scholarly journals Chronic trace metals effects of mine tailings on estuarine assemblages revealed by environmental DNA

Author(s):  
Angelo F Bernardino ◽  
Fabiano S Pais ◽  
Louisi S Oliveira ◽  
Fabricio A Gabriel ◽  
Tiago O Ferreira ◽  
...  

Mine tailing disasters have occurred worldwide and contemporary release of tailings of large proportions raise concerns of the chronic impacts that trace metals associated with tailings may have on the aquatic biodiversity. Environmental metabarcoding (eDNA) offers an yet poorly explored opportunity for biological monitoring of impacted aquatic ecosystems from mine tailings and contaminated sediments. eDNA has been increasingly recognized to be an effective method to detect previously unrecognized small-sized Metazoan taxa, but their ecological responses to environmental pollution has not been assessed by metabarcoding. Here we evaluated chronic effects of trace metal contamination from sediment eDNA of the Rio Doce estuary, 1.7 years after the Samarco mine tailing disaster, which released over 40 million m3of iron tailings in the Rio Doce river basin. We identified 123 new sequence variants (eOTUs) of benthic taxa and an assemblage composition dominated by Nematoda, Crustacea and Platyhelminthes; typical of other estuarine ecosystems. We detected environmental filtering on the meiofaunal assemblages and multivariate analysis revealed strong influence of Fe contamination, supporting chronic impacts from mine tailing deposition in the estuary. This was in contrast to environmental filtering of meiofaunal assemblages of non-polluted estuaries. Here we suggest that the eDNA metabarcoding technique provides an opportunity to fill up biodiversity gaps in coastal marine ecology and may become a valid method for long term monitoring studies in mine tailing disasters and estuarine ecosystems with high trace metals content.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelo F Bernardino ◽  
Fabiano S Pais ◽  
Louisi S Oliveira ◽  
Fabricio A Gabriel ◽  
Tiago O Ferreira ◽  
...  

Mine tailing disasters have occurred worldwide and contemporary release of tailings of large proportions raise concerns of the chronic impacts that trace metals associated with tailings may have on the aquatic biodiversity. Environmental metabarcoding (eDNA) offers an yet poorly explored opportunity for biological monitoring of impacted aquatic ecosystems from mine tailings and contaminated sediments. eDNA has been increasingly recognized to be an effective method to detect previously unrecognized small-sized Metazoan taxa, but their ecological responses to environmental pollution has not been assessed by metabarcoding. Here we evaluated chronic effects of trace metal contamination from sediment eDNA of the Rio Doce estuary, 1.7 years after the Samarco mine tailing disaster, which released over 40 million m3of iron tailings in the Rio Doce river basin. We identified 123 new sequence variants (eOTUs) of benthic taxa and an assemblage composition dominated by Nematoda, Crustacea and Platyhelminthes; typical of other estuarine ecosystems. We detected environmental filtering on the meiofaunal assemblages and multivariate analysis revealed strong influence of Fe contamination, supporting chronic impacts from mine tailing deposition in the estuary. This was in contrast to environmental filtering of meiofaunal assemblages of non-polluted estuaries. Here we suggest that the eDNA metabarcoding technique provides an opportunity to fill up biodiversity gaps in coastal marine ecology and may become a valid method for long term monitoring studies in mine tailing disasters and estuarine ecosystems with high trace metals content.


PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e8042 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelo F. Bernardino ◽  
Fabiano S. Pais ◽  
Louisi S. Oliveira ◽  
Fabricio A. Gabriel ◽  
Tiago O. Ferreira ◽  
...  

Mine tailing disasters have occurred worldwide and contemporary release of tailings of large proportions raise concerns of the chronic impacts that trace metals may have on the aquatic biodiversity. Environmental metabarcoding (eDNA) offers an as yet poorly explored opportunity for biological monitoring of impacted aquatic ecosystems from mine tailings and contaminated sediments. eDNA has been increasingly recognized to be an effective method to detect previously unrecognized small-sized Metazoan taxa, but their ecological responses to environmental pollution has not been assessed by metabarcoding. Here, we evaluated chronic effects of trace metal contamination from sediment eDNA of the Rio Doce estuary, 1.7 years after the Samarco mine tailing disaster, which released over 40 million m3 of iron tailings in the Rio Doce river basin. We identified 123 new sequence variants environmental taxonomic units (eOTUs) of benthic taxa and an assemblage composition dominated by Nematoda, Crustacea and Platyhelminthes; typical of other estuarine ecosystems. We detected environmental filtering on the meiofaunal assemblages and multivariate analysis revealed strong influence of Fe contamination, supporting chronic impacts from mine tailing deposition in the estuary. This was in contrast to environmental filtering of meiofaunal assemblages of non-polluted estuaries. Here, we suggest that the eDNA metabarcoding technique provides an opportunity to fill up biodiversity gaps in coastal marine ecology and may become a valid method for long term monitoring studies in mine tailing disasters and estuarine ecosystems with high trace metals content.


2017 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandar Dosic ◽  
Dragana Tomasevic-Pilipovic ◽  
Miladin Gligoric ◽  
Bozo Dalmacija ◽  
Djurdja Kerkez ◽  
...  

Increasing amounts of residues and waste materials coming from industrial activities in different processes have become an increasingly urgent problem for the future. The paper presents the problem of mine tailings generated in mine ?Sase? (Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina) with high metal content (Pb, Cu and Zn). Dumpsite of this tailing represents potential risk for water bodies in the vicinity of this location. Chosen treatment process was stabilization/solidification (S/S). Inorganic agents used in this study were fly ash and red mud that represent secondary industrial waste generated on locations relatively near the mine. Therefore, their application can be used as an example of a sustainable solution of regional environmental problem. Further investigations are related to the impact of various factors on metals leaching from mine tailings solidified/stabilized material using the above mentioned immobilization agents. The performance of the immobilizing procedures was examined using several leaching tests: ANS 16.1, TCLP, DIN, MWLP. The results indicated that all S/S samples can be considered as non-hazardous waste, as all leached metal concentrations met the set criteria. These results will further enable the modelling of metals behaviour during long-term leaching from treated mine tailing. The data are invaluable in terms of economically and environmentally sound management of mine tailing.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (8) ◽  
pp. 1192-1193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon N. Jarman ◽  
Oliver Berry ◽  
Michael Bunce
Keyword(s):  

1998 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 234-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
JF (Derick) Nixon ◽  
Nick Holl

A geothermal model is described that simulates simultaneous deposition, freezing, and thawing of mine tailings or sequentially placed layers of embankment soil. When layers of soil or mine tailings are placed during winter subfreezing conditions, frozen layers are formed in the soil profile that may persist with time. The following summer, warmer soil placement may not be sufficient to thaw out layers from the preceding winter. Remnant frozen soil layers may persist for many years or decades. The analysis is unique, as it involves a moving upper boundary and different surface snow cover functions applied in winter time. The model is calibrated based on two uranium mines in northern Saskatchewan. The Rabbit Lake scenario involves tailings growth to a height of 120 m over a period of 24 years. At Key Lake, tailings increase in height at a rate of 1.3 m/year. Good agreement between the observed position of frozen layers and those predicted by the model is obtained. Long-term predictions indicate that from 80 to 200 years would be required to thaw out the frozen layers formed during placement, assuming 1992 placement conditions continue. Deposition rates of 1.5-3 m/year give the largest amounts of frozen ground. The amount of frozen ground is sensitive to the assumed snow cover function during winter.Key words: geothermal, model, tailings, freezing, deposition.


Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 967
Author(s):  
Svetlana Pakhomova ◽  
Evgeniy Yakushev ◽  
Morten Thorne Schaanning

Underwater disposal of mine tailings in lakes and seas has been considered favorable due to the geochemical stability obtained during long-term storage in anoxic sediments. Sulfides are stable in the ore; however, oxidation and transformation of some substances into more soluble forms may impact bioavailability processes and enhance the risk of toxic effects in the aquatic environment. The goal of this work was to construct a model for simulating the nickel (Ni) cycle in the water column and upper sediments and apply it to the mine tailing sea deposit in the Jøssingfjord, SouthWest Norway. A one-dimensional (1D) benthic–pelagic coupled biogeochemical model, BROM, supplemented with a Ni module specifically developed for the study was used. The model was optimized using field data collected from the fjord. The model predicted that the current high Ni concentrations in the sediment can be a potential source of Ni leaching to the water column until about 2040. The top 10 cm of sediments were classified as being of “poor” environmental state according to the Norwegian Quality Standards. A numerical experiment predicted that with complete cessation of the discharges there would be an improvement in the environmental state of sediment to “good” in about 20 years. On the other hand, doubling of discharge would lead to an increase in the Ni content in the sediment, approaching the boundary of the “very poor” environmental state. The model results demonstrated that Ni leaching from the sea deposits may be increased due to sediment reworking by bioturbation at the sediment–water interface. The model can be an instrument for analysis of different scenarios for mine tailing activities from point of view of reduction of environmental impact as a component of the best available technology.


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