Role of the floodplain lakes in the methylmercury distribution and exchanges with the Amazon River, Brazil

Adapted Sequential Extraction Protocol to Study Mercury Speciation in Gold Mining Tailings: Implications for Environmental Contamination in the Amazon

Artisanal small-scale gold mining (ASGM), an increasingly prevalent activity in South America, generates mercury-contaminated tailings that are often disposed of in the environment, leading to the introduction of mercury into ecosystems and the food web, where it bioaccumulates. Therefore, studying the geochemical processes involved in the desorption and dissolution of mercury in these tailings is essential for critical risk evaluations in the short and long term. For this purpose, sequential extraction procedures (SEPs) can be useful because they help to identify the phases to which Hg is associated, although they also have limitations such as a lack of selectivity and specificity. In this work, we propose a modified four-step SEP: exchangeable mercury (F1), oxidizable mercury (F2), mercury bound to Fe oxides (F3), and strongly bound mercury (F4). To test this adapted sequential extraction method, we evaluated the Hg contamination in mercury-contaminated tailings of the Amazon basin. The results revealed a total mercury concentration of 103 ± 16 mg·kg-1 in the tailings, with a significant portion in F1 (28% of the total), where Hg was bioavailable. The large Hg concentration in F3 (36%) suggested that Fe oxides likely contribute to mercury retention. Together, the SEP results emphasize the urgent need for improved surveillance of gold mining activities and responsible tailings management practices to mitigate environmental contamination and safeguard the health of the Amazon ecosystem.

Nanoparticles containing hazardous elements and the spatial optics of the Sentinel-3B OLCI satellite in Amazonian rivers: a potential tool to understand environmental impacts

The Amazon River is the longest river in the world. The Tapajós River is a tributary to the Amazon. At their junction, a marked decrease in water quality is evident from negative impacts from the constant activity of clandestine gold mining in the Tapajós River watershed. The accumulation of hazardous elements (HEs), capable of compromising environmental quality across large regions is evident in the waters of the Tapajós. Sentinel-3B OLCI (Ocean Land Color Instrument) Level-2 satellite imagery with Water Full Resolution (WFR) of 300 m was utilized to detect the highest potential for the absorption coefficient of detritus and gelbstoff in 443 m^-1 (ADG443_NN), chlorophyll-a (CHL_NN) and total suspended matter concentration (TSM_NN), at 25 points in the Amazon and Tapajós rivers (in 2019 and 2021). Physical samples of riverbed sediment collected in the field at the same locations were analyzed for NPs and ultra-fine particles to verify the geospatial findings. The riverbed sediment samples collected in the field were studied by Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), with selected area electron diffraction (SAED), following laboratory analytical procedures. The Sentinel-3B OLCI images, based on the Neural Network (NN) were calibrated by the European Space Agency (ESA), with a standard average normalization of 0.83 µg/mg, containing a maximum error of 6.62% applied to the sampled points. The analysis of the riverbed sediment samples revealed the presence of the following hazardous elements: As, Hg, La, Ce, Th, Pb, Pd, among several others. The Amazon River has significant potential to transport ADG443_NN (55.475 m^-1) and TSM_NN (70.787 gm^-3) in sediments, with the possibility of negatively impacting marine biodiversity, in addition to being harmful to human health over very large regions.

Mercury levels in an environmentally protected estuarine area in Northeast Brazil: partitioning in the water column and transport to the ocean

In this study, total Hg concentrations (HgT) were determined in the suspended particulate matter (SPM) and the dissolved fraction of the water column to evaluate their behavior through a gradient of physical-chemical parameters in a continuum between rivers and the Serinhaém River estuary of the Pratigi Environmental Protection Area, a pristine environment without point sources of Hg contamination, located in Northeast Brazil. Twelve points were sampled, forming a river-estuary transect, and two samplings were carried out (April and September 2019). Significant spatial and temporal effects were detected only for particulate HgT and not for dissolved HgT. Considering both samplings, the mean HgT concentrations in SPM were 1112 ± 824 and 44 ± 33 ng·g^-1 in the river and estuary, respectively. Also, HgT concentrations in the dissolved fraction (1.61 ± 0.61 ng·L^-1) were below the limits established by environmental agencies (CONAMA = 2 μg∙L^-1 and USEPA = 1.4 μg·L^-1). Salinity and SPM concentrations were important predictors of HgT in the water column (R² = 0.81, p < 0.0001; R² = 0.56, p < 0.0001, respectively). Mercury transport to the ocean through SPM was 2 kg∙year^-1, 4000 times greater than the dissolved fraction.

Hydrological isolation affected the chemo-diversity of dissolved organic matter in a large river-connected lake (Poyang Lake, China)

The transportation processes during aquatic systems regulate the ultimate chemistry of dissolved organic matter (DOM), and in recent years, climate changes and human activities have altered the hydrological patterns of many rivers and lakes, which generated some severe issues, such as hydrological isolation. However, how hydrological isolation affects variations of DOM chemistry in large lake systems is still poorly understood. Here, optical properties and molecular compositions of DOM samples derived from a large river-connected lake (Poyang Lake, China) and its nearby seasonal sub-lakes (formed by hydrological isolation) were characterized using Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT ICR MS) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. The results revealed more abundance of organic matter in sub-lakes than that in the main lake according to high dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and absorption coefficients (a₂₅₄ and a₂₈₀). Large proportions of CHOS formulas were identified by FT ICR MS in sub-lakes DOM, which were produced through Kraft reactions (sulfide/bisulfide + lignin CHO → CHOS) in the interface of sediment/water, and greatly contributed to aliphatic compounds. In addition, obvious variations of compounds (such as polyphenols, highly unsaturated and aliphatic compounds) and lability of DOM were observed between sub-lakes and main lakes, which were mainly caused by the different degradation pathways of DOM (photodegradation in sub-lakes while biodegradation in the main lake). Our results demonstrated that hydrological isolation has significant impacts on DOM chemistry, and provides an improved understanding of the DOM biogeochemistry process in Poyang Lake and supports the management of the large lake systems.

Particulate Mercury and Particulate Organic Matter in the Itenez Basin (Bolivia)

In rivers and other freshwater bodies, the presence of mercury can be due to direct contamination by anthropic activities such as gold mining. However, it can also be attributed to atmospheric deposition and erosion, runoff, or lixiviation from surrounding soils. In the case of the Amazon rainforest, high mercury contents have been reported for litter and topsoil, which could affect the mercury concentrations in water bodies. Samples of suspended particulate matter were obtained from a transect of the Itenez River, associated lakes, and some of its tributaries. The aim was to obtain information on particulate mercury’s origin in the study area and determine the relationship between particulate mercury and particulate organic carbon. The concentration of mercury, organic matter, and the C:N ratio of the suspended matter was determined. The concentration of particulate mercury by water volume depended on changes in suspended matter loads, which in turn were mostly affected by the nature of the watershed or sediment resuspension. The observed values for the percentage of organic matter and the C:N ratio suggest that most of the mercury content in rivers and lakes originated from soils. A positive correlation was found between mercury concentration by weight of particulate matter and organic carbon content in particles. This correlation might be due to the direct binding of mercury to organic matter through functional groups like thiols or to an indirect effect of oxyhydroxides that can adsorb mercury and are associated with organic matter.

Doce River Estuary: Geochemical Changes Following the Largest Tailing Spill in South America

Accidents involving economic activities of great impact, such as mining, have caused massive environmental damage. In November 2015, the dam of Fundão, located in the city of Mariana, MG, broke and released 5 × 10⁷ m³ of tailings in the nearby ecosystems, including the Doce River. The physicochemical changes that occurred in the Doce River estuary were analyzed, as well as the trace metal concentrations, both 1 day before and 1 month after the disaster. The analyses of the collected samples (water and sediment) showed changes to the physicochemistry regarding dissolved oxygen, SPM, and temperature (p = 0.008, 0.001, 0.036, respectively). It also detected metals (Fe and Al) in the dissolved fraction beyond the limits recommended by the Brazilian legislation. There was an increase in the total concentrations of Fe and Cd in the sediment after the rupture of the dam and a change in mobile metals (Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn), with higher concentrations of mobile metals being found closer to the ocean (p = 0.06356). After the rupture of the dam, there was a change in the granulometric fraction of the sediment, which became composed mainly of silt and clay. All of the results showed a change on the Doce River estuary, caused by the arrival of the tailings, which can result in future harmful effects with the release of metals present in the sediment and adsorbed to the particles. The changes to the sediment, such as changes in the granulometric fraction, can have negative consequences for the benthic community.

Methylmercury in Predatory and Non-predatory Fish Species Marketed in the Amazon Triple Frontier

This study assessed if the concentrations of methylmercury (MeHg) in predatory and non-predatory fish caught in the Upper Solimões River are safe for human consumption, according to the reference values established by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). MeHg concentrations were evaluated in muscle of 5 predatory and 4 non-predatory fish species by gas chromatography with electron capture detector (GC-ECD). MeHg concentrations in predatory (0.09 mg kg^-1) and non-predatory (0.04 mg kg^-1) fish were under the safe upper limit for human consumption. The general average concentration of MeHg in these fish were 0.05 mg kg^-1. The Estimated Weekly Intake of MeHg was higher than the provisional tolerable weekly intake in both predatory and non-predatory fish, especially for women. Due to the high rates of fish consumption in the Amazon, the risk assessment based only on the concentration of MeHg in fish may not be accurate.

Retrieving Total and Inorganic Suspended Sediments in Amazon Floodplain Lakes: A Multisensor Approach

Remote sensing imagery are fundamental to increasing the knowledge about sediment dynamics in the middle-lower Amazon floodplains. Moreover, they can help to understand both how climate change and how land use and land cover changes impact the sediment exchange between the Amazon River and floodplain lakes in this important and complex ecosystem. This study investigates the suitability of Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 spectral characteristics in retrieving total (TSS) and inorganic (TSI) suspended sediments on a set of Amazon floodplain lakes in the middle-lower Amazon basin using in situ Remote Sensing Reflectance (Rrs) measurements to simulate Landsat 8/OLI (Operational Land Imager) and Sentinel 2/MSI (Multispectral Instrument) bands and to calibrate/validate several TSS and TSI empirical algorithms. The calibration was based on the Monte Carlo Simulation carried out for the following datasets: (1) All-Dataset, consisting of all the data acquired during four field campaigns at five lakes spread over the lower Amazon floodplain (n = 94); (2) Campaign-Dataset including samples acquired in a specific hydrograph phase (season) in all lakes. As sample size varied from one season to the other, n varied from 18 to 31; (3) Lake-Dataset including samples acquired in all seasons at a given lake with n also varying from 17 to 67 for each lake. The calibrated models were, then, applied to OLI and MSI scenes acquired in August 2017. The performance of three atmospheric correction algorithms was also assessed for both OLI (6S, ACOLITE, and L8SR) and MSI (6S, ACOLITE, and Sen2Cor) images. The impact of glint correction on atmosphere-corrected image performance was assessed against in situ glint-corrected Rrs measurements. After glint correction, the L8SR and 6S atmospheric correction performed better with the OLI and MSI sensors, respectively (Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) = 16.68% and 14.38%) considering the entire set of bands. However, for a given single band, different methods have different performances. The validated TSI and TSS satellite estimates showed that both in situ TSI and TSS algorithms provided reliable estimates, having the best results for the green OLI band (561 nm) and MSI red-edge band (705 nm) (MAPE < 21%). Moreover, the findings indicate that the OLI and MSI models provided similar errors, which support the use of both sensors as a virtual constellation for the TSS and TSI estimate over an Amazon floodplain. These results demonstrate the applicability of the calibration/validation techniques developed for the empirical modeling of suspended sediments in lower Amazon floodplain lakes using medium-resolution sensors.

Influence of the flood pulse on mercury accumulation in detritivorous, herbivorous and omnivorous fish in Brazilian Amazonia

Hg accumulation in fish is influenced by several factors including seasonality. In the Amazon, ecosystems are marked by strong seasonal variation in precipitation, which leads to drastic changes in the water level of lakes and rivers. The aim of this study was to evaluate Hg levels in muscle of detritivorous, herbivorous and omnivorous fish from an Amazon lake (Madeira River Basin, Amazonas, Brazil) over four seasons (rising water, high water, falling water and low water). We hypothesized that total Hg concentration varies during the seasons. The results indicate that total Hg levels in detritivorous fish were higher in rising and low water seasons while in herbivorous and omnivorous fish the total Hg concentration was higher during the rising water season. The hypothesis was supported by the results. Additionally, the study provides evidence that Hg levels in fish with different feeding habits are influenced by the flood pulse of the Amazon region.

Hydrodynamic investigation of surface hydrological connectivity and its effects on the water quality of seasonal lakes: Insights from a complex floodplain setting (Poyang Lake, China)

Small, seasonal lakes that exist in floodplains are rarely investigated, and yet they play an important role in the protection of biodiversity and are highly susceptible to modification due to human activities. This study presents a first attempt to combine hydrodynamic modeling and statistical methods to investigate hydrological connectivity and its relationship with the water quality of nine seasonal lakes within the floodplains of Poyang Lake (China). The hydrodynamic model reproduced reasonably well the hydrological regime of the lake and surrounding floodplains, based on field measurements and remote sensing data. Floodplain lakes exhibit similar water-level dynamics to the main lake during connected periods of flooding, while they decouple from the main lake during recession periods. Geostatistical results reveal that although the north-south hydrological connectivity extends over a longer pathway than the west-east connectivity, the rapid reduction in the west-east connectivity indicates a more sensitive response. The west-east connectivity tends to play a dominant role in affecting the interactions between the main lake and floodplains, as expected. Statistical methods indicate that surface hydrological connectivity across the floodplain results in an enhanced spatial similarity in the water quality of the floodplain lakes, in terms of a multitude of water quality parameters (TN, TP, NH₄⁺-N, NO₃^--N, NO₂^--N, PO₄^3-, COD_Mn, and Chl a), while surface hydrological isolation was observed to increase the water quality differences between the seasonal lakes. Additionally, enhanced hydrological connectivity may lead to improved water quality of the seasonal lakes from low connectivity to high connectivity condition. Hydrological connectivity may be a key factor controlling the dynamics in water quality between seasonal lakes. The findings of this study support the management of both Poyang Lake and the floodplain wetlands by providing important information on both water resource and water quality, and proposals to better manage the impacts of intensive human activities.

Total Hg and methylmercury dynamics in a river-floodplain system in the Western Amazon: Influence of seasonality, organic matter and physical and chemical parameters

Total mercury (Hg) and methylmercury (MeHg) circulation in a connected river-floodplain system composed of two black water (a small forest river, igarapé, and Cuniã Lake) and a white water body (Madeira River), located in the Madeira River Basin were evaluated during the rising-water, early and late falling-water periods. We assessed organic matter (C and N composition, (C:N)a; and δ¹³C isotopic signature), and physical and chemical influences (pH, dissolved O₂, electric conductivity) in relationship to Hg and MeHg concentrations. Hg and MeHg concentrations in a sediment profile and three aquatic macrophytes (E. crassipes, E. azuera and Oryza sp.) were measured. Igarapé and Cuniã Lake showed higher Hg and MeHg concentrations (115-709; 10-25 ng g^-1) in the suspended particulate matter compared (SPM) compared to the Madeira River (Hg: 5-16; MeHg: 0.2-0.3 ng g^-1), partially independent of seasonality (p = 0.06). Total Hg had higher affinity for the SPM (1.75 times) than for dissolved organic matter. Organic matter characteristics correlated with MeHg concentrations (δ¹³C and (C:N)a; r² = 0.79; p < 0.0001), as well as physical and chemical parameters of the water column (dissolved O₂ and pH; r² = 0.80; p < 0.0001), demonstrating that physical and chemical changes between the river-floodplain system affect MeHg circulation and production. The inverse correlation of MeHg and SO₄^2- concentrations (r² = 0.73; p < 0.0001) suggests the action of sulfate-reducing bacteria. Total Hg and MeHg concentrations as well as %MeHg were detected in the sediment profile (Hg: 24-51; MeHg: 0.6-3.2 ng g^-1; %MeHg: 1.8-6.2) and aquatic macrophytes (Hg: 1-30; MeHg: 0.3-7.5 ng g^-1; %MeHg: 1.6-33.7). We conclude that the highest Hg and MeHg concentrations in Cuniã Lake, compared to the Madeira River, are due to the physical and chemical differences between these environments.