Contaminant fluxes from point and diffuse sources from abandoned mines in the River Tamar catchment, UK

Mighanetara, Krongkaew; Braungardt, Charlotte B.; Rieuwerts, John; Azizi, F.

doi:10.1016/j.gexplo.2008.03.003

Cited by 70 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Moreover, metal redistribution in vertical profiles, which reflects to some extent metal transfer from sediments to surface waters, is also related to changes in redox conditions and precipitation with Fe hydroxides (Cappuyns and Swennen 2004;Kraus and Wiegand 2006). Investigations of metal mine-contaminated catchments indicate the role of channel and floodplain sediments as an important diffuse metal source (Owens and Walling 2003;Mighanetara et al 2009). This should be recognised in the context of their spatial variability and the rate of post-depositional metal migration, so as to formulate management and site remediation strategies (Hudson-Edwards et al 1998).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term dispersal of heavy metals in a catchment affected by historic lead and zinc mining

Ciszewski

Kubsik

Aleksander-Kwaterczak

2012

J Soils Sediments

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Purpose The Matylda catchment, in southern Poland, was polluted by the discharge of mine waters from a lead and zinc mine that inundated parts of a valley floor and caused the accumulation of metal-polluted sediments. After a partial reclamation of the mine site in the early 1980s, polluted sediments continue to accumulate on downstream floodplains and in fishponds. The aim of this study was to reconstruct the changes in metal dispersal during 100 years of mining and during the 40-year post-mining period and to propose a strategy for pollution mitigation in the area. Materials and methods Analyses of Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn, Mn, Ca, Mg and Fe concentrations, speciation of heavy metals and mineralogical analyses were undertaken on overbank sediment cores and in stream sediments. Concentrations of the same elements and macro-ions soluble in stream waters were also determined. Results and discussion Concentrations of Zn, Cd and Pb in the sediment profiles vary between 40,000 and 55,000, 300 and 600 and 30,000 and 50,000 mg kg -1 , respectively. Changes of metal concentrations and the stratigraphy of sediments from the floodplains, stream channels and fishponds suggest rapid changes of metal loads migrating downstream during both the mining and post-mining periods. Since the time of mine closure, fine-grained, mine-derived sediments (ca. 12 cm thick) have been the main source of pollution of post-mining sediments and surface waters. Closure of the mine was followed by a relatively short period of rapid redistribution of sediment-associated heavy metals in the stream channel. Since the 1980s, the floodplain and fishponds have received a constant supply of metals. It contrasts with the slow sediment accretion rate and a rapid decrease of metal concentrations in floodplain pools due to dilution by decomposed leaf litter. A fivefold increase of Cd content in waters over the 4.6 km reach of the Matylda stream indicates continuous leaching of this element from the contaminated valley floor. Conclusions Unsuccessful mine site rehabilitation is due to leaching of mine-originated sediments dispersed over the valley bottom. However, the rate of metal remobilization over the last 40 years is low because of the small thickness and widespread anoxic conditions that prevail within both recent and mine-originated sediments and the alkaline pH of stream water, which reduces metal mobility. Distribution of the contaminated layer over a large area of the valley bottom precludes cost-efficient catchment rehabilitation.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term dispersal of heavy metals in a catchment affected by historic lead and zinc mining

Ciszewski

Kubsik

Aleksander-Kwaterczak

2012

J Soils Sediments

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“…Metals can enter aqueous systems through washout from surface soils, diffuse groundwater inflow, metal-enriched sediments, leaching from agricultural areas and mine tailings, catastrophic tailings dam failure and the discharge of industrial and mining effluents (e.g. Hudson-Edwards 2003;Macklin et al 2006;Mighanetara et al 2009;Inam et al 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Speciation and hydrological transport of metals in non-acidic river systems of the Lake Baikal basin: Field data and model predictions

et al. 2016

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The speciation of metals in aqueous systems is central to understanding their mobility, bioavailability, toxicity and fate. Although several geochemical speciation models exist for metals, the equilibrium conditions assumed by many of them may not prevail in field-scale hydrological systems with flowing water. Furthermore, the dominant processes and/or process rates in non-acidic systems might differ from well-studied acidic systems. We here aim to increase knowledge on geochemical processes controlling speciation and transport of metals under nonacidic river conditions. Specifically, we evaluate the predictive capacity of a speciation model to novel measurements of multiple metals and their partitioning, under highpH conditions in mining zones within the Lake Baikal basin. The mining zones are potential hotspots for increasing metal loads to downstream river systems. Metals released from such upstream regions may be transported all the way to Lake Baikal, where increasing metal contamination of sediments and biota has been reported. Our results show clear agreement between speciation predictions and field measurements of Fe, V, Pb and Zn, suggesting that the partitioning of these metals mainly was governed by equilibrium geochemistry under the studied conditions. Systematic over-predictions of dissolved Cr, Cu and Mo by the model were observed, which might be corrected by improving the adsorption database for hydroxyapatite because that mineral likely controls the solubility of these metals. Additionally, metal complexation by dissolved organic matter is a key parameter that needs continued monitoring in the Lake Baikal basin because dependable predictions could not be made without considering its variability. Finally, our investigation indicates that further model development is needed for accurate As speciation predictions under non-acidic conditions, which is crucial for improved health risk assessments on this contaminant.

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“…Some authors use a collective term AMD or acid drainage (AD) when describing both naturally and anthropogenically induced processes (e.g., Taylor and Wheeler 1994;Nordstrom 2009). The ARD is the source of acidification (pH below 5) and may be associated with the release of sulfates and potentially deleterious metals into the environmental, in particular into waters, sediments, soils, wetlands and biota (e.g., Runkel et al 2007;Cravotta III 2008a, b;Cánovas et al 2008;Cidu et al 2009;Mighanetara et al 2009;Nordstrom 2009Nordstrom , 2011a. The oxidation of pyrite or marcasite and subsequent conversion to sulfuric acid occurs through several reactions, with simplified equations as follows:…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Use of Stable Sulfur, Oxygen and Hydrogen Isotope Ratios as Geochemical Tracers of Sulfates in the Podwiśniówka Acid Drainage Area (South-Central Poland)

et al. 2013

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Contaminant fluxes from point and diffuse sources from abandoned mines in the River Tamar catchment, UK

Cited by 70 publications

References 37 publications

Long-term dispersal of heavy metals in a catchment affected by historic lead and zinc mining

Long-term dispersal of heavy metals in a catchment affected by historic lead and zinc mining

Speciation and hydrological transport of metals in non-acidic river systems of the Lake Baikal basin: Field data and model predictions

The Use of Stable Sulfur, Oxygen and Hydrogen Isotope Ratios as Geochemical Tracers of Sulfates in the Podwiśniówka Acid Drainage Area (South-Central Poland)

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