Aluminium speciation in surface waters and soil solutions in areas of sulphide mineralization in Galicia (N.W. Spain)

Álvarez‐Rodríguez, Esperanza; Pérez, Alejandro Romero; Calvo, R.

doi:10.1016/0048-9697(93)90111-i

Cited by 25 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…AMD sites in Pucheiras and Lañas accumulate a reddish metal deposit, exceptionally thick in La3, composed of non-crystalline forms of Fe (Calvo de Anta and Pérez Otero 1994). In contrast, the streambed in Brandelos, particularly downstream from its confluence with Pucheiras, is characterized by a conspicuous white deposit whose likely composition is a mixture of non-crystalline sulphates and hydroxylated forms of Al with some Fe (Alvarez et al 1993). The variable nature of these precipitates conceivably reflects broader differences in the general chemistry of each zone as the reddish precipitate is generally deposited when river waters have a pH below 4.0 while the white aluminium hydroxides typically occur when the pH rises with dilution with uncontaminated waters (Calvo de Anta and Pérez Otero 1994).…”

Section: Impact On Physicochemical Water Qualitymentioning

confidence: 88%

“…Studies conducted shortly after the end of the deposit's exploitation in 1986 (Alvarez et al 1993;Calvo de Anta and Pérez Otero 1994) reveal that the spatial pattern of those variables under the influence of the mine has remained mostly unchanged. Yet, water quality levels may have experienced a slight improvement (pH, conductivity, sulphate, Al, Fe, Zn and, to a lesser extent, Cu) most evident at sites closest to the mine.…”

Section: Impact On Physicochemical Water Qualitymentioning

confidence: 95%

“…All variables affected by AMD are highly correlated with each other and the impact of the mine can be traced with a measure as simple as conductivity (Alvarez et al 1993). Conductivity, sulphate or pH reveals that Pucheiras and Lañas (site La3) suffer the strongest impact from the mine while Brandelos should be left in a second, lower category of physicochemical damage.…”

Section: Impact On Physicochemical Water Qualitymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Biomonitoring acidic drainage impact in a complex setting using periphyton

Peña

Barreiro

2008

Environ Monit Assess

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Acid mine drainage (AMD) often exerts various environmental pressures on nearby water courses: chemical stress from low pH and dissolved metals; physical stress from metal oxide deposits. Affected streams can thus display a spatially variable combination of stress agents that may complicate its biomonitoring using native communities such as periphyton. Here, we have measured water and periphyton variables in four streams that surround an abandoned copper mine to determine which periphyton attributes consistently detected AMD impact in a complex environmental setting. Seventeen years after the end of commercial exploitation, the abandoned mine still decreases water quality in nearby streams: moderate acidification, very high metal load (Al, Ni, Cu, Zn), and a conspicuous presence of metal oxide deposits with diverse composition. Even under the resultant complex pattern of polluted conditions, periphyton was a reliable bioindicator of AMD. Epilithic diatom taxa tolerant of acidic conditions increased in AMD sites and, at severely impacted locations, species richness decreased. Also, algal biomass may have been negatively affected in some stream reaches affected by metal oxide deposits. Other periphyton attributes (total biomass, diatom diversity) seemed mostly unrelated to AMD. Diatom assemblage composition was the most sensitive and consistent bioindicator of mine drainage; besides, it rendered a biological assessment of AMD impact that largely coincided with the physicochemical evaluation. Still, including other taxonomic (proportion of acid-tolerant diatom species, diatom richness) and non-taxonomic (algal biomass) attributes in the biomonitoring procedure rendered a more comprehensive assessment of the negative consequences generated by AMD.

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Section: Impact On Physicochemical Water Qualitymentioning

confidence: 88%

Section: Impact On Physicochemical Water Qualitymentioning

confidence: 95%

Section: Impact On Physicochemical Water Qualitymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Biomonitoring acidic drainage impact in a complex setting using periphyton

Peña

Barreiro

2008

Environ Monit Assess

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“…), which occur in variable concentrations in the mine spoils. Weathering of these minerals initiates highly complex oxidation processes including redox, hydrolysis, complexation and solutionprecipitation reactions, resulting in a large release of protons and mobilisation of toxic elements such as aluminium and trace elements (Álvarez et al 1993;Alvarez-Valero et al 2009;Lizarraga-Mendiola et al 2009). Revegetation is one of the most effective methods of achieving sustainable site restoration and visual improvement of land degraded by mining (Remon et al 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Aluminium geochemistry in the bulk and rhizospheric soil of the species colonising an abandoned copper mine in Galicia (NW Spain)

et al. 2010

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Purpose Aluminium partitioning in the solid fraction and aluminium in solution in the bulk and rhizospheric soil of different plant species colonising an abandoned Cu mine slope (Calluna vulgaris, Erica cinerea and Salix atrocinerea) and mine dump (C. vulgaris and E. cinerea) were investigated. The aim of the study was to determine the changes that the species induce in the Al forms in the rhizosphere in order to adapt to heterogeneous substrates. Materials and methods Al was extracted from the solid phase with different solutions: ammonium oxalate (Alo), sodium pyrophosphate (Alp), copper chloride (Alcu), lanthanum chloride (Alla) and ammonium chloride (AlNH 4 ). The following Al fractions were obtained: inorganic non-crystalline Al (Alop=Alo-Alp), highly stable organoaluminium complexes (Alpcu=Alp-Alcu), organoaluminium complexes of intermediate stability (Alcula= Alcu-Alla) and labile organoaluminium complexes (Alla). The concentration of Al present in the aqueous phase was also determined. Results and discussion The pH of the soil in the mine slope was close to 7, and the roots of Ericaceae caused strong acidification so that the pH of the rhizospheric soil was low (3.6-4.7). In contrast, the pH of the bulk and the rhizospheric soil of S. atrocinerea remained close to 7. In the mine dump (pH3.7), the changes in the pH of the Ericaceae rhizosphere in relation to the bulk soil were not as marked as in the mine slope. Alop predominated in the solid phase (more than 70% of the Alo), and Alpcu predominated in the organoaluminium complexes (more than 55%), followed by Alcula (13% and 47%) and Alla (3% and 21%). The concentration of Al in solution was significantly related to the concentrations of AlNH 4 (r=0.43), Alla (r=0.50) and Alcula (r=0.45). Conclusions Ericaceae species grew in dump and slope materials because they modified the pH of the rhizospheric soil, while S. atrocinerea only grew in areas where the soil conditions were close to neutral. The concentration of aluminium fractions was higher in the Ericaceae rhizosphere soil than in Ericaceae bulk soil, S. atrocinerea rhizosphere and bulk soils. Moreover, highly stable organoaluminium complexes predominated, and the dissolved Al concentration was low, despite the strong acidity.

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“…That is why differences in their depth-related figures or among the profiles are not great. Another crucial factor is that as the pH declines, the adsorption of sulphate ions tends to grow [81], thus ameliorating the effect of the increased emission. Continued high inputs of H + and SO…”

Section: Anionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Composition and variability of soil solutions as a measure of human impact on protected woodland areas

Walna

2007

Open Chemistry

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Abstract:A study was made of the sandy and loamy soils of the woodland areas of the Wielkopolski National Park (Poland) affected by acid rain. The basic properties of the soils were determined, revealing their strong acidification, poor buffering power, and the possibility of aluminium release. An analysis was made of the content of soluble, exchangeable, organic, amorphous, and free forms of aluminium. The concentration of exchangeable aluminium exceeded that of the form dissolved in soil water several times to tens of times. In soil solutions Ca/Al ratios in some horizons show very low values that could induce a nutrient deficit. In the sandy profiles the ratio even drops below the critical level of 0.1. In the surface horizon the dominant cation at all the sites is the aluminium ion. An analysis of anions shows a dominance of sulphate and chloride ions. In autumn nitrites were recorded at all depth levels, while in spring only in the surface layers. The highest fluoride concentrations were found to occur in profiles situated the closest to the emission source of fluorine compounds. The markedly higher concentrations of ammonium than nitrate ions can lead to increased acidification and eutrophication of the soil.

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Aluminium speciation in surface waters and soil solutions in areas of sulphide mineralization in Galicia (N.W. Spain)

Cited by 25 publications

References 9 publications

Biomonitoring acidic drainage impact in a complex setting using periphyton

Biomonitoring acidic drainage impact in a complex setting using periphyton

Aluminium geochemistry in the bulk and rhizospheric soil of the species colonising an abandoned copper mine in Galicia (NW Spain)

Composition and variability of soil solutions as a measure of human impact on protected woodland areas

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