TY - JOUR
T1 - Trace Elements and Consequent Ecological Risks in Mining-Influenced Streams of Appalachia
AU - Clark, Elyse V.
AU - Soucek, David J.
AU - Schoenholtz, Stephen H.
AU - Whitmore, Keridwen M.
AU - Zipper, Carl E.
N1 - Thanks to D. Edwards and Y. Cho of Virginia Tech's Statistical Applications and Innovations Group for their advice on statistical analyses. Thanks to A.J. Timpano for providing the foundation for our study, and for his continued collaboration and advice. We also thank E. Sharp, A. Gondran, R. Vander Vorste, L. Nolan, C. Sabin, M. Underwood, T. Weiglan, D. Jensen, A. Knox, J.C. Burger, and D. Mitchem for field and laboratory assistance. Our research was funded by the US Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation, and Enforcement, Cooperative Agreement S15AC20028.
PY - 2023/12
Y1 - 2023/12
N2 - Appalachian (eastern USA) coal surface mines fracture geologic materials, causing release of both major ions and trace elements to water via accelerated weathering. When elevated above natural background, trace elements in streams may produce adverse effects on biota via direct exposure from water and sediment and via dietary exposure in food sources. Other studies have found elevated water concentrations of multiple trace elements in Appalachia's mining-influenced streams. Except for Se, trace-element concentrations in abiotic and biotic media of Appalachian mining-influenced streams are less well known. We analyzed environmental media of headwater streams receiving alkaline waters from Appalachian coal mines for eight trace elements (Al, As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Sr, V, and Zn) and assessed the potential consequent ecological risks. Streamwater, particulate media (sediment, biofilm, leaf detritus), and benthic macroinvertebrates (primary consumers, secondary consumers, crayfish) were sampled from six mining-influenced and three reference streams during low-flow conditions in two seasons. Dissolved Cu, Ni, and Sr were higher in mining-influenced streams than in reference streams; Ni, Sr, and Zn in fine sediments and Ni in macroinvertebrates were also elevated relative to reference-stream levels in samples from mining-influenced streams. Seasonal ratios of mining-influenced stream concentrations to maximum concentrations in reference streams also demonstrated mining-influenced increases for several elements in multiple media. In most media, concentrations of several elements including Ni were correlated positively. All water-column dissolved concentrations were below protective levels, but fine-sediment concentrations of Ni approached or exceeded threshold-effect concentrations in several streams. Further study is warranted for several elements (Cd, Ni, and Zn in biofilms, and V in macroinvertebrates) that approached or exceeded previously established dietary-risk levels. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:2651–2665.
AB - Appalachian (eastern USA) coal surface mines fracture geologic materials, causing release of both major ions and trace elements to water via accelerated weathering. When elevated above natural background, trace elements in streams may produce adverse effects on biota via direct exposure from water and sediment and via dietary exposure in food sources. Other studies have found elevated water concentrations of multiple trace elements in Appalachia's mining-influenced streams. Except for Se, trace-element concentrations in abiotic and biotic media of Appalachian mining-influenced streams are less well known. We analyzed environmental media of headwater streams receiving alkaline waters from Appalachian coal mines for eight trace elements (Al, As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Sr, V, and Zn) and assessed the potential consequent ecological risks. Streamwater, particulate media (sediment, biofilm, leaf detritus), and benthic macroinvertebrates (primary consumers, secondary consumers, crayfish) were sampled from six mining-influenced and three reference streams during low-flow conditions in two seasons. Dissolved Cu, Ni, and Sr were higher in mining-influenced streams than in reference streams; Ni, Sr, and Zn in fine sediments and Ni in macroinvertebrates were also elevated relative to reference-stream levels in samples from mining-influenced streams. Seasonal ratios of mining-influenced stream concentrations to maximum concentrations in reference streams also demonstrated mining-influenced increases for several elements in multiple media. In most media, concentrations of several elements including Ni were correlated positively. All water-column dissolved concentrations were below protective levels, but fine-sediment concentrations of Ni approached or exceeded threshold-effect concentrations in several streams. Further study is warranted for several elements (Cd, Ni, and Zn in biofilms, and V in macroinvertebrates) that approached or exceeded previously established dietary-risk levels. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:2651–2665.
KW - Bioaccumulation
KW - Coal
KW - Ecotoxicology
KW - Macroinvertebrates
KW - Metals
KW - Water quality
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U2 - 10.1002/etc.5734
DO - 10.1002/etc.5734
M3 - Article
C2 - 37589405
AN - SCOPUS:85171287169
SN - 0730-7268
VL - 42
SP - 2651
EP - 2665
JO - Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
JF - Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
IS - 12
ER -