Dispersion and bioaccumulation of elements from an open-pit olivine mine in Southwest Greenland assessed using lichens, seaweeds, mussels and fish

Abstract

This study investigated dispersion and bioaccumulation of mining-related elements from an open-pit olivine mine at Seqi in Southwest Greenland (64° N) using lichens (Flavocetraria nivalis), seaweeds (Fucus vesiculosus), mussels (Mytilus edulis) and fish (Myoxocephalus scorpius). The mine operated between 2005 and 2009, and samples were taken every year within a monitoring area 0-17 km from the mine during the period 2004-2011. A total of 46 elements were analysed in the samples. After mining began, highly elevated metal concentrations, especially nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe) and cobalt (Co), were observed in lichens relative to pre-mining levels (up to a factor of 130) caused by dust dispersion from the mining activity. Elevated metal concentrations could be measured in lichens in distances up to ~5 km from the mine/ore treatment facility. Moderately elevated concentrations of Ni and Cr (up to a factor of 7) were also observed in seaweeds and mussels but only in close vicinity (<1 km) to the mine. Analyses of fish showed no significant changes in element composition. After mine closure, the elevated metal concentrations in lichens, seaweeds and mussels decreased markedly, and in 2011, significantly elevated metal concentrations could only be measured in lichens and only within a distance of 1 km from the mine.

Impact of nickel mining in New Caledonia assessed by compositional data analysis of lichens

“…Although the sampling network was neither dense nor regular, it seems reasonable to estimate that a distance at least 5 km from pollution sources is necessary to return to ‘clean’ conditions. This estimate is similar to those reported in two studies based on lichens: Cloquet et al (2006) for Metz, a French city, and Søndergaard (2013) for a mining context in Greenland. No clear influence of prevailing winds was noticed in our context, probably because of the sparse sampling scheme, in contrast with a study at Agadir, where strong, persistent sea winds scatter the pollutants up to about 25 km eastwards (Monna et al 2012).…”

“…Maximum Zn and Cu contents are recorded at Noumea (NOU #13 and #19). For comparison, the Co, Cr, and Ni concentrations reported for lichens collected close to an open-pit olivine mine in Greenland (Søndergaard 2013) were about one or two orders of magnitude lower than those observed at Poro, but comparable with our COUN samples. Although, at first sight, the overall picture drawn from absolute concentrations seems to be reliable, a non-negligible part of the variations observed in the Co, Cr and Ni concentrations might also be due to body morphology, age, and exposure of individuals, as suggested by the huge variations in Ti contents, an element assumed of crustal origin.…”

A first report on coexistence and hybridization of Mytilus trossulus and M. edulis mussels in Greenland

“…Such beds are highly productive, and besides being the primary food source for birds, fish and invertebrates, they provide habitat and refuge for numerous organisms (Blicher et al 2013). Further, Mytilus has been used extensively in environmental monitoring studies, for example around mining-related activities to monitor for element dispersal (e.g., Riget et al 1997Riget et al , 2000Søndergaard 2013;Sønder-gaard et al 2014;Bach et al 2014). Whether related to monitoring or to basic ecology, populations have been assumed to belong to this single taxon M. edulis only.…”

Characterisation and chemometric evaluation of 17 elements in ten seaweed species from Greenland

“…Another explanation could be the increased human and industrial activity in the area since their study - Nuuk has nearly doubled in size, from around 9 000 inhabitants to close to 18 000 inhabitants [34]. This is supported by another study from Greenland investigating the influence of increased human activity [35] by monitoring Cr concentrations in indicator organisms, in this case mining. Fucus vesiculosus was used as one of the monitoring species, and Cr concentrations increased from 0.4 mg kg −1 dry weight prior to mining operations, up to 2.62 mg kg −1 dry weight during active operations of an open-pit mine in Southern Greenland.…”

“…Another explanation could be the increased human and industrial activity in the area since their study -Nuuk has nearly doubled in size, from around 9 000 inhabitants to close to 18 000 inhabitants [34]. This is supported by another study from Greenland investigating the influence of increased human activity [35] by monitoring Cr concentrations in indicator organisms, in this case mining. F. vesiculosus was used as one of the monitoring species, and Cr concentrations increased from Laminariaceae (H. nigripes, L. solidungula, S. latissima and S. longicruris), which had a higher content of especially iodine, but also K and P. Alariaceae (A. esculenta) could not be distinguished from the other families with this method, and for Agaraceae (A. clathratum) and Palminariales (P. palmata), the low sample number of three and two samples, respectively, precluded analysis in this manner.…”