1
|
Sales Junior SF, Gabriel FÂ, Soares LOS, Rocha RCC, Saint'Pierre TD, Saggioro EM, Correia FV, Ferreira TO, Hauser-Davis RA, Bernardino AF. Rare Earth Element Accumulation in Fiddler Crabs (Minuca rapax) from the Rio Doce Tropical Estuary Strongly Affected by Mine Tailings Following the Fundão Disaster. Biol Trace Elem Res 2024:10.1007/s12011-024-04231-3. [PMID: 38773036 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-024-04231-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
A mining tailing dam rupture in Brazil in November 2015 released millions of tons of mining waste into the Rio Doce ecosystem, leading to long-term aquatic ecosystem impacts. Although multiple lines of evidence indicate tailings associations with potentially toxic elements in estuarine sediments and biological impact and bioaccumulation pathways in fishes, the extent of contamination in base benthic species is still largely unknown. Moreover, Rare Earth Elements (REE) have not received any attention in this regard. This study assessed REE in fiddler crabs (Minuca rapax) sampled from the Rio Doce estuary in 2017, nearly 2 years after the disaster. The ΣREE in crab hepatopancreas and muscle were high (327.83 mg kg-1 w.w. and 33.84 mg kg-1 w.w., respectively, compared to other assessments in crabs, indicating a preference for REE bioaccumulation in the hepatopancreas compared to muscle. Neodimium, La, and Ce were detected at the highest concentrations. The REE from the Rio Doce Basin were, thus, transported and deposited in the estuary with the mine tailings slurry, leading to bioaccumulation in crabs. This may lead to trophic effects and other ecological impacts not readily measured by typical impact assessment studies, revealing an invisible and not typically acknowledged damage to the Rio Doce estuary.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sidney Fernandes Sales Junior
- Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de Avaliação e Promoção da Saúde Ambiental, Av. Brasil, 4.365, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro/RJ. CEP, 21040-360, Brazil
| | - Fabrício Ângelo Gabriel
- Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Departamento de Oceanografia e Ecologia, Av. Fernando Ferrari, 514, Goiabeiras, Vitória/ES. CEP, 29075-910, Brazil
- Departamento de Biologia e Ciências, Laboratório de Ciências e Biologia, Colégio Pedro II, Rua Bernardo de Vasconcelos, 941, Realengo, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 21710-26, Brazil
| | - Lorena Oliveira Souza Soares
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Pública e Meio Ambiente, Sergio Arouca National School of Public Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Av. Leopoldo Bulhões 1480, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21041-210, Brazil
| | - Rafael Christian Chávez Rocha
- Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), Departamento de Química, Rua Marquês de São Vicente, 225, Gávea. Rio de Janeiro/RJ. CEP, 22451-900, Brazil
| | - Tatiana Dillenburg Saint'Pierre
- Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), Departamento de Química, Rua Marquês de São Vicente, 225, Gávea. Rio de Janeiro/RJ. CEP, 22451-900, Brazil
| | - Enrico Mendes Saggioro
- Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de Avaliação e Promoção da Saúde Ambiental, Av. Brasil, 4.365, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro/RJ. CEP, 21040-360, Brazil
| | - Fábio Veríssimo Correia
- Departamento de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), Av. Pasteur, 458, Urca, Rio de Janeiro/RJ. CEP, 22290-20, Brazil
| | - Tiago Osório Ferreira
- Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz Queiroz, Departamento de Ciência do Solo, Universidade de São Paulo (ESALQ/USP), Alameda das Palmeiras - Agronomia, Piracicaba/SP. CEP, 13418-900, Brazil
| | - Rachel Ann Hauser-Davis
- Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de Avaliação e Promoção da Saúde Ambiental, Av. Brasil, 4.365, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro/RJ. CEP, 21040-360, Brazil.
| | - Angelo Fraga Bernardino
- Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Departamento de Oceanografia e Ecologia, Av. Fernando Ferrari, 514, Goiabeiras, Vitória/ES. CEP, 29075-910, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Lima HS, Oliveira GFVD, Ferreira RDS, Castro AGD, Silva LCF, Ferreira LDS, Oliveira DADS, Silva LFD, Kasuya MCM, de Paula SO, Silva CCD. Machine learning-based soil quality assessment for enhancing environmental monitoring in iron ore mining-impacted ecosystems. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 356:120559. [PMID: 38471324 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120559] [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: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
In November 2015, a catastrophic rupture of the Fundão dam in Mariana (Brazil), resulted in extensive socio-economic and environmental repercussions that persist to this day. In response, several reforestation programs were initiated to remediate the impacted regions. However, accurately assessing soil health in these areas is a complex endeavor. This study employs machine learning techniques to predict soil quality indicators that effectively differentiate between the stages of recovery in these areas. For this, a comprehensive set of soil parameters, encompassing 3 biological, 16 chemical, and 3 physical parameters, were evaluated for samples exposed to mining tailings and those unaffected, totaling 81 and 6 samples, respectively, which were evaluated over 2 years. The most robust model was the decision tree with a restriction of fewer levels to simplify the tree structure. In this model, Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC), Microbial Biomass Carbon (MBC), Base Saturation (BS), and Effective Cation Exchange Capacity (eCEC) emerged as the most pivotal factors influencing model fitting. This model achieved an accuracy score of 92% during training and 93% during testing for determining stages of recovery. The model developed in this study has the potential to revolutionize the monitoring efforts conducted by regulatory agencies in these regions. By reducing the number of parameters that necessitate evaluation, this enhanced efficiency promises to expedite recovery monitoring, simultaneously enhancing cost-effectiveness while upholding the analytical rigor of assessments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Helena Santiago Lima
- Laboratory of Applied Environmental Microbiology, Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brazil.
| | | | | | - Alex Gazolla de Castro
- Laboratory of Applied Environmental Microbiology, Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brazil.
| | - Lívia Carneiro Fidélis Silva
- Laboratory of Applied Environmental Microbiology, Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brazil.
| | - Letícia de Souza Ferreira
- Laboratory of Applied Environmental Microbiology, Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brazil.
| | | | | | | | | | - Cynthia Canêdo da Silva
- Laboratory of Applied Environmental Microbiology, Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Cagnin RC, Costa ES, Longhini CM, da Silva CA, Sá F, Neto RR. Rare earth elements as tracers of iron ore tailings on the Brazilian eastern continental shelf. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2024; 20:179-188. [PMID: 37961923 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Iron ore tailings are stored in large dams and pose risks to the environment around the world. In Brazil, the rupture of these dams has become frequent and has generated environmental and social concern. Rare earth elements are good tracers of sediment sources and our results indicated chronic contamination of the seabed sediment from the marine region affected by the Fundão Dam tailings since 2015, including areas of environmental protection. This research, carried out between November 2018 and September 2021, with a database of 575 samples, showed a greater amount of contaminated material in the marine region adjacent to the Doce River mouth. Although data suggest prior mining contamination of the Doce River basin, the Fundão episode was an empirical and massive example of the environmental damage caused by these human activities over the centuries, showing that the impact remains in the shallow marine environments for years. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:179-188. © 2023 SETAC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Renata C Cagnin
- Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry and Marine Pollution, Department of Oceanography, Center of Human and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Espírito Santo, Brazil
| | - Eduardo S Costa
- Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry and Marine Pollution, Department of Oceanography, Center of Human and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Espírito Santo, Brazil
| | - Cybelle M Longhini
- Laboratory of Marine Biogeochemistry, Department of Oceanography and Limnology, Center of Bioscience, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Cesar A da Silva
- Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry and Marine Pollution, Department of Oceanography, Center of Human and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Espírito Santo, Brazil
| | - Fabian Sá
- Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry and Marine Pollution, Department of Oceanography, Center of Human and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Espírito Santo, Brazil
| | - Renato R Neto
- Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry and Marine Pollution, Department of Oceanography, Center of Human and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Espírito Santo, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Abessa D, Burton GA, Cervi EC, Simpson SL, Stubblefield W, Ribeiro CC, Cruz ACF, Kruger G, Smith R. Has the Rio Doce "time bomb" been defused? Using a weight-of-evidence approach to determine sediment quality. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2024; 20:148-158. [PMID: 37166226 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The Fundão mine tailings dam rupture of 2015, in the Rio Doce basin, Brazil, resulted in the deposition of tailings downstream of the dam. It has yet to be determined if metals associated with the tailings have contributed toxicity to organisms, burying a time bomb that could be ticking. Currently the data on toxicity to benthic and aquatic organisms have not been assessed sufficiently to allow an informed assessment using an approach based on weight-of-evidence. This study was conducted to ascertain if sediments at "hot spots" that received Fundão tailings reflected elevated concentrations of metals and if these concentrations were sufficient to result in toxicity to freshwater organisms. The lines-of-evidence considered included assessing metals concentrations in relation to sediment quality criteria, establishing biogeochemical characterizations, completing an evaluation of potential metal release upon resuspension to provide information on bioavailability, and identifying acute and chronic toxicity effects using sensitive native species for waters (water flea, Daphnia similis) and sediments (burrowing midge larvae, Chironomus sancticaroli). Only porewater concentrations of iron and manganese exceeded Brazilian surface water criteria, whereas most trace elements exhibited no enrichment or elevated environmental indexes. The concentrations of bioavailable metals were assessed to be low, and metal concentrations did not increase in the overlying water upon resuspension; rather, they decreased through time. Toxicity testing in resuspended waters and bulk sediments resulted in no acute or chronic toxicity to either benthic or aquatic species. The low metal bioavailability and absence of toxicity of the tailings-enriched sediments was attributed to the strong binding and rapid removal of potentially toxic metal ions caused by oxyhydroxides and particles in the presence of iron-rich particulates. The findings of these sediment hot-spot studies indicate the Fundão dam release of tailings more than six years ago is not causing the current release of toxic concentrations of metals into the freshwaters of the Rio Doce. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:148-158. © 2023 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Denis Abessa
- São Paulo State University-UNESP, Praça Infante Dom Henrique, São Vicente, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - G Allen Burton
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | | | | | - William Stubblefield
- Environmental and Molecular Toxicology Department, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Caio C Ribeiro
- São Paulo State University-UNESP, Praça Infante Dom Henrique, São Vicente, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana C F Cruz
- São Paulo State University-UNESP, Praça Infante Dom Henrique, São Vicente, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Ross Smith
- Hydrobiology, Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Cabral AC, de Souza AC, Sá F, Neto RR, C Martins C. How did a tailings spill change the distribution of legacy organochlorine compounds in a Southeast Atlantic inner shelf area: Is a hidden danger being transferred to the ocean? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:166939. [PMID: 37709099 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT) were evaluated in water and sediments from the Espírito Santo Inner Shelf (ESIS), Brazil, three years after the Fundão dam failure (FDF). We discuss the levels, sources, fate, and current environmental risks of these contaminants on temporal and spatial scales. In addition, the associated coastal dispersion patterns, water-sediment exchange trends, and environmental alterations were also discussed. Low contributions and no environmental risks were verified for PCBs after FDF. However, the low concentrations and frequency of occurrence in the samples did not allow for further reliable conclusions regarding the source of this contaminant. In contrast, hazard risk has been detected for DDTs in water and sediments. In sediments, there were a significant increase in level (up to 13.42 ng g-1; outlier = 369.6 ng g-1), inventory (maximum = 35.98 ng cm-2) and mean total mass (21.1 ± 39.4 kg) of DDTs after FDF. The integrated assessment of the spatial distribution in water and sediment suggests that DDTs was released from the Doce River, travelled south by the water column, and returned to the mouth region by northward sediment transport, where it accumulated. However, intense rainfall increased the input of DDTs to the ESIS and may have also altered its spatial distribution. Fugacity fraction analysis (ƒƒ) indicated a net flux of DDTs from water to sediment, suggesting that vertical sinking was an important transport process in this area. Finally, the findings indicate that FDF contributed to DDTs input on ESIS by remobilizing contaminated past sediments and soils from the Doce River drainage basin. This contribution is expected to continue since a large amount of tailings is still stored in the river basin and estuary. These results highlight the importance of assessing the indirect impacts of large-scale land disasters on marine environments, and may be helpful in future interpretations of additional local trends and global inventories of legacy pollutants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Caroline Cabral
- Centro de Estudos do Mar, Campus Pontal do Paraná, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Caixa Postal 61, 83255-976 Pontal do Paraná, PR, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Sistemas Costeiros e Oceânicos, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Caixa Postal 61, 83255-976 Pontal do Paraná, PR, Brazil
| | - Amanda Câmara de Souza
- Centro de Estudos do Mar, Campus Pontal do Paraná, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Caixa Postal 61, 83255-976 Pontal do Paraná, PR, Brazil
| | - Fabian Sá
- Laboratório de Geoquímica Ambiental e Poluição Marinha, Departamento de Oceanografia e Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Av. Fernando Ferrari, 514, Vitória CEP 29075-910, ES, Brazil
| | - Renato Rodrigues Neto
- Laboratório de Geoquímica Ambiental e Poluição Marinha, Departamento de Oceanografia e Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Av. Fernando Ferrari, 514, Vitória CEP 29075-910, ES, Brazil
| | - César C Martins
- Centro de Estudos do Mar, Campus Pontal do Paraná, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Caixa Postal 61, 83255-976 Pontal do Paraná, PR, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Vilar CC, Andrades R, Guabiroba HC, de Oliveira-Filho RR, Condini MV, Hostim-Silva M, Joyeux JC. Impacts of mining pollution on coastal ecosystems: is fish body condition a reliable indicator? MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 190:106070. [PMID: 37421704 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.106070] [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: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
Identifying reliable biological indicators is fundamental to efficiently assess human impacts on biodiversity and to monitor the outcomes of management actions. This study investigates whether body condition is an appropriate indicator of putative effects from iron ore mining tailings on marine fishes, focusing on the world's largest mining disaster - known as the Mariana disaster, in Brazil. Eight species were used to test the hypothesis that individuals inhabiting an area severely impacted by tailings have reduced body condition in comparison to those in control areas near (<60 km) and distant (>120 km) from the impact site. Contrary to our prediction, no significant difference in condition was detected between the impacted area and both near and distant controls in seven of the eight species. The results indicate that body condition, as measured by the scaled mass index, has limited applicability as indicator of impact from mining pollution on the fishes analysed. Hypotheses that could explain our findings are proposed, including nutrient provisioning from continental drainage that could indirectly influence fish condition and compensate for the deleterious effects of mining pollution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ciro Colodetti Vilar
- Laboratório de Ictiologia, Departamento de Oceanografia e Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Av. Fernando Ferrari, 514, Goiabeiras, Vitória, ES, 29075-910, Brazil.
| | - Ryan Andrades
- Laboratório de Ictiologia, Departamento de Oceanografia e Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Av. Fernando Ferrari, 514, Goiabeiras, Vitória, ES, 29075-910, Brazil
| | - Helder Coelho Guabiroba
- Laboratório de Ictiologia, Departamento de Oceanografia e Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Av. Fernando Ferrari, 514, Goiabeiras, Vitória, ES, 29075-910, Brazil
| | - Ronaldo Ruy de Oliveira-Filho
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Peixes Marinhos, Departamento de Ciências Agrárias e Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, BR 101, km 60, Litorâneo, São Mateus, ES, 29932-540, Brazil
| | - Mario Vinicius Condini
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Peixes Marinhos, Departamento de Ciências Agrárias e Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, BR 101, km 60, Litorâneo, São Mateus, ES, 29932-540, Brazil
| | - Mauricio Hostim-Silva
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Peixes Marinhos, Departamento de Ciências Agrárias e Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, BR 101, km 60, Litorâneo, São Mateus, ES, 29932-540, Brazil
| | - Jean-Christophe Joyeux
- Laboratório de Ictiologia, Departamento de Oceanografia e Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Av. Fernando Ferrari, 514, Goiabeiras, Vitória, ES, 29075-910, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Guimarães RN, Moreira VR, Cruz JRA, Saliba APM, Amaral MCS. History of tailings dam failure: Impacts on access to safe water and influence on the legislative framework. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 852:158536. [PMID: 36075437 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158536] [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: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Tailings dams have been built since 3000 BCE and despite the advancement of construction methods, mainly in the second half of the 21st century, their ruptures were still recorded. The main direct impacts are related to the loss of human lives, impairment of physical structures and changes in water quality. In this review, different dam failure events were critically analyzed considering their social and environmental impacts, besides the gaps in current regulations framework to appropriately charge the companies involved. These aspects differ the current review paper from those currently available, which also present advancements in the discussion of actions taken after the ruptures, the impacts on water quality, and the challenges related to the water supply. It has been noticed a lack of studies and methodologies capable to predict the water quality under scenarios of tailings contamination. Studies covering that aspect would be an important tool for planning emergency responses by stakeholders. With that in mind, the article discloses the pathway toward an effective strategy in scenarios of tailing dam failure that would mitigate the impacts on water quality and guarantee access to safe water.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roberta N Guimarães
- Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Minas Gerais, 6627 Antônio Carlos Ave., Engineering School, Room 4622, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
| | - Victor R Moreira
- Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Minas Gerais, 6627 Antônio Carlos Ave., Engineering School, Room 4622, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
| | - Joyce R A Cruz
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais, Ave. Dom José Gaspar, 500 - Coração Eucarístico - Belo Horizonte, 30535-901 Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Aloysio P M Saliba
- Department of Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources, Federal University of Minas Gerais, 6627 Antônio Carlos Ave., Engineering School, Room 4615, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Míriam C S Amaral
- Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Minas Gerais, 6627 Antônio Carlos Ave., Engineering School, Room 4622, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|