A Multidisciplinary Approach for the Assessment of Origin, Fate and Ecotoxicity of Metal(loid)s from Legacy Coal Mine Tailings
Over the course of history, the development of human societies implied the exploitation of mineral resources which generated huge amounts of mining wastes leading to substantial environmental contamination by various metal(loid)s. This is especially the case of coal mine tailings which, subjected to...
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MDPI AG
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Toxics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/9/7/164 |
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| author | Honorine Gauthier-Manuel Diane Radola Flavien Choulet Martine Buatier Raphaël Vauthier Tatiana Morvan Walter Chavanne Frédéric Gimbert |
| author_facet | Honorine Gauthier-Manuel Diane Radola Flavien Choulet Martine Buatier Raphaël Vauthier Tatiana Morvan Walter Chavanne Frédéric Gimbert |
| author_sort | Honorine Gauthier-Manuel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Over the course of history, the development of human societies implied the exploitation of mineral resources which generated huge amounts of mining wastes leading to substantial environmental contamination by various metal(loid)s. This is especially the case of coal mine tailings which, subjected to weathering reactions, produce acid mine drainage (AMD), a recurring ecological issue related to current and past mining activities. In this study, we aimed to determine the origin, the fate and the ecotoxicity of metal(loid)s leached from a historical coal tailing heap to the Beuveroux river (Franche-Comté, France) using a combination of mineralogical, chemical and biological approaches. In the constitutive materials of the tailings, we identified galena, tetrahedrite and bournonite as metal-rich minerals and their weathering has led to massive contamination of the water and suspended particles of the river bordering the heap. The ecotoxicity of the AMD has been assessed using <i>Chironomus riparius</i> larvae encaged in the field during a one-month biomonitoring campaign. The larvae showed lethal and sub-lethal (growth and emergence inhibition and delay) impairments at the AMD tributary and near downstream stations. Metal bioaccumulation and subcellular fractionation in the larvae tissues revealed a strong bioavailability of, notably, As, Pb and Tl explaining the observed biological responses. Thus, more than 70 years after the end of mining operations, the coal tailings remain a chronic source of contamination and environmental risks in AMD effluent receiving waters. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:20:59Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2305-6304 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:20:59Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Toxics |
| spelling | doaj.art-a034e797f08e4d61a49789113ff722a02023-11-22T05:10:33ZengMDPI AGToxics2305-63042021-07-019716410.3390/toxics9070164A Multidisciplinary Approach for the Assessment of Origin, Fate and Ecotoxicity of Metal(loid)s from Legacy Coal Mine TailingsHonorine Gauthier-Manuel0Diane Radola1Flavien Choulet2Martine Buatier3Raphaël Vauthier4Tatiana Morvan5Walter Chavanne6Frédéric Gimbert7UMR CNRS 6249 Chrono-Environnement, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 16 Route de Gray, CEDEX, 25030 Besançon, FranceUMR CNRS 6249 Chrono-Environnement, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 16 Route de Gray, CEDEX, 25030 Besançon, FranceUMR CNRS 6249 Chrono-Environnement, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 16 Route de Gray, CEDEX, 25030 Besançon, FranceUMR CNRS 6249 Chrono-Environnement, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 16 Route de Gray, CEDEX, 25030 Besançon, FranceConservatoire d’Espaces Naturels de Franche-Comté, Maison de l’environnement de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 7 rue Voirin, 25000 Besançon, FranceConservatoire d’Espaces Naturels de Franche-Comté, Maison de l’environnement de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 7 rue Voirin, 25000 Besançon, FranceGranulats De Franche Comté, 10 rue de Franche-Comté-Bât C, 25480 Ecole-Valentin, FranceUMR CNRS 6249 Chrono-Environnement, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 16 Route de Gray, CEDEX, 25030 Besançon, FranceOver the course of history, the development of human societies implied the exploitation of mineral resources which generated huge amounts of mining wastes leading to substantial environmental contamination by various metal(loid)s. This is especially the case of coal mine tailings which, subjected to weathering reactions, produce acid mine drainage (AMD), a recurring ecological issue related to current and past mining activities. In this study, we aimed to determine the origin, the fate and the ecotoxicity of metal(loid)s leached from a historical coal tailing heap to the Beuveroux river (Franche-Comté, France) using a combination of mineralogical, chemical and biological approaches. In the constitutive materials of the tailings, we identified galena, tetrahedrite and bournonite as metal-rich minerals and their weathering has led to massive contamination of the water and suspended particles of the river bordering the heap. The ecotoxicity of the AMD has been assessed using <i>Chironomus riparius</i> larvae encaged in the field during a one-month biomonitoring campaign. The larvae showed lethal and sub-lethal (growth and emergence inhibition and delay) impairments at the AMD tributary and near downstream stations. Metal bioaccumulation and subcellular fractionation in the larvae tissues revealed a strong bioavailability of, notably, As, Pb and Tl explaining the observed biological responses. Thus, more than 70 years after the end of mining operations, the coal tailings remain a chronic source of contamination and environmental risks in AMD effluent receiving waters.https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/9/7/164coal mineralogyacid mine drainagebiomonitoringbioavailability<i>Chironomus riparius</i> |
| spellingShingle | Honorine Gauthier-Manuel Diane Radola Flavien Choulet Martine Buatier Raphaël Vauthier Tatiana Morvan Walter Chavanne Frédéric Gimbert A Multidisciplinary Approach for the Assessment of Origin, Fate and Ecotoxicity of Metal(loid)s from Legacy Coal Mine Tailings Toxics coal mineralogy acid mine drainage biomonitoring bioavailability <i>Chironomus riparius</i> |
| title | A Multidisciplinary Approach for the Assessment of Origin, Fate and Ecotoxicity of Metal(loid)s from Legacy Coal Mine Tailings |
| title_full | A Multidisciplinary Approach for the Assessment of Origin, Fate and Ecotoxicity of Metal(loid)s from Legacy Coal Mine Tailings |
| title_fullStr | A Multidisciplinary Approach for the Assessment of Origin, Fate and Ecotoxicity of Metal(loid)s from Legacy Coal Mine Tailings |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Multidisciplinary Approach for the Assessment of Origin, Fate and Ecotoxicity of Metal(loid)s from Legacy Coal Mine Tailings |
| title_short | A Multidisciplinary Approach for the Assessment of Origin, Fate and Ecotoxicity of Metal(loid)s from Legacy Coal Mine Tailings |
| title_sort | multidisciplinary approach for the assessment of origin fate and ecotoxicity of metal loid s from legacy coal mine tailings |
| topic | coal mineralogy acid mine drainage biomonitoring bioavailability <i>Chironomus riparius</i> |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/9/7/164 |
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