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de Souza Rolim G, Pacheco FAL, do Valle Junior RF, de Melo Silva MMAP, Pissarra TCT, de Melo MC, Valera CA, Fernandes LFS, Moura JP. A method to describe attenuation of river contamination under peak flows: Can the public water supply from Paraopeba River finally return after the Brumadinho dam disaster? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 949:174970. [PMID: 39059671 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2024] [Revised: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Tailings dams' disasters begin a stage of river water contamination with no endpoint at first sight. But when the river was formerly used for public water supply and the use was suspended as consequence of a dam break, a time window for safe suspension lift must be anticipated to help water managers. The purpose of this study was to seek for that moment in the case of Brumadinho dam disaster which occurred in 2019 and injected millions of cubic meters of iron- and manganese-rich tailings into the Paraopeba River, leading to the suspension of public water supply to Belo Horizonte metropolitan region with this resource, until now. To accomplish the proposed goal, an assemblage of artificial intelligence and socio-economic development models were used to anticipate precipitation, river discharge and metal concentrations (iron, manganese) until 2033. Then, the ratios of metal concentrations between impacted and non-impacted sites were determined and values representing extreme events of river discharge were selected for further assessment. A ratio ≈1 generally indicates a similarity between impacted and non-impacted areas or, put another way, a return of impacted areas to a pre-rupture condition. Moreover, when the ratio is estimated under the influence of peak flows, then a value of ≈1 indicates a return to pre-rupture conditions under the most unfavorable hydrologic regimes, thus a safe return. So, the extreme ratios were plotted against time and fitted to a straight line with intercept-x representing the requested safe time. The results pointed to 6.57 years after the accident, while using iron as contaminant indicator, or 8.71 years when manganese was considered. Despite of being a relatively low-risk timeframe, the suspension lift should be implemented in phases and monitored for precaution of potential sporadic contamination events, while dredging of the tailings from impacted areas should continue and be accelerated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Glauco de Souza Rolim
- School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Via de Acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, Jaboticabal, SP 14884-900, Brazil.
| | - Fernando António Leal Pacheco
- CQVR-Chemistry Center of Vila Real, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Ap. 1013, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal.
| | - Renato Farias do Valle Junior
- Federal Institute of the Triângulo Mineiro, Campus Uberaba, Geoprocessing Laboratory, Uberaba, MG 38064-790, Brazil.
| | | | - Teresa Cristina Tarlé Pissarra
- School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Via de Acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, Jaboticabal, SP 14884-900, Brazil.
| | - Marília Carvalho de Melo
- State Secretariat for the Environment and Sustainable Development, Administrative City of the State of Minas Gerais, Rodovia João Paulo II, 4143, Bairro Serra Verde, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
| | - Carlos Alberto Valera
- Regional Coordination of Environmental Justice Promoters of the Paranaíba and Baixo Rio Grande River Basins, Rua Coronel Antônio Rios, 951, Uberaba, MG 38061-150, Brazil.
| | - Luís Filipe Sanches Fernandes
- CITAB-Centro de Investigação e Tecnologias Agroambientais e Biológicas, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Ap. 1013, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal.
| | - João Paulo Moura
- CITAB-Centro de Investigação e Tecnologias Agroambientais e Biológicas, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Ap. 1013, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal.
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Chen R, Shen W, Tong C, Guo J, Yang L, Ma X, Xin H, Yao Y, Wang L. Contrasting nitrogen transport patterns in subtropical basins revealed by combined multiple isotopic analyzes and hydrological simulations. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 262:122058. [PMID: 39013261 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.122058] [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: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
Although enhancing the knowledge of nitrogen (N) dynamics in aquatic systems is crucial for basin N management, there is still a lack of theories on the patterns of basin N sources and transport because of the intricate influence of human activities, climatic conditions, landscape patterns, and topography on the trajectory of basin N. To shed new light on the patterns of basin N sources and transport in the Chinese subtropical monsoon region, this study provides a comprehensive approach combining multiple isotopes and hydrological model based on monthly records of hydro-chemistry and isotopes (18O-NO3- /15N-NO-3 and 18O-H2O /2H-H2O) for river water, groundwater and rainfall in three basins over multiple years. Our observations of hydro-chemistry showed that fluvial N levels in highly urbanized basins (3.05 ± 1.42 mg·L-1) were the highest and were characterized by higher levels in the dry season. In the agricultural basin, fluvial N levels in February and March were approximately 1.9 times higher than those in the other months. The fluvial N load was higher in agricultural basins (0.624-0.728 T N km -2 y -1) than in urban basins (0.558 T N km -2 y -1), primarily because of variations in sewage treatment rates and fertilizer application. In highly urbanized basin, manure and sewage (46.9 %) were the dominant sources of fluvial N, which were discharged into rivers after treatment. In the plain agricultural basin, a substantial portion of diffused residential sewage leaches into aquifers and is stored. In the hilly agro-forest mixed basin, the high baseflow coefficient (75.8 %) and the key role of groundwater N, mainly from soil N (27.3 %), chemical fertilizers (20.2 %), manure and sewage (46.6 %), to fluvial N (26.5 %) indicated that a high proportion of the N sources leached into the aquifer and were then transported to rivers. For the first time, this study integrated multiple methods to substantiate the proposed typical patterns of N sources and transport within the basins. These findings have significant implications for tailored basin-specific N management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruidong Chen
- School of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu province, 210023, PR China
| | - Wanqi Shen
- School of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu province, 210023, PR China
| | - Chengwei Tong
- School of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu province, 210023, PR China
| | - Jiaxun Guo
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Long Yang
- School of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu province, 210023, PR China
| | - Xiaoxue Ma
- College of Urban Resources and Environment, Jiangsu Second Normal University, Nanjing, 210013, PR China
| | - Huarong Xin
- Jiangsu Province Hydrology and Water Resources Investigation Bureau, Nanjing, Jiangsu province, 210029, PR China
| | - Yunlong Yao
- Jiangsu Province Hydrology and Water Resources Investigation Bureau, Nanjing, Jiangsu province, 210029, PR China
| | - Lachun Wang
- School of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu province, 210023, PR China.
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Wang A, Zhang S, Liang Z, Zeng Z, Ma Y, Zhang Z, Yang Y, He Z, Yu G, Liang Y. Response of microbial communities to exogenous nitrate nitrogen input in black and odorous sediment. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 248:118137. [PMID: 38295972 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Since nitrate nitrogen (NO3--N) input has proved an effective approach for the treatment of black and odorous river waterbody, it was controversial whether the total nitrogen concentration standard should be raised when the effluent from the sewage treatment plant is discharged into the polluted river. To reveal the effect of exogenous nitrate (NO3--N) on black odorous waterbody, sediments with different features from contaminated rivers were collected, and the changes of physical and chemical characteristics and microbial community structure in sediments before and after the addition of exogenous NO3--N were investigated. The results showed that after the input of NO3--N, reducing substances such as acid volatile sulfide (AVS) in the sediment decreased by 80 % on average, ferrous (Fe2+) decreased by 50 %, yet the changing trend of ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N) in some sediment samples increased while others decreased. High-throughput sequencing results showed that the abundance of Thiobacillus at most sites increased significantly, becoming the dominant genus in the sediment, and the abundance of functional genes in the metabolome increased, such as soxA, soxX, soxY, soxZ. Network analysis showed that sediment microorganisms evolved from a single sulfur oxidation ecological function to diverse ecological functions, such as nitrogen cycle nirB, nirD, nirK, nosZ, and aerobic decomposition. In summary, inputting an appropriate amount of exogenous NO3--N is beneficial for restoring and maintaining the oxidation states of river sediment ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ao Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural & Rural Pollution Abatement and Environmental Safety, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Shengrui Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural & Rural Pollution Abatement and Environmental Safety, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Ziyang Liang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural & Rural Pollution Abatement and Environmental Safety, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Zhanqin Zeng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural & Rural Pollution Abatement and Environmental Safety, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Yingshi Ma
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural & Rural Pollution Abatement and Environmental Safety, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Zhiang Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural & Rural Pollution Abatement and Environmental Safety, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Ying Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural & Rural Pollution Abatement and Environmental Safety, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Zihao He
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural & Rural Pollution Abatement and Environmental Safety, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Guangwei Yu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural & Rural Pollution Abatement and Environmental Safety, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Maoming Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Maoming, 525000, China.
| | - Yuhai Liang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural & Rural Pollution Abatement and Environmental Safety, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Maoming Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Maoming, 525000, China.
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Xiao HB, Zhou C, Hu XD, Wang J, Wang L, Huang JQ, Yang FT, Zhao JS, Shi ZH. Subsurface hydrological connectivity controls nitrate export flux in a hilly catchment. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 253:121308. [PMID: 38377925 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121308] [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: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Subsurface runoff represents the main pathway of nitrate transport in hilly catchments. The magnitude of nitrate export from a source area is closely related to subsurface hydrological connectivity, which refers to the linkage of separate regions of a catchment via subsurface runoff. However, understanding of how subsurface hydrological connectivity regulates catchment nitrate export remains insufficient. This study conducted high-frequency monitoring of shallow groundwater in a hilly catchment over 17 months. Subsurface hydrological connectivity of the catchment over 38 rainfall events was analyzed by combining topography-based upscaling of shallow groundwater and graph theory. Moreover, cross-correlation analysis was used to evaluate the time-series similarity between subsurface hydrological connectivity and nitrate flux during rainfall events. The results showed that the maximum subsurface hydrological connectivity during 32 out of 38 rainfall events was below 0.5. Although subsurface flow paths (i.e., the pathways of lateral subsurface runoff) exhibited clear dynamic extension and contraction during rainfall events, most areas in the catchment did not establish subsurface hydrological connectivity with the stream. The primary pattern of nitrate export was flushing (44.7%), followed by dilution (34.2%), and chemostatic behavior (21.1%). A threshold relationship between subsurface hydrological connectivity and nitrate flux was identified, with nitrate flux rapidly increasing after the subsurface connectivity strength exceeded 0.121. Moreover, the median value of cross-correlation coefficients reached 0.67, which indicated subsurface hydrological connectivity exerts a strong control on nitrate flux. However, this control effect is not constant and it increases with rainfall amount and intensity as a power function. The results of this study provide comprehensive insights into the subsurface hydrological control of catchment nitrate export.
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Affiliation(s)
- H B Xiao
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Soil Health and Green Remediation, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Jiangxi Academy of Water Science and Engineering, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330029, PR China
| | - C Zhou
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Soil Health and Green Remediation, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - X D Hu
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Soil Health and Green Remediation, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - J Wang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Soil Health and Green Remediation, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - L Wang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Soil Health and Green Remediation, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - J Q Huang
- Yangtze River Scientific Research Institute of Yangtze River Water Resources Commission, Wuhan 430010, PR China
| | - F T Yang
- Qianyanzhou Ecological Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China
| | - J S Zhao
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Soil Health and Green Remediation, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Z H Shi
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Soil Health and Green Remediation, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Jiangxi Academy of Water Science and Engineering, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330029, PR China.
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Zhang H, Sun H, Zhao R, Tian Y, Meng Y. High resolution spatiotemporal modeling of long term anthropogenic nutrient discharge in China. Sci Data 2024; 11:283. [PMID: 38461162 PMCID: PMC10925032 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-024-03102-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024] Open
Abstract
High-resolution integration of large-scale and long-term anthropogenic nutrient discharge data is crucial for understanding the spatiotemporal evolution of pollution and identifying intervention points for pollution mitigation. Here, we establish the MEANS-ST1.0 dataset, which has a high spatiotemporal resolution and encompasses anthropogenic nutrient discharge data collected in China from 1980 to 2020. The dataset includes five components, namely, urban residential, rural residential, industrial, crop farming, and livestock farming, with a spatial resolution of 1 km and a temporal resolution of monthly. The data are available in three formats, namely, GeoTIFF, NetCDF and Excel, catering to GIS users, researchers and policymakers in various application scenarios, such as visualization and modelling. Additionally, rigorous quality control was performed on the dataset, and its reliability was confirmed through cross-scale validation and literature comparisons at the national and regional levels. These data offer valuable insights for further modelling the interactions between humans and the environment and the construction of a digital Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoran Zhang
- State Key Lab of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Huihang Sun
- State Key Lab of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Ruikun Zhao
- State Key Lab of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Yu Tian
- State Key Lab of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China.
| | - Yiming Meng
- State Key Lab of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
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Wang L, Luo P, Guo X, Zhang M, Li H, Liu F, Wu J. Leaching of soil legacy nitrogen in intact soil columns and significance of soil macropore structure. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 906:167546. [PMID: 37802354 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Excessive application of chemical fertilizers accumulates nitrogen in soil (soil legacy nitrogen), and its release has a long-term impact on environmental quality. The information regarding leaching of soil legacy nitrogen and role of soil pore structure is scarce. Fifteen undisturbed soil cores with a depth of ~200 mm were collected from five paddy fields in a subtropical area of China, and soil pore structure was characterized with X-ray computed tomography. The batch leaching column experiments were conducted to investigate the nitrogen leaching from the soil cores. In the leachate, inorganic nitrogen (NO3--N and NH4+-N) accounted for 73-85 % of total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), which showed small variations among the five sampling sites. The NO3--N, NH4+-N and TDN concentrations in the leachate over the number of leaching times could be well fitted with the Gaussian, exponential or linear models, suggesting that different nitrogen forms showed variable leaching dynamics. NO3--N and TDN leaching losses continued to increase with the number of leaching times, whereas NH4+-N leaching from the soil had a threshold value. Combination of changes in soil nitrogen content after leaching, the lagging effect of soil legacy nitrogen may be partly attributed to the continuous transformation of NH4+-N and organic nitrogen into NO3--N in the soils. Besides the nitrogen content in the soil, the most important factor of soil pore structure controlling NO3--N and TDN leaching loss was the fractal dimension; NH4+-N was mainly controlled by connectivity. The present study highlighted the importance of soil pore structure and nitrogen format transformation in the leaching of soil legacy nitrogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liufang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Regions, Changsha Research Station for Agricultural & Environmental Monitoring, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Pei Luo
- Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Regions, Changsha Research Station for Agricultural & Environmental Monitoring, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China.
| | - Xiaobin Guo
- Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Regions, Changsha Research Station for Agricultural & Environmental Monitoring, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China
| | - Miaomiao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Regions, Changsha Research Station for Agricultural & Environmental Monitoring, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China
| | - Hongfang Li
- Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Regions, Changsha Research Station for Agricultural & Environmental Monitoring, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China
| | - Feng Liu
- Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Regions, Changsha Research Station for Agricultural & Environmental Monitoring, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China
| | - Jinshui Wu
- Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Regions, Changsha Research Station for Agricultural & Environmental Monitoring, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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