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Zhao R, Shang Y, Jacinthe PA, Li S, Liu G, Wen Z, Wang Z, Yang Q, Fang C, Song K. Variations in surface area and biogeochemistry of subarctic-arctic lakes established through satellite and in-situ observations: An overview of published research from the past 30 years. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 931:172797. [PMID: 38679084 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Human activities have strongly impacted the global climate, and during the last few decades the global average temperature has risen at a rate faster than at any time on record. High latitude lakes in the subarctic and arctic permafrost regions have particularly been vulnerable given the "Arctic amplification" phenomenon and acceleration in warming rate in the northern hemisphere (0.2-0.8 °C/decade). This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the last 30 years of research investigating how subarctic and Arctic lakes respond to climate warming. The review focused on studies where remote sensing technology was used to quantify these responses. The difference between summer lake water temperature and air temperature varied between 1.7 and 5.4 °C in subarctic lakes and 2.4-3.2 °C in Arctic lakes. Overall, the freezing date of lake ice is generally delayed and the date of lake thawing occurs earlier. Lake surface area (4-48.5 %), and abundance in the subarctic and Arctic region have increased significantly due to rising temperature, permafrost thawing, increased precipitation and other localized surface disturbances. However, in recent years, instances of lake shrinkage (between -0.4 % and -40 %) have also been reported, likely due to riparian overflow, groundwater infiltration and lateral drainage. Furthermore, in subarctic and Arctic lakes, climate change and permafrost thawing would release CO2 and CH4, and alter carbon dynamics in impacted lakes through various interconnected processes which could potentially affect the quality of carbon (terrestrial, algae) entering a lake system. The review also highlighted a potential intersection between permafrost melting and public health through human exposure to long-buried viruses. Subarctic and arctic ecosystems' responses to climate change will continue to be an area of intense research interest, and this review has highlighted priority areas for research and how remote sensing technologies can facilitate the pursuit of such a research agenda.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruixue Zhao
- Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China; School of Geomatics and Prospecting Engineering, Jilin Jianzhu University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Yingxin Shang
- Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China
| | - Pierre-André Jacinthe
- Department of Earth Sciences, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Sijia Li
- Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China
| | - Ge Liu
- Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China
| | - Zhidan Wen
- Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China
| | - Zijin Wang
- Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China
| | - Qian Yang
- Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China
| | - Chong Fang
- Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China
| | - Kaishan Song
- Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China; School of Environment and Planning, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng 252000, China.
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Li C, Ran Y, Wu P, Liu P, Yang B, Gu X, Zhao P, Liu S, Song L, Liu Y, Liu Y, Ning Z, Sun J, Liu C. Antimony and arsenic migration in a heterogeneous subsurface at an abandoned antimony smelter under rainfall. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 470:134156. [PMID: 38565015 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
While antimony (Sb) and arsenic (As) co-contamination in subsurface soil systems due to the legacy of Sb smelting wastes has been documented, the role of inherent heterogeneity on pollutant migration is largely overlooked. Herein this study investigated Sb and As migration in a slag impacted, vertically stratified subsurface at an abandoned Sb smelter. A 2-dimensional flume was assembled as a lab-scale analogue of the site and subject to rainfall and stop-rain events. Reactive transport modeling was then performed by matching the experimental observations to verify the key factors and processes controlling pollutant migration. Results showed that rainfall caused Sb and As release from the shallow slag layer and promoted their downward movement. Nevertheless, the less permeable deeper layers limited physical flow and transport, which led to Sb and As accumulation at the interface. The re-adsorption of Sb and As onto iron oxides in the deeper, more acidic layers further retarded their migration. Because of the large difference between Sb and As concentrations, Sb re-adsorption was much less effective, which led to higher mobility. Our findings overall highlight the necessity of understanding the degree and impacts of physicochemical heterogeneity for risk exposure assessment and remediation of abandoned Sb smelting sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China; College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Yiyuan Ran
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China; College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Pan Wu
- College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Peng Liu
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Boyi Yang
- School of Environment, State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Xueyuan Gu
- School of Environment, State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Ping Zhao
- Geological Brigade 105, Guizhou Bureau of Geology and Mineral Exploration and Development, Guiyang 550018, China
| | - Shirong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Lei Song
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China; College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Yuhui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Yizhang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Zengping Ning
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Jing Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China.
| | - Chengshuai Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China.
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Jin Y, Jin K, Chen X, Guan H, Hu T, Zhao H, Li Z, Xu S. Spatiotemporal variability and environmental effects of greenhouse gases, nutrients, and dissolved carbons in an ice-covered reservoir. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 239:117375. [PMID: 37839530 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Ice cover restructures the distribution of substances in ice and underlying water and poses non-negligible environmental effects. This study aimed to clarify the spatiotemporal variability and environmental effects of methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in ice and water columns during different ice-covered periods. We surveyed the ice-growth, ice-stability, and ice-melt periods in an ice-covered reservoir located in Northeast China. The results showed that underlying water (CH4: 1218.9 ± 2678.9 nmol L-1 and N2O: 19.3 ± 7.3 nmol L-1) and ice (CH4: 535.2 ± 2373.1 nmol L-1 and N2O: 9.9 ± 1.5 nmol L-1) were sources of atmospheric greenhouse gases. N2O concentrations were the highest in the bottom water of the reservoir while CH4 accumulated the most below the ice in the riverine zone. These can be attributed to differences in the solubilities and relative molecular masses of the two gases. Higher concentrations of N2O, TN, TP, DOC, and DIC were recorded in the underlying water than those in the ice due to the preferential redistribution of these substances in the aqueous phase during ice formation. Additionally, we distinguished between bubble and no-bubble areas in the riverine zone and found that the higher CH4 concentrations in the underlying water than those in the ice were due to CH4 bubbles. In addition, we reviewed various substances in ice-water systems and found that the substances in ice-water systems can be divided into solute exclusion and particle entrapment, which are attributed to differences between dissolved and particulate states. These findings are important for a comprehensive understanding of substances dynamics during ice-covered periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Jin
- School of Hydraulic Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, No.2 Linggong Road, Ganjingzi District, Dalian, Liaoning Province, 116024, China.
| | - Kang Jin
- School of Hydraulic Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, No.2 Linggong Road, Ganjingzi District, Dalian, Liaoning Province, 116024, China.
| | - Xiaoqiang Chen
- School of Hydraulic Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, No.2 Linggong Road, Ganjingzi District, Dalian, Liaoning Province, 116024, China.
| | - Haopeng Guan
- School of Hydraulic Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, No.2 Linggong Road, Ganjingzi District, Dalian, Liaoning Province, 116024, China.
| | - Tianchao Hu
- School of Hydraulic Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, No.2 Linggong Road, Ganjingzi District, Dalian, Liaoning Province, 116024, China.
| | - Huade Zhao
- College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, School of Marine Science and Engineering, No.58 Renmin Road, Haikou, Hainan Province, 570228, China.
| | - Zhijun Li
- School of Hydraulic Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, No.2 Linggong Road, Ganjingzi District, Dalian, Liaoning Province, 116024, China; State Key Laboratory of Coastal and Offshore Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China.
| | - Shiguo Xu
- School of Hydraulic Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, No.2 Linggong Road, Ganjingzi District, Dalian, Liaoning Province, 116024, China.
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Lum JE, Schoepfer VA, Jamieson HE, McBeth JM, Radková AB, Walls MP, Lindsay MBJ. Arsenic and antimony geochemistry of historical roaster waste from the Giant Mine, Yellowknife, Canada. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 458:132037. [PMID: 37459758 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Historical mining and mineral processing at the former Giant Mine (Yellowknife, NT, Canada) created an enduring legacy of arsenic (As) and antimony (Sb) contamination. Approximately 237,000 tonnes of arsenic trioxide roaster waste (ATRW) generated between 1948 and 1999 remains stored on-site in underground chambers. We studied the chemical forms and phase associations of As and Sb to improve understanding of ATRW environmental behavior. Although arsenolite [As2O3] is the principal As and Sb host, we also observed minor associations of As with Fe oxides. Arsenic K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) revealed As(III) dominated ATRW, with some As(V) and As(-I) also present. Arsenic coordination and bonding is consistent with arsenolite, while scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) showed minor As association with Fe oxides and arsenopyrite [FeAsS]. Antimony K-edge XAS revealed variable proportions of Sb(III) and Sb(V), with Sb-O, Sb-Sb and Sb-As bonding consistent with stibioclaudetite [AsSbO3] or Sb-substituted arsenolite. Electron microprobe analysis (EMPA) results showed variable but quantitative Sb substitution for As in arsenolite grains, possibly influencing ATRW solubility and reactivity under environmental conditions. Overall, our results reveal complex As and Sb phase associations with important implications for ongoing remediation efforts and long-term environmental fate of ATRW solids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jullieta E Lum
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 114 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E2, Canada
| | - Valerie A Schoepfer
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 114 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E2, Canada.
| | - Heather E Jamieson
- Department of Geology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Joyce M McBeth
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 114 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E2, Canada; Department of Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering, Queen's University, 36 Union St, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | | | - Mary P Walls
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 114 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E2, Canada
| | - Matthew B J Lindsay
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 114 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E2, Canada.
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5
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Chételat J, Palmer MJ, Paudyn K, Jamieson H, Amyot M, Harris R, Hesslein R, Pelletier N, Peraza I. Remobilization of legacy arsenic from sediment in a large subarctic waterbody impacted by gold mining. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 452:131230. [PMID: 36989775 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Arsenic contamination from mining poses an environmental challenge due to the mobility of this redox-sensitive element. This study evaluated arsenic mobility in sediments of Yellowknife Bay (Canada), a large subarctic water body impacted by gold mining during the 20th century. Short-term measurements of arsenic flux from sediment, arsenic profiling of the water column and sediment porewater, and mass balance modelling were conducted to assess the importance of sediment as an arsenic source. Sediment arsenic fluxes were highly variable throughout Yellowknife Bay and ranged from - 65-1520 µg m-2 day-1. Elevated fluxes measured near the mine site were among the highest published for well-oxygenated lakes. Redox boundaries were typically 2-3 cm below the sediment surface as indicated by porewater profiles of iron, manganese, and arsenic, with arsenic maxima of 65-3220 µg L-1 predominately as arsenite. Sediment arsenic flux was positively related to its solid-phase concentration. Modelling indicated sediment was a principal source of arsenic to the water column. Adsorption and precipitation processes in the oxidizing environment of near-surface sediments did not effectively attenuate arsenic remobilized from contaminated sediments. Internal recycling of legacy arsenic between sediment and surface water will impede a return to background conditions in Yellowknife Bay for decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Chételat
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Michael J Palmer
- North Slave Research Centre, Aurora Research Institute, Aurora College, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
| | - Katrina Paudyn
- School of Environmental Studies, Department of Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Heather Jamieson
- School of Environmental Studies, Department of Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marc Amyot
- Département de Sciences biologiques, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Reed Harris
- Reed Harris Environmental Ltd., Oakville, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Nicolas Pelletier
- Carleton University, Geography and Environmental Studies, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ines Peraza
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Filella M, Wey S, Matoušek T, Coster M, Rodríguez-Murillo JC, Loizeau JL. Arsenic in Lake Geneva (Switzerland, France): long term monitoring, and redox and methylation speciation in an As unpolluted, oligo-mesotrophic lake. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2023; 25:850-869. [PMID: 36924114 DOI: 10.1039/d2em00431c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Arsenic speciation was followed monthly along the spring productivity period (January-June 2021) in the Petit Lac (76 m deep) and in April and June 2021 in the Grand Lac (309.7 m deep) of Lake Geneva (Switzerland/France). Lake Geneva is presently an oligo-mesotrophic lake, and As-unpolluted. The water column never becomes anoxic but the oxygen saturation at the bottom of the Grand Lac is now below 30% owing to lack of water column mixing since 2012. Thus, this lake offers excellent conditions to study As behaviour in an unpolluted, oxic freshwater body. The following 'dissolved' As species: iAs(III), iAs(III + V), MA(III), MA(III + V), DMA(III + V), and TMAO were analysed by HG-CT-ICP-MS/MS. Water column measurements were complemented with occasional sampling in the main rivers feeding the lake and in the interstitial waters of a sediment core. The presence of MA(III) and TMAO and the predominance of iAs(V) in lake and river samples has been confirmed as well as the key role of algae in the formation of organic species. While the total 'dissolved' As concentrations showed nearly vertical profiles in the Petit Lac, As concentrations steadily increase at deeper depths in the Grand Lac due to the lack of mixing and build up in bottom waters. The evaluation of 25 years of monthly data of 'dissolved' As concentrations showed no significant temporal trends between 1997 and 2021. The observed seasonal character of the 'dissolved' As along this period coincides with a lack of seasonality in As mass inventories, pointing to a seasonal internal cycling of As species in the water column with exchanges between the 'dissolved' and 'particulate' (i.e., algae) fractions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Montserrat Filella
- Department F.-A. Forel for Environmental and Aquatic Sciences, University of Geneva, Boulevard Carl-Vogt 66, CH-1205 Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Sebastian Wey
- Department F.-A. Forel for Environmental and Aquatic Sciences, University of Geneva, Boulevard Carl-Vogt 66, CH-1205 Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Tomáš Matoušek
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Veveří 97, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | | | | | - Jean-Luc Loizeau
- Department F.-A. Forel for Environmental and Aquatic Sciences, University of Geneva, Boulevard Carl-Vogt 66, CH-1205 Geneva, Switzerland.
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Chen W, Liu P, Luo Y, Li B, Peng J, Jin X. Behavior of Sb and As in the hydrogeochemistry of adjacent karst underground river systems and the responses of such systems to mining activities. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 857:159411. [PMID: 36243076 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Through the investigation of Qinglong mining area and adjacent karst underground river system, mining activities and water-rock interactions are found to control the hydrogeochemical evolution of karst underground water. Along the flow direction of the karst underground river, the hydro-chemical type is converted from HCO3-Ca type to SO4-Ca type. The concentrations of Sb and As also gradually decrease. Using PHREEQC to calculate the SI shows that: in the karst underground river system, both gypsum and fluorite are unsaturated, indicating a high degree of water-rock interaction. LogPCO2 is negatively correlated with pH, indicating that the karst underground river systems are both open systems. The dissolution of carbonate minerals and the alternate adsorption of ions are the main water-rock interactions that lead to the rapid decline of Sb and As concentrations. This research also applies principal component analysis to identify the types of pollution in adjacent karst underground river systems. The results show that the LongBaiwei underground river was mainly affected by coal mining activities, and Fe was more prominent; the ShuiYa underground river was more significantly affected by the leachate from the antimony tailings yard. This study provides a scientific basis for the evolution of the water environment as well as strategies for pollution prevention and control in typical karst underground river systems owing to the influence of mining activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weixiao Chen
- College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Pu Liu
- College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China.
| | - Ying Luo
- College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Bo Li
- College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Jichao Peng
- Bureau of Natural Resources of Qianxinan Prefecture, Xingyi 562400, China
| | - Xuejiao Jin
- Guizhou Province Research Institute of Coal Mine Design Co., Ltd, Guiyang 550025, China
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Kay ML, Jasiak I, Klemt WH, Wiklund JA, Faber JA, MacDonald LA, Telford JVK, Savage CAM, Cooke CA, Wolfe BB, Hall RI. Paleolimnological evaluation of metal(loid) enrichment from oil sands and gold mining operations in northwestern Canada. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 216:114439. [PMID: 36174760 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Abundant reserves of metals and oil have spurred large-scale mining developments across northwestern Canada during the past 80 years. Historically, the associated emissions footprint of hazardous metal(loid)s has been difficult to identify, in part, because monitoring records are too short and sparse to have characterized their natural concentrations before mining began. Stratigraphic analysis of lake sediment cores has been employed where concerns of pollution exist to determine pre-disturbance metal(loid) concentrations and quantify the degree of enrichment since mining began. Here, we synthesize the current state of knowledge via systematic re-analysis of temporal variation in sediment metal(loid) concentrations from 51 lakes across four key regions spanning 670 km from bitumen mining in the Alberta Oil Sands Region (AOSR) to gold mining (Giant and Con mines) at Yellowknife in central Northwest Territories. Our compilation includes upland and floodplain lakes at varying distances from the mines to evaluate dispersal of pollution-indicator metal(loid)s from bitumen (vanadium and nickel) and gold mining (arsenic and antimony) via atmospheric and fluvial pathways. Results demonstrate 'severe' enrichment of vanadium and nickel at near-field sites (≤20 km) within the AOSR and 'severe' (near-field; ≤ 40 km) to 'considerable' (far-field; 40-80 km) enrichment of arsenic and antimony due to gold mining at Yellowknife via atmospheric pathways, but no evidence of enrichment of vanadium or nickel via atmospheric or fluvial pathways at the Peace-Athabasca Delta and Slave River Delta. Findings can be used by decision makers to evaluate risks associated with contaminant dispersal by the large-scale mining activities. In addition, we reflect upon methodological approaches to be considered when evaluating paleolimnological data for evidence of anthropogenic contributions to metal(loid) deposition and advocate for proactive inclusion of paleolimnology in the early design stage of environmental contaminant monitoring programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell L Kay
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada.
| | - Izabela Jasiak
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Wynona H Klemt
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Johan A Wiklund
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Jelle A Faber
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3C5, Canada
| | - Lauren A MacDonald
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - James V K Telford
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada; Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3C5, Canada; Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations & Rural Development Victoria, British Columbia, V8W 9M1, Canada
| | - Cory A M Savage
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Colin A Cooke
- Alberta Environment and Parks, Government of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T5J 5C6, Canada; Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E3, Canada
| | - Brent B Wolfe
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3C5, Canada
| | - Roland I Hall
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada
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Astles BC, Chételat J, Palmer MJ, Vermaire JC. Experimental investigation of short-term warming on arsenic flux from contaminated sediments of two well-oxygenated subarctic lakes. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0279412. [PMID: 36542618 PMCID: PMC9770359 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Legacy arsenic (As) contamination from past mining operations remains an environmental concern in lakes of the Yellowknife area (Northwest Territories, Canada) due to its post-depositional mobility in sediment and potential for continued remobilization to surface waters. Warmer temperatures associated with climate change in this subarctic region may impact As internal loading from lake sediments either by a direct effect on sediment porewater diffusion rate or indirect effects on microbial metabolism and sediment redox conditions. This study assessed the influence of warmer temperatures on As diffusion from contaminated sediment of two lakes with contrasting sediment characteristics using an experimental incubation approach. Sediments from Yellowknife Bay (on Great Slave Lake) contained predominately clay and silt with low organic matter (10%) and high As content (1675 μg/g) while sediments of Lower Martin Lake had high organic matter content (~70%) and approximately half the As (822 μg/g). Duplicate sediment batches from each lake were incubated in a temperature-controlled chamber, and overlying water was kept well-oxygenated while As flux from sediment was measured during four weekly temperature treatments (7°C to 21°C, at ~5°C intervals). During the experiment, As diffused from sediment to overlying water in all cores and temperature treatments, with As fluxes ranging from 48-956 μg/m2/day. Arsenic fluxes were greater from Yellowknife Bay sediments, which had higher solid-phase As concentrations, compared to those of Lower Martin Lake. Short-term warming did not stimulate As flux from duplicate cores of either sediment type, in contrast with reported temperature enhancement in other published studies. We conclude that warmer temperatures were insufficient to strongly enhance sediment As diffusion into overlying oxic waters. These observations are relevant for evaluating climate-warming effects on sediment As mobility in subarctic lakes with little or no thermal stratification and a well-oxygenated water column.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany C. Astles
- Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
| | - John Chételat
- National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Michael J. Palmer
- North Slave Research Centre, Aurora Research Institute, Yellowknife, Canada
| | - Jesse C. Vermaire
- Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
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10
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Cheney C, Pothier M, Thomas PJ, Sarma SN, Poulain AJ, Blais JM. Paleoecotoxicology: Developing methods to assess the toxicity of lake sediment records influenced by legacy gold mining. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2022; 250:106248. [PMID: 35905632 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2022.106248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The contamination of lakes by industrial emissions is an issue of international concern. Traditional paleolimnology examines sedimentary micro-fossils to infer the biological response to natural and anthropogenic stressors over time. Here, we calculate a theoretical biological effect for historic sediment sections using Probable Effect Concentration Quotient (PEC-Q) and arsenic specific quotient methods and develop novel time-constrained sediment toxicity test methods using a cultured Daphnia sp. combined with a whole cell microbial biosensor to assess the toxicity of past industrial contamination with modern testing methods. These methods were developed using sediments collected from Pocket Lake (Northwest Territories, Canada), a lake known to have exhibited a significant ecological shift following input from nearby gold smelter emissions during the mid 20th century. We then applied these methods to near-, mid-, and far-field sites to assess the response of Daphnia sp. to varying contaminant load. Daphnia sp. mortality exposed to dated sediments indicated a strong concordance with the timing of mining activities, and a strong concordance with PEC-Q and arsenic specific toxicity quotients. In contrast, a decrease in Daphnia mortality was observed during pre-, and post-mining periods when the contaminant burden was lower. Initial assessments of bioavailability using a microbial biosensor indicated that arsenic in porewater is 72-96% bioavailable, and limited evidence that oxidative stress may contribute to the Daphnia sp. toxic response. These results indicate that lake sediment archives can be used to infer missing biomonitoring data in sites of legacy anthropogenic influence, which will be useful for those seeking to conduct cost-effective and efficient preliminary environmental risk assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia Cheney
- University of Ottawa, Department of Biology, 30 Marie Curie, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Martin Pothier
- University of Ottawa, Department of Biology, 30 Marie Curie, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Philippe J Thomas
- National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Sailendra Nath Sarma
- National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Alexandre J Poulain
- University of Ottawa, Department of Biology, 30 Marie Curie, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Jules M Blais
- University of Ottawa, Department of Biology, 30 Marie Curie, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada.
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11
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Miller CB, Parsons MB, Jamieson HE, Ardakani OH, Patterson RT, Galloway JM. Mediation of arsenic mobility by organic matter in mining-impacted sediment from sub-Arctic lakes: implications for environmental monitoring in a warming climate. ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCES 2022; 81:137. [PMID: 35222729 PMCID: PMC8850223 DOI: 10.1007/s12665-022-10213-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Arsenic (As) is commonly sequestered at the sediment-water interface (SWI) in mining-impacted lakes through adsorption and/or co-precipitation with authigenic iron (Fe)-(oxy)hydroxides or sulfides. The results of this study demonstrate that the accumulation of organic matter (OM) in near-surface sediments also influences the mobility and fate of As in sub-Arctic lakes. Sediment gravity cores, sediment grab samples, and porewaters were collected from three lakes downstream of the former Tundra gold mine, Northwest Territories, Canada. Analysis of sediment using combined micro-X-ray fluorescence/diffraction, K-edge X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure (XANES), and organic petrography shows that As is associated with both aquatic (benthic and planktonic alginate) and terrestrially derived OM (e.g., cutinite, funginite). Most As is hosted by fine-grained Fe-(oxy)hydroxides or sulfide minerals (e.g., goethite, orpiment, lepidocrocite, and mackinawite); however, grain-scale synchrotron-based analysis shows that As is also associated with amorphous OM. Mixed As oxidation states in porewater (median = 62% As (V), 18% As (III); n = 20) and sediment (median = 80% As (-I) and (III), 20% As (V); n = 9) indicate the presence of variable redox conditions in the near-surface sediment and suggest that post-depositional remobilization of As has occurred. Detailed characterization of As-bearing OM at and below the SWI suggests that OM plays an important role in stabilizing redox-sensitive authigenic minerals and associated As. Based on these findings, it is expected that increased concentrations of labile OM will drive post-depositional surface enrichment of As in mining-impacted lakes and may increase or decrease As flux from sediments to overlying surface waters. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12665-022-10213-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare B. Miller
- Centre for Ore Deposits and Earth Sciences (CODES), Department of Earth Science, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7001 Australia
- Department of Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6 Canada
| | - Michael B. Parsons
- Department of Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6 Canada
- Geological Survey of Canada/Commission Géologique du Canada, Natural Resources Canada/Ressources Naturelles Canada, 1 Challenger Drive, Dartmouth, NS B2Y 4A2 Canada
| | - Heather E. Jamieson
- Department of Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6 Canada
| | - Omid H. Ardakani
- Geological Survey of Canada/Commission Géologique du Canada, Natural Resources Canada/Ressources Naturelles Canada, 3303 - 33 Street N.W., Calgary, AB T2L 2A7 Canada
| | - R. Timothy Patterson
- Ottawa‐Carleton Geoscience Centre, Department of Earth Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON KIS 5B6 Canada
| | - Jennifer M. Galloway
- Geological Survey of Canada/Commission Géologique du Canada, Natural Resources Canada/Ressources Naturelles Canada, 3303 - 33 Street N.W., Calgary, AB T2L 2A7 Canada
- Ottawa‐Carleton Geoscience Centre, Department of Earth Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON KIS 5B6 Canada
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12
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Leclerc É, Venkiteswaran JJ, Jasiak I, Telford JV, Schultz MDJ, Wolfe BB, Hall RI, Couture RM. Quantifying arsenic post-depositional mobility in lake sediments impacted by gold ore roasting in sub-arctic Canada using inverse diagenetic modelling. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 288:117723. [PMID: 34256286 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Lake sediments are widely used as environmental archives to reconstruct past changes in contaminants deposition, provided that they remain immobile after deposition. Arsenic (As) is a redox-sensitive element that may be redistributed in the sediments during early diagenesis, for instance along with iron and manganese, and thus depth profiles of As might not provide a reliable, unaltered record of past deposition. Here, we use inverse diagenetic modelling to calculate fluxes of As across the sediment-water interface and interpret As sedimentary records in eight lakes along a 80 km transect from the Giant and Con mines, Northwest Territories, Canada. The sediment cores were dated using 210Pb methods and analyzed for solid-phase and porewater As, Fe, Mn and organic C concentrations. We reconstructed the history of As deposition by correcting for the varying mobility patterns and calculated contemporary As deposition fluxes. Correction for diagenesis was substantial for three of the eight lakes, suggesting that lakes with lower sedimentation rates, which allows longer residence of As within the reactive zones defined by the model, enhance the influence of diagenesis. Results show that solid phase As peaks coincides with the period of high emissions from past gold ore roasting activities. Results also show that sediments sustained present-day As fluxes to the water column of study lakes within 50 km of the mines, while sediment in study lakes further than 50 km acted as As sinks instead.
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Affiliation(s)
- Émilie Leclerc
- Centre for Northern Studies (CEN), Takuvik Joint International Laboratory, and Department of Chemistry, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Jason J Venkiteswaran
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Izabela Jasiak
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - James V Telford
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Mackenzie D J Schultz
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Brent B Wolfe
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Roland I Hall
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Raoul-Marie Couture
- Centre for Northern Studies (CEN), Takuvik Joint International Laboratory, and Department of Chemistry, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada.
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13
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Yang F, Cen R, Feng W, Zhu Q, Leppäranta M, Yang Y, Wang X, Liao H. Dynamic simulation of nutrient distribution in lakes during ice cover growth and ablation. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 281:130781. [PMID: 34022597 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Nutrient transport in seasonally ice-covered lakes is an important factor affecting spring algal blooms in eutrophic waters; because phase changes during the ice growth process redistribute the nutrients. In this study, nutrient transport under static conditions was simulated by using two ice thickness models in combination with an indoor freezing experiment under different segregation coefficient conditions for nutrients. A real-time prediction model for nutrient and pollutant concentrations in ice-covered lakes was established to explore the impact of the ice-on period in eutrophic shallow lakes. The results demonstrated that the empirical degree-day model and the high-resolution thermodynamic snow and sea-ice model (HIGHTSI) could both be used to simulate lake ice thickness. The empirical degree-day model performed better at predicting the maximum ice thickness (measured thickness 0.22-0.55 m; simulated thickness 0.48 m), whereas the HIGHTSI model was more accurate when estimating the mean thickness (5-6% error). When simulating ice growth, the HIGHTSI model considered more meteorological factors impacting ice cover ablation; hence, it performed better during the ablation stage relative to the empirical degree-day model. Two non-dynamic nutrient transport models were developed by combining the segregation coefficient model and the ice thickness prediction model. The HIGHTSI nutrient transport model can be used to predict real-time changes in nutrient concentrations under ice cover, and the degree-day model can be used to predict changes in the lake water ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Rui Cen
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Weiying Feng
- School of Space and Environment, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China; Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Big Data-Based Precision Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Qiuheng Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Matti Leppäranta
- Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Yu Yang
- Shengyang Institute of Engingeering, Liaoning, 110136, China
| | - Xihuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Haiqing Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China.
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14
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Clark AJ, Labaj AL, Smol JP, Campbell LM, Kurek J. Arsenic and mercury contamination and complex aquatic bioindicator responses to historical gold mining and modern watershed stressors in urban Nova Scotia, Canada. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 787:147374. [PMID: 34045077 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Beginning in the late-1800s, gold mining activities throughout Nova Scotia, eastern Canada, released contaminants, notably geogenic arsenic from milled ore and anthropogenic mercury from amalgamation, to local environments via surface water flows through tailings fields. We investigated recovery from and legacy effects of the tailings field at the Montague Gold District (~1863-1940) on nearby urban lake ecosystems using geochemical measures and zooplankton remains archived in dated sediment cores from an impact (Lake Charles) and a reference (Loon Lake) lake. Sedimentary levels of total arsenic and total mercury were used to assess mining-related inputs. Arsenic concentrations remain elevated at nearly 300 times above sediment guidelines in Lake Charles surface sediments, due to its upward mobilization from enriched sediment intervals and sequestration by iron oxyhydroxides in surficial sediments. Peak mercury concentrations at Lake Charles were eight times above sediment guidelines during the mining period, and since ~1990 have recovered to levels observed before mining began. Legacy mining impacts at Lake Charles and non-mining related environmental changes in the post-1950 sediments at both lakes have thus combined to structure assemblage compositions of primary consumers. At both lakes, assemblages of pelagic-dominated Cladocera differed (p ≤ 0.05) during the mining period compared to periods before and after mining. Taxon richness differed (p ≤ 0.01) only between the pre- and post-mining periods at mining-impacted Lake Charles and reflects long-term declines of substrate-dwelling littoral taxa. Geochemical and biological recovery have not completely occurred at Lake Charles despite the mine district's closure ~80 years ago. Our findings demonstrate that impacts of ore processing and amalgamation from historical gold mining, combined with recent watershed stressors, continue to affect sedimentary arsenic geochemistry and intermediate trophic levels of nearby, downstream aquatic habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison J Clark
- Department of Geography and Environment, Mount Allison University, Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada
| | - Andrew L Labaj
- Department of Geography and Environment, Mount Allison University, Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada
| | - John P Smol
- Paleoecological Environmental Assessment and Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Linda M Campbell
- Environmental Sciences Department, Saint Mary's University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Joshua Kurek
- Department of Geography and Environment, Mount Allison University, Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada.
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15
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Deng R, Chen Y, Deng X, Huang Z, Zhou S, Ren B, Jin G, Hursthouse A. A Critical Review of Resistance and Oxidation Mechanisms of Sb-Oxidizing Bacteria for the Bioremediation of Sb(III) Pollution. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:738596. [PMID: 34557178 PMCID: PMC8453088 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.738596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimony (Sb) is a priority pollutant in many countries and regions due to its chronic toxicity and potential carcinogenicity. Elevated concentrations of Sb in the environmental originating from mining and other anthropogenic sources are of particular global concern, so the prevention and control of the source of pollution and environment remediation are urgent. It is widely accepted that indigenous microbes play an important role in Sb speciation, mobility, bioavailability, and fate in the natural environment. Especially, antimony-oxidizing bacteria can promote the release of antimony from ore deposits to the wider environment. However, it can also oxidize the more toxic antimonite [Sb(III)] to the less-toxic antimonate [Sb(V)], which is considered as a potentially environmentally friendly and efficient remediation technology for Sb pollution. Therefore, understanding its biological oxidation mechanism has great practical significance to protect environment and human health. This paper reviews studies of the isolation, identification, diversity, Sb(III) resistance mechanisms, Sb(III) oxidation characteristics and mechanism and potential application of Sb-oxidizing bacteria. The aim is to provide a theoretical basis and reference for the diversity and metabolic mechanism of Sb-oxidizing bacteria, the prevention and control of Sb pollution sources, and the application of environment treatment for Sb pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renjian Deng
- School of Civil Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, China
| | - Yilin Chen
- School of Civil Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, China
| | - Xinpin Deng
- Hunan 402 Geological Prospecting Part, Changsha, China
| | - Zhongjie Huang
- School of Civil Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, China
| | - Saijun Zhou
- School of Civil Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, China
| | - Bozhi Ren
- School of Civil Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, China
| | - Guizhong Jin
- Hsikwangshan Twinkling Star Co., Ltd., Lengshuijiang, China
| | - Andrew Hursthouse
- School of Civil Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, China
- School of Computing, Engineering and Physical Sciences, The University of the West of Scotland, Paisley, United Kingdom
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16
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Recent Advances in Colorimetric Detection of Arsenic Using Metal-Based Nanoparticles. TOXICS 2021; 9:toxics9060143. [PMID: 34204502 PMCID: PMC8235315 DOI: 10.3390/toxics9060143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Nowadays, arsenic (III) contamination of drinking water is a global issue. Laboratory and instrument-based techniques are typically used to detect arsenic in water, with an accuracy of 1 ppb. However, such detection methods require a laboratory-based environment, skilled labor, and additional costs for setup. As a result, several metal-based nanoparticles have been studied to prepare a cost-effective and straightforward detector for arsenic (III) ions. Among the developed strategies, colorimetric detection is one of the simplest methods to detect arsenic (III) in water. Several portable digital detection technologies make nanoparticle-based colorimetric detectors useful for on-site arsenic detection. The present review showcases several metal-based nanoparticles that can detect arsenic (III) colorimetrically at a concentration of ~0.12 ppb or lower in water. A literature survey suggests that biomolecule-based metal nanoparticles could serve as low-cost, facile, susceptible, and eco-friendly alternatives for detecting arsenic (III). This review also describes future directions, perspectives and challenges in developing this alternative technology, which will help us reach a new milestone in designing an effective arsenic detector for commercial use.
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17
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Perrett M, Sivarajah B, Cheney CL, Korosi JB, Kimpe L, Blais JM, Smol JP. Impacts on aquatic biota from salinization and metalloid contamination by gold mine tailings in sub-Arctic lakes. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 278:116815. [PMID: 33689946 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Revised: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Precious metal mining activities have left complex environmental legacies in lakes around the world, including some sites in climatically sensitive regions of the Canadian sub-Arctic. Here, we examined the long-term impacts of past regional gold mining activities on sub-Arctic lakes near Con Mine (Yellowknife, Northwest Territories) based on sediment core analysis (paleolimnology). In addition to receiving metal(loid)s from roaster stack emissions, the study lakes were also influenced by salt-rich mine drainage from Con Mine tailings. Water samples from these lakes had some of the highest concentrations for salinity-related variables (e.g. Ca2+, Cl-, Na+) and metal(loid)s (e.g. As, Cu, Ni, Sb) in the Yellowknife area. Furthermore, the presence of halophilic diatom (Bacillariophyceae) taxa (Achnanthes thermalis and Navicula incertata) in the recent sediments of Keg and Peg lakes suggest that the extreme saline conditions are strongly influencing the present biota, more than 10 years after the cessation of gold mining activities at Con Mine. The sedimentary metal(loid) profiles (e.g. As, Cu, Ni) of Kam Lake tracked the influence of regional gold mining activities, particularly those at Con Mine, while the algal assemblages recorded the biological responses to salinization and metal(loid) pollution (e.g. marked decreases in diatom species richness, Hill's N2 diversity, and chrysophyte cyst:diatom valve ratio). At Kam Lake, the algal assemblage changes in the post-mining era were indicative of climate-mediated changes to lake thermal properties (e.g. rise in planktonic diatoms), nutrient enrichment related to urbanization (e.g. increase in eutrophic Stephanodisucs taxa), and/or a combination of both stressors. The lack of biological recovery (i.e. return to pre-mining assemblages) is consistent with investigations of mine-impacted lakes in temperate regions where elevated contaminant levels and emerging stressors (e.g. climate warming, land-use changes) are influencing lake recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madi Perrett
- Paleoecological Environmental Assessment and Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, K7L 3N6, Ontario, Canada
| | - Branaavan Sivarajah
- Paleoecological Environmental Assessment and Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, K7L 3N6, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Cynthia L Cheney
- Laboratory for the Analysis of Natural and Synthetic Environmental Toxicants, Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, K1N 6N5, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jennifer B Korosi
- Department of Geography, York University, Toronto, M3J 1P3, Ontario, Canada
| | - Linda Kimpe
- Laboratory for the Analysis of Natural and Synthetic Environmental Toxicants, Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, K1N 6N5, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jules M Blais
- Laboratory for the Analysis of Natural and Synthetic Environmental Toxicants, Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, K1N 6N5, Ontario, Canada
| | - John P Smol
- Paleoecological Environmental Assessment and Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, K7L 3N6, Ontario, Canada
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18
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Sivarajah B, Simmatis B, Favot EJ, Palmer MJ, Smol JP. Eutrophication and climatic changes lead to unprecedented cyanobacterial blooms in a Canadian sub-Arctic landscape. HARMFUL ALGAE 2021; 105:102036. [PMID: 34303513 DOI: 10.1016/j.hal.2021.102036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Cyanobacterial blooms have been increasing in frequency and intensity but are often considered an issue restricted to temperate and tropical lakes. Here we report on one of the first occurrences of recurring cyanobacterial (Planktothrix spp.) blooms in a sub-Arctic lake from Yellowknife (Northwest Territories, Canada) and provide a long-term environmental context for the recent blooms using local meteorological data and multi-proxy paleolimnological analyses. Multiple co-occurring regional (gold mining emissions and climatic change) and local (land clearance and urbanization) stressors have impacted Jackfish Lake during the 20th and early-21st centuries, which have led to biological responses across multiple trophic levels. The unprecedented post-2013 cyanobacterial blooms were likely a cumulative response to nutrient enrichment and complex climate-mediated changes to lake thermal properties. A regional analysis of eight lakes around Yellowknife revealed that reduced ice cover duration and longer growing seasons have led to an increase in whole-lake primary production, whilst urban lakes were also fertilized by nutrients from local land-use changes in their catchments. Our findings suggest that anthropogenically nutrient-enriched sub-Arctic lakes, akin to their lower-latitude counterparts, may be vulnerable to cyanobacterial blooms in a warming world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Branaavan Sivarajah
- Paleoecological Environmental Assessment and Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, K7L 3N6.
| | - Brigitte Simmatis
- Paleoecological Environmental Assessment and Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, K7L 3N6
| | - Elizabeth J Favot
- Paleoecological Environmental Assessment and Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, K7L 3N6
| | - Michael J Palmer
- North Slave Research Centre, Aurora Research Institute, Aurora College, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada, X1A 2R3
| | - John P Smol
- Paleoecological Environmental Assessment and Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, K7L 3N6
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19
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Fan Y, Zheng C, Lin Z, Huo A, Li R, He C. Influence of sulfamethazine (SMT) on the adsorption of antimony by the black soil: Implication for the complexation between SMT and antimony. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 760:143318. [PMID: 33223156 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 10/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This paper reported when sulfamethazine (SMT) and antimony (Sb(V)) coexisted in aqueous solution at pH of 3.0, 5.0 and 7.0, the complexation between SMT and Sb(V) occurred. Such a complexation impeded the adsorption of Sb(V) on the black soil. The higher the solution pH value was, the more the amount of Sb(V) was prevented from adsorbing on the black soil. The maximum adsorption capacity (qm) of Sb(V) at the presence of SMT under pH of 3.0, 5.0 and 7.0 was 5.28, 3.45 and 1.95 mg/g, respectively. -NH2, NH, SO and CN of pyrimidine ring carried by SMT acted as the complexation sites with Sb(V). The complexation constant K were - 3.15, -3.26 and - 3.48 at pH of 7.0, 5.0 and 3.0, respectively, indicating that the complexation strength between SMT and Sb(V) followed the order of pH 7.0 > pH 5.0 > pH 3.0. The binding energy between Sb(V) and the CN group of pyrimidine ring was the highest (1.42 eV), and then followed by the groups of -NH (1.37 eV), SO (0.66 eV) and -NH2 (0.39 eV). Besides SO and CN, Sb(V) tends to complex with NH via coordination bond at pH of 7.0 while -NH2 via cation-π interaction at pH 3.0 and 5.0. Compared to pH of 5.0, the strength of cation-π interaction at pH of 3.0 weakened according to the molecular electrostatic potential map. These results demonstrated that different from the situation where Sb(V) exists in aqueous solution alone, the coexistence of SMT with Sb(V) affected the adsorption behavior of Sb(V) in soil and solution pH was also an influence factor. These findings in this paper would be helpful for further understanding the mobility, bioavailability and other environmental behavior of Sb(V) in soil when Sb(V) coexists with antibiotics even other organic compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yurui Fan
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China
| | - Chunli Zheng
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China; Key Laboratory of Thermo-Fluid Science and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, CAS, Xi'an, PR China.
| | - Zishen Lin
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China
| | - Aidi Huo
- Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecological Effects in Arid Region of the Ministry of Education, Chang'an University, Xi'an 710054, PR China; School of Water and Environment, Chang'an University, Xi'an 710054, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, CAS, Xi'an, PR China.
| | - Risheng Li
- Institute of Land Engineering and Technology, Shaanxi Provincial Land Engineering Construction Group Co., Ltd, Xi'an, PR China
| | - Chi He
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, PR China
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20
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Shi W, Song W, Luo Y, Qile G, Zheng J, Lü C, He J. Transformation pathways of arsenic species: SRB mediated mechanism and seasonal patterns. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 263:128255. [PMID: 33297200 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) mediated reduction plays a key role in the biological cycling of As, which inherently associates with the transformation of As species. However, the potential pathways of As species transformation, the predominant driving process and their explanatory factors regulating seasonal As mobility mediated by SRB remains poorly understood. This study explored the possible pathways of seasonal As species transformation mediated by SRB, and identified the predominant driving process and key environmental factors in response to As mobilization in different seasons. SRB-mediated reduction governed the seasonal mobilization of As, significantly promoted reduction of As (V) and endogenous release of As, and exhibited strong seasonal variability. The flux of As(III) and TAs in group SRB in summer were 1.92-3.53 times higher than those during the ice-bound period. The results showed two distinct stages namely release and re-immobilization both in summer and ice-bound period. While As was easier to be gradually transformed into a more stable state in SRB reduction process during ice-bound period. Both in summer and ice-bound period, SRB presented significant regulating effects on As behavior by influencing loosely adsorbed As, pyrite and As sulfides in sediments as well as the formation of sulfide during the process of SRB reduction. The main effecting pathways on As mobilization were the direct effects of SRB, S2- and Fe2+ in summer, but IP was also an important pathway affecting As mobility during ice-bound period. This work provides new insights into mechanisms responsible for seasonal As mobilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Shi
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China; Institute of Environmental Geology, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China
| | - Wenjie Song
- Pioneer College, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China
| | - Yu Luo
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China
| | - Geer Qile
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China
| | - Jinli Zheng
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China
| | - Changwei Lü
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China; Institute of Environmental Geology, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China.
| | - Jiang He
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China; Institute of Environmental Geology, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China.
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21
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Li W, Liu J, Hudson-Edwards KA. Seasonal variations in arsenic mobility and bacterial diversity: The case study of Huangshui Creek, Shimen Realgar Mine, Hunan Province, China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 749:142353. [PMID: 33370914 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Rivers throughout the world have been contaminated by arsenic dispersed from mining activities. The biogeochemical cycling of this arsenic has been shown to be due to factors such as pH, Eh, ionic strength and microbial activity, but few studies have examined the effects of both seasonal changes and microbial community structure on arsenic speciation and flux in mining-affected river systems. To address this research gap, a study was carried out in Huangshui Creek, Hunan province, China, which has been severely impacted by long-term historic realgar (α-As4S4) mining. Water and sediment sampling, and batch experiments at different temperatures using creek sediment, were used to determine the form, source and mobility of arsenic. Pentavalent (AsO43) and trivalent arsenic (AsO33-) were the dominant aqueous species (70-89% and 30-11%, respectively) in the creek, and the maximum concentration of inorganic arsenic in surface water was 10,400 μg/L. Dry season aqueous arsenic concentrations were lower than those in the wet season samples. The sediments contained both arsenate and arsenite, and relative proportions of these varied with season. 8.3 tons arsenic per annum were estimated to be exported from Huangshui Creek. Arsenic release from sediment increased by 3 to 5 times in high water temperature batch experiments (25 and 37 °C) compared to those carried out at low temperature (8 °C). Our data suggest that the arsenic-containing sediments were the main source of arsenic contamination in Huangshui Creek. Microbial community structured varied at the different sample sites along the creek. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that both temperature and arsenic concentrations were the main controlling factors on the structure of the microbial community. Protecbacteria, Bacteroidetes, Cyanobacteria, Firmicutes, Verrucomicrobia, and Planctomycetes were the stable dominant phyla in both dry and wet seasons. The genera Flavobacterium, Hydrogenophaga and Sphingomonas occurred in the most highly arsenic contaminated sites, which removed arsenic by related metabolism.Our findings indicate that seasonal variations profoundly control arsenic flux and species, microbial community structure and ultimately, the biogeochemical fate of arsenic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxu Li
- The Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Resource Recycle, Ministry of Education, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, China
| | - Jing Liu
- College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China.
| | - Karen A Hudson-Edwards
- Environment & Sustainability Institute and Camborne School of Mines, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9DF, UK.
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22
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Nasser NA, Patterson RT, Galloway JM, Falck H. Intra-lake response of Arcellinida (testate lobose amoebae) to gold mining-derived arsenic contamination in northern Canada: Implications for environmental monitoring. PeerJ 2020; 8:e9054. [PMID: 32411528 PMCID: PMC7204876 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Arcellinida (testate lobose amoebae) were examined from 40 near-surface sediment samples (top 0.5 cm) from two lakes impacted by arsenic (As) contamination associated with legacy gold mining in subarctic Canada. The objectives of the study are two folds: quantify the response of Arcellinida to intra-lake variability of As and other physicochemical controls, and evaluate whether the impact of As contamination derived from two former gold mines, Giant Mine (1938–2004) and Tundra Mine (1964–1968 and 1983–1986), on the Arcellinida distribution in both lakes is comparable or different. Cluster analysis and nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) were used to identify Arcellinida assemblages in both lakes, and redundancy analysis (RDA) was used to quantify the relationship between the assemblages, As, and other geochemical and sedimentological parameters. Cluster analysis and NMDS revealed four distinct arcellinidan assemblages in Frame Lake (assemblages 1–4) and two in Hambone Lake (assemblages 5 and 6): (1) Extreme As Contamination (EAC) Assemblage; (2) High calcium (HC) Assemblage; (3) Moderate As Contamination (MAC) assemblages; (4) High Nutrients (HN) Assemblage; (5) High Diversity (HD) Assemblage; and (6) Centropyxis aculeata (CA) Assemblage. RDA analysis showed that the faunal structure of the Frame Lake assemblages was controlled by five variables that explained 43.2% of the total faunal variance, with As (15.8%), Olsen phosphorous (Olsen-P; 10.5%), and Ca (9.5%) being the most statistically significant (p < 0.004). Stress-tolerant arcellinidan taxa were associated with elevated As concentrations (e.g., EAC and MAC; As concentrations range = 145.1–1336.6 mg kg−1; n = 11 samples), while stress-sensitive taxa thrived in relatively healthier assemblages found in substrates with lower As concentrations and higher concentrations of nutrients, such as Olsen-P and Ca (e.g., HC and HM; As concentrations range = 151.1–492.3 mg kg−1; n = 14 samples). In contrast, the impact of As on the arcellinidan distribution was not statistically significant in Hambone Lake (7.6%; p-value = 0.152), where the proportion of silt (24.4%; p-value = 0.005) and loss-on-ignition-determined minerogenic content (18.5%; p-value = 0.021) explained a higher proportion of the total faunal variance (58.4%). However, a notable decrease in arcellinidan species richness and abundance and increase in the proportions of stress-tolerant fauna near Hambone Lake’s outlet (e.g., CA samples) is consistent with a spatial gradient of higher sedimentary As concentration near the outlet, and suggests a lasting, albeit weak, As influence on Arcellinida distribution in the lake. We interpret differences in the influence of sedimentary As concentration on Arcellinida to differences in the predominant As mineralogy in each lake, which is in turn influenced by differences in ore-processing at the former Giant (roasting) and Tundra mines (free-milling).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nawaf A Nasser
- Ottawa-Carleton Geoscience Centre and Department of Earth Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - R Timothy Patterson
- Ottawa-Carleton Geoscience Centre and Department of Earth Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Jennifer M Galloway
- Geological Survey of Canada (GSC)/Commission géologique du Canada, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)/Ressources naturelles Canada (RNCan), Calgary, AB, Canada.,Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies (AIAS), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Hendrik Falck
- Northwest Territories Geological Survey, Yellowknife, NT, Canada
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23
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Xu R, Sun X, Han F, Li B, Xiao E, Xiao T, Yang Z, Sun W. Impacts of antimony and arsenic co-contamination on the river sedimentary microbial community in an antimony-contaminated river. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 713:136451. [PMID: 32019010 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.136451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Revised: 11/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Antimony (Sb) and arsenic (As) are toxic elements that occur widely in trace soil concentrations. Expansion of mining activities has increased Sb and As pollution, thus posing a severe threat to human welfare and ecological systems worldwide. Knowledge regarding the composition and adaptation of the microbial communities in these metal(loid) contaminated sites is still limited. In the current study, samples along a river flowing through the world's largest Sb mining area (Xikuangshan) were selected to investigate the microbial response to different Sb or As species. A comprehensive analysis of geochemical parameters, high-throughput sequencing, and statistical methods were applied to reveal the different effects of Sb and As on sedimentary microorganisms. Results suggested that the majority of the Sb and As fractions were not bioavailable. The Sb extractable fraction had a stronger effect on the microbial community compared with its As counterpart. Random forest analyses indicated that the easily exchangeable Sb fraction and specifically sorbed surface-bound fraction were the two most selective variables shaping microbial community diversity. A total of 11 potential keystone phyla, such as bacteria associated with the Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Firmicutes, were identified according to a molecular ecological network analysis. Strong correlations (|R| > 0.7, P < 0.05) were identified among the indigenous microbial community and pH (negative), sulfate (negative), and exchangeable Sb fraction (positive). Bacteria associated with the genera Geobacter, Phormidium, Ignavibacterium, Desulfobulbus, Ferruginibacter, Fluviicola, Methylotenera, and Scytonema, were predicted to tolerate or metabolize the Sb extractable fraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Xu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agro-environmental Pollution Control and Management, Guangdong Institute of Eco-environmental Science & Technology, Guangzhou 510650, China; National-Regional Joint Engineering Research Center for Soil Pollution Control and Remediation in South China, Guangzhou 510650, China
| | - Xiaoxu Sun
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agro-environmental Pollution Control and Management, Guangdong Institute of Eco-environmental Science & Technology, Guangzhou 510650, China; National-Regional Joint Engineering Research Center for Soil Pollution Control and Remediation in South China, Guangzhou 510650, China
| | - Feng Han
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agro-environmental Pollution Control and Management, Guangdong Institute of Eco-environmental Science & Technology, Guangzhou 510650, China; National-Regional Joint Engineering Research Center for Soil Pollution Control and Remediation in South China, Guangzhou 510650, China
| | - Baoqin Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agro-environmental Pollution Control and Management, Guangdong Institute of Eco-environmental Science & Technology, Guangzhou 510650, China; National-Regional Joint Engineering Research Center for Soil Pollution Control and Remediation in South China, Guangzhou 510650, China
| | - Enzong Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Tangfu Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zhaohui Yang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Weimin Sun
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agro-environmental Pollution Control and Management, Guangdong Institute of Eco-environmental Science & Technology, Guangzhou 510650, China; National-Regional Joint Engineering Research Center for Soil Pollution Control and Remediation in South China, Guangzhou 510650, China.
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24
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Lescord GL, Johnston TA, Heerschap MJ, Keller WB, Southee FM, O'Connor CM, Dyer RD, Branfireun BA, Gunn JM. Arsenic, chromium, and other elements of concern in fish from remote boreal lakes and rivers: Drivers of variation and implications for subsistence consumption. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 259:113878. [PMID: 32032983 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Eating fish provides numerous health benefits, but it is also a dominant pathway for human exposure to contaminants. Many studies have examined mercury (Hg) accumulation in fish, but fewer have considered other elements, such as arsenic (As) and chromium (Cr). Recently, freshwater fish from several pristine boreal systems across northern Ontario, Canada, have been reported with elevated concentrations of As and Cr for reasons that are not well understood. Our goal was to investigate the ecological and environmental influences over concentrations of As, Cr, and other elements in these fish to better understand what affects metal uptake and the risk to consumers. We measured 10 elements (including As, Cr, Hg) as well as carbon (δ13C), nitrogen (δ15N), and sulfur (δ34S) stable isotopes in 388 fish from 25 lake and river sites across this remote region. These data were used to determine the effect of: 1) trophic ecology; and 2) watershed geology on piscine elemental content. Overall, most element concentrations were low, often below provincial advisory benchmarks (ABs). However, traces of Hg, As, Cr, and selenium (Se) were detected in most fish. Based on their exceedance of their respective ABs, the most restrictive elements on fish consumption in these boreal systems were Hg > As > Cr. Arsenic and Se, but not Cr concentrations were related to fish size and trophic ecology (inferred from δ13C and δ15N), suggesting bioaccumulation of the former elements. Fish with enriched δ34S values, suggestive of anadromous behaviour, had marginally lower Hg but higher Se concentrations. Modeling results suggested a strong effect of site-specific factors, though we found weak trends between piscine elemental content and geological features (e.g., mafic intrusions), potentially due to the broad spatial scale of this study. Results from this study address gaps in our understanding of As and Cr bioaccumulation and will help to inform fish consumption guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gretchen L Lescord
- Cooperative Freshwater Ecology Unit, Vale Living with Lakes Centre, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada; Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Thunder Bay, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Thomas A Johnston
- Cooperative Freshwater Ecology Unit, Vale Living with Lakes Centre, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada; Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Sudbury, ON, Canada
| | - Matthew J Heerschap
- Cooperative Freshwater Ecology Unit, Vale Living with Lakes Centre, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada; Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Sudbury, ON, Canada
| | - W Bill Keller
- Cooperative Freshwater Ecology Unit, Vale Living with Lakes Centre, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada
| | - F Meg Southee
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Thunder Bay, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Richard D Dyer
- Earth Resources and Geoscience Mapping Section, Ontario Geological Survey, Sudbury, ON, Canada
| | - Brian A Branfireun
- Department of Biology and Centre for Environment & Sustainability, University of Western Ontario, London ON, Canada
| | - John M Gunn
- Cooperative Freshwater Ecology Unit, Vale Living with Lakes Centre, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada
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25
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Little AJ, Sivarajah B, Frendo C, Sprague DD, Smol JP, Vermaire JC. The impacts of century-old, arsenic-rich mine tailings on multi-trophic level biological assemblages in lakes from Cobalt (Ontario, Canada). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 709:136212. [PMID: 31905559 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.136212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Revised: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Silver mining in the early-1900s has left a legacy of arsenic-rich mine tailings around the town of Cobalt, in northeastern Ontario, Canada. Due to a lack of environmental control and regulations at that time, it was common for mines to dispose of their waste into adjacent lakes and land depressions, concentrating metals and metalloids in sensitive aquatic ecosystems. In order to examine what impacts, if any, these century-old, arsenic-rich mine tailings are having on present-day aquatic ecosystems, we sampled diatom assemblages in lake surface sediment in 24 lakes along a gradient of surface water arsenic contamination (0.4-972 μg/L). In addition, we examined sedimentary Cladocera and chironomid abundances and community composition, as well as open-water zooplankton communities and chlorophyll-a concentrations in10 of these study lakes along a gradient of arsenic contamination (0.9-1113 μg/L). Our results show that present-day arsenic concentration is not a significant driver of biotic community composition of the organisms we studied, but instead, that other variables such as lake depth and pH were more important in structuring assemblages. These results suggest that, while legacy contamination has greatly increased metal concentration beyond historical conditions, variability in lake-specific controls among the study lakes appear to be more important in the structuring of diatom, Cladocera, chironomidae, and zooplankton in these lakes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J Little
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa K1S 5B6, Canada.
| | - Branaavan Sivarajah
- Paleoecological Environmental Assessment and Research Lab (PEARL), Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Christina Frendo
- Institute for Environmental and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Dale D Sprague
- Department of Earth Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - John P Smol
- Paleoecological Environmental Assessment and Research Lab (PEARL), Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Jesse C Vermaire
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa K1S 5B6, Canada; Institute for Environmental and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa K1S 5B6, Canada
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26
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Miller CB, Parsons MB, Jamieson HE, Ardakani OH, Gregory BRB, Galloway JM. Influence of late-Holocene climate change on the solid-phase speciation and long-term stability of arsenic in sub-Arctic lake sediments. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 709:136115. [PMID: 31887529 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.136115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Sediment cores were collected from two lakes in the Courageous Lake Greenstone Belt (CLGB), central Northwest Territories, Canada, to examine the influence of late-Holocene warming on the transport and fate of arsenic (As) in sub-Arctic lakes. In both lakes, allochthonous As-bearing minerals (i.e. arsenopyrite and scorodite) were identified in sediment deposited during times of both regional warming and cooling, suggesting that weathering of bedrock and derived surficial materials provides a continual source of As to lakes of the CLGB. However, maximum porewater As (84 μg·L-1 and 15 μg·L-1) and reactive organic matter (OM; aquatic and terrestrial-derived) concentrations in each lake are coincident with known periods of regional climate warming. It is inferred that increased biological production in surface waters and influx of terrigenous OM led to the release of sedimentary As to porewater through reductive dissolution of As-bearing Fe-(oxy)hydroxides and scorodite during episodes of regional warming. Elevated sedimentary As concentrations (median: 36 mg·kg-1; range: 29 to 49 mg·kg-1) are observed in sediment coeval with the Holocene Thermal Maximum (ca. 5430 ± 110 to 4070 ± 130 cal. years BP); at these depths, authigenic As-bearing framboidal pyrite is the primary host of As in sediment and the influence of organic matter on the precipitation of As-bearing framboidal pyrite is apparent petrographically. These findings suggest that increased biological productivity and weathering of terrestrial OM associated with climate warming influences redox cycles in the near-surface sediment and enhances the mobility of As in northern lakes. Knowledge generated from this study is relevant for predicting future climate change-driven variations in metal(loid) cycling in aquatic systems and can be used to interpret trends in long-term environmental monitoring data at historical, modern, and future metal mines in northern environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare B Miller
- Department of Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada.
| | - Michael B Parsons
- Department of Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada; Geological Survey of Canada/Commission géologique du Canada, Natural Resources Canada/Ressources naturelles Canada, 1 Challenger Drive, Dartmouth, NS B2Y 4A2, Canada
| | - Heather E Jamieson
- Department of Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Omid H Ardakani
- Geological Survey of Canada/Commission géologique du Canada, Natural Resources Canada/Ressources naturelles Canada, 3303 33rd Street N.W., Calgary, AB T2L 2A7, Canada
| | - Braden R B Gregory
- Ottawa-Carleton Geoscience Centre, Department of Earth Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON KIS 5B6, Canada
| | - Jennifer M Galloway
- Geological Survey of Canada/Commission géologique du Canada, Natural Resources Canada/Ressources naturelles Canada, 3303 33rd Street N.W., Calgary, AB T2L 2A7, Canada; Ottawa-Carleton Geoscience Centre, Department of Earth Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON KIS 5B6, Canada; Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies, Aarhus University, Aarhus DK 8000, Denmark
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