the structure and metabolic function of microbes that shape pelagic iron-rich aggregates ("iron snow"). Appl Environ Microbiol 2013; 79:4272-81. [PMID: 23645202 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00467-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbial ferrous iron [Fe(II)] oxidation leads to the formation of iron-rich macroscopic aggregates ("iron snow") at the redoxcline in a stratified lignite mine lake in east-central Germany. We aimed to identify the abundant Fe-oxidizing and Fe-reducing microorganisms likely to be involved in the formation and transformation of iron snow present in the redoxcline in two basins of the lake that differ in their pH values. Nucleic acid- and lipid-stained microbial cells of various morphologies detected by confocal laser scanning microscopy were homogeneously distributed in all iron snow samples. The dominant iron mineral appeared to be schwertmannite, with shorter needles in the northern than in the central basin samples. Total bacterial 16S rRNA gene copies ranged from 5.0 × 10(8) copies g (dry weight)(-1) in the acidic central lake basin (pH 3.3) to 4.0 × 10(10) copies g (dry weight)(-1) in the less acidic (pH 5.9) northern basin. Total RNA-based quantitative PCR assigned up to 61% of metabolically active microbial communities to Fe-oxidizing- and Fe-reducing-related bacteria, indicating that iron metabolism was an important metabolic strategy. Molecular identification of abundant groups suggested that iron snow surfaces were formed by chemoautotrophic iron oxidizers, such as Acidimicrobium, Ferrovum, Acidithiobacillus, Thiobacillus, and Chlorobium, in the redoxcline and were rapidly colonized by heterotrophic iron reducers, such as Acidiphilium, Albidiferax-like, and Geobacter-like groups. Metaproteomics yielded 283 different proteins from northern basin iron snow samples, and protein identification provided a glimpse into some of their in situ metabolic processes, such as primary production (CO2 fixation), respiration, motility, and survival strategies.
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Yucel DS, Baba A. Geochemical characterization of acid mine lakes in northwest Turkey and their effect on the environment. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2013; 64:357-376. [PMID: 23223936 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-012-9843-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2012] [Accepted: 11/05/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Mining activity generates a large quantity of mine waste. The potential hazard of mine waste depends on the host mineral. The tendency of mine waste to produce acid mine drainage (AMD) containing potentially toxic metals depends on the amounts of sulfide, carbonate minerals, and trace-element concentrations found in ore deposits. The acid mine process is one of the most significant environmental challenges and a major source of water pollution worldwide. AMD and its effects were studied in northwest Turkey where there are several sedimentary and hydrothermal mineral deposits that have been economically extracted. The study area is located in Can county of Canakkale province. Canakkale contains marine, lagoon, and lake sediments precipitated with volcanoclastics that occurred as a result of volcanism, which was active during various periods from the Upper Eocene to Plio-Quaternary. Can county is rich in coal with a total lignite reserve >100 million tons and contains numerous mines that were operated by private companies and later abandoned without any remediation. As a result, human intervention in the natural structure and topography has resulted in large open pits and deterioration in these areas. Abandoned open pit mines typically fill with water from runoff and groundwater discharge, producing artificial lakes. Acid drainage waters from these mines have resulted in the degradation of surface-water quality around Can County. The average pH and electrical conductivity of acid mine lakes (AMLs) in this study were found to be 3.03 and 3831.33 μS cm(-1), respectively. Total iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al) levels were also found to be high (329.77 and 360.67 mg L(-1), respectively). The results show that the concentration of most elements, such as Fe and Al in particular, exceed national and international water-quality standards.
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