Selenium accumulation in aquatic biota downstream of a uranium mining and milling operation

Muscatello, Jorgelina R.; Janz, David M.

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2008.10.046

Cited by 97 publications

(70 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…The mean TTF in 1x exposures (2.8-fold) was well within the range of TTFs reported in field sites for invertebrates (1.2-4.7-fold, Fan et al 2002;Andrahennadi et al 2007;Muscatello et al 2008;Muscatello and Janz 2009) and in remarkable agreement with the generalized value cited by Presser and Luoma (2009) for use with aquatic insects (2.8-fold). This value was also consistent with the mean TTF from our previous experiment with dietary Se (2.2 ± 0.4), which also utilized a 1x feeding ration (Conley et al 2009).…”

Section: Trophic Transfersupporting

confidence: 88%

“…In our experiments, Se was readily incorporated into periphyton, achieving concentrations in 5-7 days similar to those found in primary producers from many Se contaminated field sites (range 0.35-22.6 lg g -1 , Fan et al 2002;Orr et al 2006;Andrahennadi et al 2007;Muscatello et al 2008;Muscatello and Janz 2009;Presser and Luoma 2009). Non-equilibrium periphyton enrichment of Se ranged from *1,000 to 3,000-fold, which is well within the scope of currently accepted estimates of Se absorption by primary producers in marine and estuarine environments (1,000-10,000-fold, Luoma and Presser 2009), whereas enrichment values reported from freshwater field studies tend to be lower (300-1,900-fold, Fan et al 2002;Swift 2002;Orr et al 2006).…”

Section: Periphyton Bioconcentrationsupporting

confidence: 80%

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Food rationing affects dietary selenium bioaccumulation and life cycle performance in the mayfly Centroptilum triangulifer

et al. 2011

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Selenium effects in nature are mediated by the relatively large bioconcentration of aqueous Se by primary producers and smaller, yet critical, dietary transfers to primary consumers. These basal processes are then propagated through food webs to higher trophic levels. Here we quantified the movement of dissolved Se (as selenite) to periphyton, and used the resultant periphyton as a food source for conducting full life-cycle dietary Se exposures to the mayfly Centroptilum triangulifer. Periphyton bioconcentrated Se ~2,200-fold from solution in a log-linear fashion over dissolved Se concentrations ranging from 1.1 to 23.1 μg L(-1). We examined the influence of two feeding ration levels (1x and 2x) on trophic transfer, tissue Se concentrations, maternal transfer, and functional endpoints of mayfly performance. Mayflies fed a lesser ration (1x) displayed greater trophic transfer factors (mean TTF, 2.8 ± 0.4) than mayflies fed 2x rations (mean TTF, 1.1 ± 0.3). In 1x exposures, mayflies exhibited significant (p < 0.05) reductions in survivorship and total body mass at dietary [Se] ≥ 11.9 μg g(-1), reduced total fecundity at ≥ 4.2 μg g(-1), and delayed development at ≥ 27.2 μg g(-1). Mayflies fed a greater ration (2x) displayed reduced tissue Se concentrations (apparently via growth dilution) relative to 1x mayflies, with no significant effects on performance. These results suggest that the influence of Se on mayfly performance in nature may be tied to food resource availability and quality. Furthermore, nutritional status is an important consideration when applying laboratory derived estimates of toxicity to risk assessments for wild populations.

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Section: Trophic Transfersupporting

confidence: 88%

Section: Periphyton Bioconcentrationsupporting

confidence: 80%

Food rationing affects dietary selenium bioaccumulation and life cycle performance in the mayfly Centroptilum triangulifer

et al. 2011

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“…Elevated Se concentrations may impair fish reproduction. The Se concentrations in the sediment of the exposure lake were below a previously suggested, aquatic biota-based threshold value (2 lg/g dry weight); nevertheless, the tissue concentrations in caddisflies and forage fish exceeded the lower limit (3 lg/g dry weight) of a proposed fish-diet toxicity threshold, suggesting a potential threat to predator fish and other organisms higher in the food chain (Muscatello and Janz, 2009). Indeed, northern pike fry produced from eggs collected from females downstream of the Key Lake mill (fertilized with milt from males collected at the same site) had an increased incidence of abnormal skeletal curvature, craniofacial and fin deformities, and edema, as compared to those from a reference site.…”

Section: Ecosystem Heath and Diversitymentioning

confidence: 56%

“…Elevated levels of both As and Se were found in muscle tissue of a predator fish, juvenile northern pike, which inhabited lakes downstream of the Key Lake U mill, compared to those in an upstream reference lake (Kelly and Janz, 2009). In contrast, no significant difference in Se concentration in juvenile northern pike was observed between an exposure lake and a reference lake at the McClean Lake operation U mining and milling site (Muscatello and Janz, 2009). The latter sampling involved whole body samples as compared to just the protein-rich muscle tissue.…”

Section: Ecosystem Heath and Diversitymentioning

confidence: 79%

Biogeochemical aspects of uranium mineralization, mining, milling, and remediation

Campbell¹,

Gallegos²,

Landa

2015

Applied Geochemistry

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aspects of uranium mineralization, mining, milling, and remediation" (2014 U is overwhelmingly the most abundant at greater than 99% of the total mass of U. Prior to the 1940s, U was predominantly used as a coloring agent, and U-bearing ores were mined mainly for their radium (Ra) and/or vanadium (V) content; the bulk of the U was discarded with the tailings (Finch et al., 1972). Once nuclear fission was discovered, the economic importance of U increased greatly. The mining and milling of U-bearing ores is the first step in the nuclear fuel cycle, and the contact of residual waste with natural water is a potential source of contamination of U and associated elements to the environment. Uranium is mined by three basic methods: surface (open pit), underground, and solution mining (in situ leaching or in situ recovery), depending on the deposit grade, size, location, geology and economic considerations (Abdelouas, 2006). Solid wastes at U mill tailings (UMT) sites can include both standard tailings (i.e., leached ore rock residues) and solids generated on site by waste treatment processes. The latter can include sludge or ''mud'' from neutralization of acidic mine/mill effluents, containing Fe and a range of coprecipitated constituents, or barium sulfate precipitates that selectively remove Ra (e.g., Carvalho et al., 2007). In this chapter, we review the hydrometallurgical processes by which U is extracted from ore, the biogeochemical processes that can affect the fate and transport of U and associated elements in the environment, and possible remediation strategies for site closure and aquifer restoration. This paper represents the fourth in a series of review papers from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on geochemical aspects of UMT management that span more than three decades. The first paper (Landa, 1980) in this series is a primer on the nature of tailings and radionuclide mobilization from them. The second paper (Landa, 1999) includes coverage of research carried out under the U.S. Department of Energy's Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Program (UMTRA). The third paper (Landa, 2004) reflects the increased focus of researchers on biotic effects in UMT environs. This paper expands the focus to U mining, milling, and remedial actions, and includes extensive coverage of the increasingly important alkaline in situ recovery and groundwater restoration.Ó 2014 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

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“…Another related issue is pollution from uranium mining tailings, which among the major contaminants such as uranium also contains naturally occurring Se in levels of concern [20,21]. These wastes are often disposed in or expected to migrate into areas where the conditions are anoxic, with iron being a common major element in containers or engineered so called reactive permeable barriers [22] installed in order to remediate contaminant release.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reduction of selenite and selenate on anoxically corroded iron and the synergistic effect of uranyl reduction

Puranen

Jönsson

Dähn

et al. 2010

Journal of Nuclear Materials

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Selenium accumulation in aquatic biota downstream of a uranium mining and milling operation

Cited by 97 publications

References 31 publications

Food rationing affects dietary selenium bioaccumulation and life cycle performance in the mayfly Centroptilum triangulifer

Food rationing affects dietary selenium bioaccumulation and life cycle performance in the mayfly Centroptilum triangulifer

Biogeochemical aspects of uranium mineralization, mining, milling, and remediation

Reduction of selenite and selenate on anoxically corroded iron and the synergistic effect of uranyl reduction

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