Biological detoxification of precious metal processing wastewaters

A biological treatment plant is utilized at the Homestake Mine in Lead, SD, to effect detoxification of a daily discharge of 4 million gallons of wastewater. The wastewater matrix requiring treatment contains cyanide, ammonia, toxic heavy metals, and a variable component of toxic chemicals associated with extractive metallurgy and mining operations. Rotating biological contactors (RBCs) are used to attach the biofilm. Cyanides and heavy metals concentrations are reduced by 95–98%. The treated discharge makes up as much as 60% of the total flow in a cold‐water trout fishery. This receiving stream, which remained lifeless for over 100 years as a mine drainage, has now become an established trout fishery and recently yielded a state record trout.     

An ecological survey of the heavy metal contamination of the edible clam Paphia sp. on the iron-ore tailings of Tolo Harbour,Hong Kong

Summary Iron-ore tailings have been deposited along the coast of Tolo Harbour from Ma On Shan Iron-ore Mine since its operation in 1906. In order to search for any harmful effects caused by the tailings, the edible clam, Paphia sp. together with sediments and seawater samples were collected from different sites of the iron-ore tailings of Ma On Shan Iron Mine, its nearby seashores and an unaffected site, Cheung Chau. The analysis of metal contents in the tissue and shell of the clams, seawater and sediments was carried out. It was discovered that the clams collected from the tailings had accumulated higher metal contents, e.g. Mn, Fe and Ca while those collected from the nearby seashores were also affected to a less extent.Clams are collected from the seashores within Tolo harbour for consumption by the villagers, but no accident caused by toxic effects of heavy metals has been reported. However, the present investigation further confirmed the potential hazard of the heavy metal contamination within Tolo Harbour reported recently (Wong & Chan, 1976; Wong & Tam, 1977).     

Plasmid-borne mercury resistance in aquatic bacteria

Abstract Bacteria isolated from the River Mersey were analysed for their tolerance to mercury (HgCl₂). About 40% of the population was tolerant to mercury and in 13 of 52 mercury-tolerant isolates tested the mercury resistance (Hg^®) was transferred to Escherichia coli in conjugal matings. These 13 isolates represented a range of gram-negative genera and in each case mercury resistance was coded by a conjugative plasmid. These plasmids (75 kb to > 250 kb in size) all expressed mercury resistance of the narrow spectrum variety, volatilised HgCl₂ to elemental Hg° vapour and showed some degree of temperature sensitivity of transfer. None expressed resistance to nine different antibiotics. These 13 Hg^R plasmids were classified by restriction mapping into three distinct groups typified by pMER11, pMER327 and pMER610. The eight pMER610 group plasmids are identical and belong to the IncHI-2 group. Two of the four pMER327 group plasmids are closely related while the other two contain some common restriction fragments. pMER11 is quite distinct from the other groups. These results imply that within this aquatic environment plasmids play an important role in the response of bacteria to contaminating mercury and that there is widespread plasmid transfer and considerable genetic rearrangement.     

Copper exposure reduces production of red carotenoids in a marine copepod

Sub-lethal exposure to copper has been shown to modulate both mitochondrial function and antioxidant gene expression in zooplankton. To date, however, researchers have not identified a quantifiable phenotypic trait that reliably indicates such physiological responses to copper exposure. Red ketocarotenoids are abundant in marine zooplankton serving both physiological and coloration roles, and their production is sensitive to environmental stress. In this study the expression of mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) and antioxidant gene glutathione reductase (GR), and the production of red ketocarotenoid, astaxanthin, was measured in response to sub-lethal copper exposure. We found that mRNA of COI and GR was more abundant in copper-exposed copepods than controls, suggesting there was a physiological response to copper exposure. At the same time, copper-exposed copepods produced less astaxanthin than controls. We suggest that ketocarotenoid content of zooplankton has the potential to be a sensitive bioindicator of marine environmental pollution. Understanding how cellular responses to environmental stressors manifest in the phenotypes of marine animals will greatly increase our capacity to monitor marine ecosystem health.     

The Structure of a Free-living Nematode Community in Wrangel Bay of the Sea of Japan

The qualitative composition and distribution of the meiobenthos in Wrangel Bay (Nakhodka Bay of the Sea of Japan) depend on the bottom sediment grain composition and on the concentration of heavy metals in the ground. It was established that the meiobenthos in the bay was represented by 13 groups of animals (class, order) and was relatively evenly distributed. The nematodes dominated (50–80%), and their settlement density was slightly higher in silty ground than in silty–sandy ground. Forty-eight species of nematodes were found; Dorylaimopsis peculiaris, Viscosia stenostoma, Axonolaimus seticaudatus, Metasphaerolaimus japonicus, and Pseudosteineria inaequispiclata dominated in the silty–sandy sediments; Sabatieria pulchra, S. palmaris, Metalaimus pumilus, Sphaerolaimus limosus, and Oncholaimium ramosum dominated in the silty ground. A slightly expressed correlation of the settlement density with the ground type and lead concentration in the bottom sediments emerged for two species (S. pulchra and S. palmaris).     

The effects of copper and zinc on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Spirulina platensis</Emphasis> growth and heavy metal accumulation in its cells

The effects of copper and zinc on Spirulina platensis (Nordst.) Geitl. growth and the capability of this cyanobacterium for accumulation of these heavy metals (HMs) were studied. S. platensis tolerance to HMs was shown to depend on the culture growth phase. When copper was added during the lag phase, its lethal concentration was 5 mg/l, whereas 4 mg/l were lethal during the linear growth phase. Zinc concentration of 8.8 mg/l was lethal during the linear but not lag phase of growth. HM-treated S. platensis cells were capable for accumulation of tenfold more copper and zinc than control cells. Independently of Cu²⁺ content in the medium and of the growth phase, cell cultures accumulated the highest amount of this metal as soon as after 1 h, which may be partially determined by its primary sorption by cell-wall polysaccharides. A subsequent substantial decrease in the intracellular copper content occurred due to it secretion, which was evident from the increased metal concentration in the culturing medium. When zinc was added during the linear growth phase, similar pattern of its accumulation was observed: the highest content after 1 h and its subsequent decrease to the initial level. When the initial density of the culture was low and the cells had much time to adapt to HM, zinc accumulated during the entire linear growth phase, and thereafter the metal was secreted to the medium. The mechanisms of S. platensis tolerance to HM related to both their sorption by the cell walls and secretion of metal excess into the culturing medium and its conversion into the form inaccessible for the cells are discussed.Translated from Fiziologiya Rastenii, Vol. 52, No. 2, 2005, pp. 259–265.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Nalimova, Popova, Tsoglin, Pronina.This revised version was published online in April 2005 with a corrected cover date.     

Heavy Metal Contamination of Soil,Plant and Air of Scrapyard of Discarded Vehicles at Zarqa City,Jordan

Ninety soil samples, forty plant samples (Anabasis articulata), and twenty air samples were collected from the scrap yard of discarded vehicles near Zarqa city, Jordan. These samples were analyzed for heavy metals: Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, Mn, Al, and Fe. Longitudinal and vertical profiles of soil samples were studied. Generally, the levels of all heavy metals studied in the scrap yard area were found to be higher than those of the control samples. The levels of heavy metals decreased with depth until reaching a constant value at 9 cm depth. The levels of heavy metals also decreased at distances farther away from the scrap yard area. A significant difference in heavy metal concentrations was found between washed and unwashed plant samples. On the other hand, no significant differences have been found between plant samples from inside and outside the scrap yard area. Air samples showed wide variations in heavy metal levels among the sampling sites. The enrichment factors for non-crustal elements such as Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn, in both soil and particulate matter, were found to be more than 10, indicating anthropogenic sources such as dust, rust, and exhaust emissions from the scrap yard area, whereas the crustal elements such as Fe and Mn showed enrichment factors of less than 10.     

Heavy Metals in Sediments of the Gold Mining Impacted Pra River Basin,Ghana, West Africa

Total concentrations of Hg, Al, Fe, As, Pb, Cu, Cr, Ni, Mn, Co, V, and Zn were determined in surface sediments collected from 21 locations within the gold mining impacted Pra River basin in southwestern Ghana. Samples were collected during both the rainy and dry seasons. We hypothesized that in the rural southwestern portion of Ghana, the lack of industrial activities makes artisanal gold mining (AGM) by Hg amalgamation the main source of water resource contamination with heavy metals. Therefore, metals showing concentration trends similar to that of Hg in the studied system are likely impacted by AGM. We found that total-Hg (THg) concentrations in riverine sediments are rather low as compared to other aquatic systems that are impacted by similar mining activities. Measured THg concentrations ranged from 0.018 to 2.917 mg/kg in samples collected in the rainy season and from about 0.01 to 0.043 mg/kg in those collected during the dry season. However, the determination of the enrichment factor (EF) calculated using shale data as reference background values showed signs of severe contamination in most of the sampled sites. In the dry season, THg concentrations correlated positively and significantly to the concentrations of As (r = 0.864, p < 0.01), Cu (r = 0.691, p < 0.05), and Ni (r = 0.579, p < 0.05). Based on our previously stated hypothesis, this could then be an indication of the impact of AGM on ambient levels of these 3 elements. However, the determined concentrations of Cu, and Ni co-varied significantly with Al, suggesting that natural sources do account for the observed levels. Accordingly, both AGM and metal inputs from weathered natural deposits are likely co-responsible for the observed levels of Cu and Ni. In contrast, the lack of correlation between As and Al tends to suggest an impact of AGM on As levels. Overall, our data suggest that besides Hg and to some extent As, the impact of AGM on ambient levels of investigated metals in the gold mining impacted Pra River remains negligible. Finally, the increase in metal concentrations from the dry to the rainy season underlines the impact of changes in hydrologic conditions on levels and fate of metals in this tropical aquatic system.