Synergistic effects of mining and urban effluents on the level and distribution of methylmercury in a shallow aquatic ecosystem of the Bolivian Altiplano

Alanoca, L.; Guédron, Stéphane; Amouroux, David; Audry, Stéphane; Monperrus, Mathilde; Tessier, Emmanuel; Goix, Sylvaine; Achá, Darío; Seyler, Patrick; Point, David

doi:10.1039/c6em00547k

Cited by 13 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 41 publications

(63 reference statements)

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“…In agreement with previous studies (28), Uru Uru lake was characterized by high EC and alkaline pH. UP3 presented the highest levels of metals among all points, followed by MC sampling points.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…The Uru Uru Lake (3686 masl), situated in the department of Oruro, in the central part of the Altiplano in Bolivia, is an artificial shallow lake 8 Km south of Oruro city. The lake is characterized by an alkaline pH (8,3 ± 0,6) with a strong buffering capacity (28). The Tagarete channel receives and drains the wastewater from Oruro city towards the northern part of the lake.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Tagarete channel receives and drains the wastewater from Oruro city towards the northern part of the lake. The north-east part of Uru Uru lake receives water discharges from San Jose Mine and the Vinto smelting plant (28). On the other hand, the Desaguadero River that comes from the Titicaca Lake drain the discharges of Kori Kollo and Kori Chaca meromictic lakes (once open pit gold mines) into the north-west part of Uru Uru (29).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous studies in Uru Uru, reported that the contribution of both, wastewater and mining residues increase the electrical conductivity (EC) and the concentration of certain metals and metalloids such as: Hg, Fe, Mn, W, and Sb. (28)…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Antibiotic resistance genes and class 1 integron: Evidence of fecal pollution as a major driver for their abundance in water and sediments impacted by metal contamination and wastewater in the Andean region of Bolivia

Agramont

Gutiérrez-Cortez

Joffré

et al. 2020

Preprint

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26Water and sediment samples affected by mining activities were collected from 27 three lakes in Bolivia, the pristine Andean lake Pata Khota, the Milluni Chico lake 28 directly impacted by acid mine drainage, and the Uru-Uru lake located close to 29 Oruro city and highly polluted by mining activities and human wastewater 30 discharges. Physicochemical parameters, including metal compositions, were 31 analyzed in water and sediment samples. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), 32 were screened for, and verified by quantitative PCR together with the mobile 33 element class 1 integron (intl1) as well as crAssphage, a marker of human fecal 34 pollution. The gene intl1 showed a positive correlation with sul1, sul2, tetA and 35 blaOXA-2. CrAssphage was only detected in Uru-Uru lake and its tributaries and 36 significantly higher abundance of ARGs were found in these sites. Multivariate 37 analysis showed that crAssphage abundance, electrical conductivity and pH were 38 positively correlated with higher levels of intl1 and ARGs. Taken together our 39 results suggest that fecal pollution is the major driver of higher ARGs and intl1 in 40 wastewater and mining contaminated environments. 41 3 48 can be incorporated and replicated in environmental microorganisms, thereby 49 increasing their concentration (3). 50 It has been reported that anthropogenic activities cause pollution of aquatic 51 environments with ARGs and MGEs (4). Wastewater discharges cause co-52 occurrence of MGEs and different ARGs in water and sediments (5). At a 53 continental scale, ARGs in sediments are strongly correlated with MGEs and 54antibiotic residues (6). Recently, it has been observed that microorganisms living in 55 aquatic microbial communities that came from wastewater were able to transfer 56 ARGs via horizontal gene transfer (HGT) after exposure to low levels of antibiotics 57 and biocides (7). Many of the ARGs that can be found in clinical settings have also 58 been found in the environment, suggesting the possibility of movement and 59 dissemination between these two scenarios (8). 60Mining activities cause contamination of downstream water with dissolved 61 metals (9) where heavy metals tend to accumulate in sediments (10). It has been 62 suggested that heavy metals can favor selection of ARGs via co-selection, i.e. the 63 simultaneous acquisition of both, ARG and metal resistance genes, where the 64 presence of metals constitutes the selective pressure (11). Several studies support 65 this relation. Urban soil samples of Belfast in Northern Ireland, exhibited a pattern 66 of co-occurrence between metals (Zn, Cu, Cd, Co, Ni, Hg, Cr and As) and many 67 ARGs. Moreover, the degree of metal toxicity was positively correlated with the 68 abundance of MGEs, and ARGs (12). Metals, as Cu and Zncan in some cases 69 exert stronger selection pressure over soil microbial communities for the selection 70 of resistant bacteria, even more than specific antibiotics (13). In the Dongying river 71 in China, the levels of Cu and Cr were positively c...

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Antibiotic resistance genes and class 1 integron: Evidence of fecal pollution as a major driver for their abundance in water and sediments impacted by metal contamination and wastewater in the Andean region of Bolivia

Agramont

Gutiérrez-Cortez

Joffré

et al. 2020

Preprint

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“…While ASGM and related processes (e.g., deforestation, soil erosion, urbanization) are known to increase the transport of Hg in watersheds, related impacts on biogeochemical transformations of Hg are also important to consider (Boudou et al 2005 ; Alanoca et al 2016 ). The chemical forms of Hg mobilized from recently deforested areas may differ from other terrestrial sources, and this difference may be relevant for Hg methylation and MeHg bioaccumulation.…”

Section: Gold Mining and Other Mining Activitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenges and opportunities for managing aquatic mercury pollution in altered landscapes

Hsu‐Kim

Eckley

Achá

et al. 2018

Ambio

204

115

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The environmental cycling of mercury (Hg) can be affected by natural and anthropogenic perturbations. Of particular concern is how these disruptions increase mobilization of Hg from sites and alter the formation of monomethylmercury (MeHg), a bioaccumulative form of Hg for humans and wildlife. The scientific community has made significant advances in recent years in understanding the processes contributing to the risk of MeHg in the environment. The objective of this paper is to synthesize the scientific understanding of how Hg cycling in the aquatic environment is influenced by landscape perturbations at the local scale, perturbations that include watershed loadings, deforestation, reservoir and wetland creation, rice production, urbanization, mining and industrial point source pollution, and remediation. We focus on the major challenges associated with each type of alteration, as well as management opportunities that could lessen both MeHg levels in biota and exposure to humans. For example, our understanding of approximate response times to changes in Hg inputs from various sources or landscape alterations could lead to policies that prioritize the avoidance of certain activities in the most vulnerable systems and sequestration of Hg in deep soil and sediment pools. The remediation of Hg pollution from historical mining and other industries is shifting towards in situ technologies that could be less disruptive and less costly than conventional approaches. Contemporary artisanal gold mining has well-documented impacts with respect to Hg; however, significant social and political challenges remain in implementing effective policies to minimize Hg use. Much remains to be learned as we strive towards the meaningful application of our understanding for stakeholders, including communities living near Hg-polluted sites, environmental policy makers, and scientists and engineers tasked with developing watershed management solutions. Site-specific assessments of MeHg exposure risk will require new methods to predict the impacts of anthropogenic perturbations and an understanding of the complexity of Hg cycling at the local scale.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s13280-017-1006-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Dimethylmercury in natural waters—analytical and experimental considerations

West,

Babi,

Azaroff

et al. 2023

Limnology & Ocean Methods

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Mono‐ and dimethylmercury (MMHg and DMHg, respectively) are the two primary organic forms of mercury (Hg) found in natural waters. While experimental approaches to characterize the environmental behavior of MMHg and inorganic forms of Hg are widely used today, few laboratories conduct experimental studies entailing the use of DMHg. In this paper, we have evaluated and developed different analytical and experimental approaches to quantify and use DMHg in laboratory studies. We demonstrate that DMHg can be analyzed from samples where MMHg is derivatized using sodium tetraethyl borate and where the matrix effects of dissolved sulfide are masked using copper sulfate. Tests, where the calibration curves of MMHg and DMHg were used, showed that MMHg may be used to calibrate for DMHg. For the pre‐concentration of DMHg, both traps filled with Tenax® TA and Bond Elut ENV were found suitable. We observed good recoveries of DMHg added to different types of natural waters or purified water containing aquarium salt, sodium chloride and dissolved sulfide, iron sulfide, and cadmium sulfide at DMHg : sulfide molar ratios > 10−6. In addition to evaluating these analytical aspects, we present suitable subsampling techniques for DMHg‐containing solutions, the recovery of DMHg when filtering DMHg through different types of filters, and experimental data on the long‐term stability of DMHg added to different types of waters and stored at different temperatures. Finally, we present and discuss a new synthetization protocol for preparing aqueous solutions containing DMHg free of organic solvents and where handling DMHg in a pure form is prevented.

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Synergistic effects of mining and urban effluents on the level and distribution of methylmercury in a shallow aquatic ecosystem of the Bolivian Altiplano

Cited by 13 publications

References 41 publications

Antibiotic resistance genes and class 1 integron: Evidence of fecal pollution as a major driver for their abundance in water and sediments impacted by metal contamination and wastewater in the Andean region of Bolivia

Antibiotic resistance genes and class 1 integron: Evidence of fecal pollution as a major driver for their abundance in water and sediments impacted by metal contamination and wastewater in the Andean region of Bolivia

Challenges and opportunities for managing aquatic mercury pollution in altered landscapes

Dimethylmercury in natural waters—analytical and experimental considerations

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