How sulfate-rich mine drainage affected aquatic ecosystem degradation in northeastern China, and potential ecological risk

Qian Zhao; Fen Guo; Yuan Zhang; Shuqin Ma; Xiaobo Jia; Wei Meng

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.07.276

How sulfate-rich mine drainage affected aquatic ecosystem degradation in northeastern China, and potential ecological risk

Sci Total Environ. 2017 Dec 31:609:1093-1102. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.07.276. Epub 2017 Aug 4.

Authors

Qian Zhao¹, Fen Guo², Yuan Zhang³, Shuqin Ma², Xiaobo Jia¹, Wei Meng²

Affiliations

¹ College of Water Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; Laboratory of Riverine Ecological Conservation and Technology, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China.
² State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; Laboratory of Riverine Ecological Conservation and Technology, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China.
³ State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; Laboratory of Riverine Ecological Conservation and Technology, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China. Electronic address: zhangyuan@craes.org.cn.

PMID: 28787783
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.07.276

Abstract

Mining activity is an increasingly important stressor for freshwater ecosystems. However, the mechanism on how sulfate-rich mine drainage affects freshwater ecosystems is largely unknown, and its potential ecological risk has not been assessed so far. During 2009-2016, water and macroinvertebrate samples from 405 sample sites were collected along the mine drainage gradient from circum-neutral to alkaline waters in Hun-Tai River, Northeastern China. Results of linear regressions showed that sulfate-rich mine drainage was significantly positively correlated with the constituents typically derived from rock weathering (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺ and HCO₃^-+CO₃^2-); the diversity of intolerant stream macroinvertebrates exhibited a steep decline along the gradient of sulfate-rich mine drainage. Meanwhile, stressor-response relationships between sulfate-rich mine drainage and macroinvertebrate communities were explored by two complementary statistical approaches in tandem (Threshold Indicator Taxa Analysis and the field-based method developed by USEPA). Results revealed that once stream sulfate concentrations in mine drainage exceeded 35mg/L, significant decline in the abundance of intolerant macroinvertebrate taxa occurred. An assessment of ecological risk posed by sulfate-rich mine drainage was conducted based on a tiered approach consisting of simple deterministic method (Hazard Quotient, HQ) to probabilistic method (Joint Probability Curve, JPC). Results indicated that sulfate-rich mine drainage posed a potential risk, and 64.62-84.88% of surface waters in Hun-Tai River exist serious risk while 5% threshold (HC₀₅) and 1% threshold (HC₀₁) were set up to protect macroinvertebrates, respectively. This study provided us a better understanding on the impacts of sulfate-rich mine drainage on freshwater ecosystems, and it would be helpful for future catchment management to protect streams from mining activity.

Keywords: Ecological risk assessment; Hun-Tai River; Macroinvertebrates; Mining activity; Sulfate-rich mine drainage.

MeSH terms

Animals
China
Ecosystem*
Environmental Monitoring
Invertebrates
Mining*
Rivers / chemistry*
Sulfates / adverse effects*
Water Pollutants, Chemical / adverse effects*

Substances

Sulfates
Water Pollutants, Chemical