Toxicity of Bauxite Manufacturing By-products in Sea Urchin Embryos (original) (raw)

2002, Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety

AI-generated Abstract

By-products from a bauxite manufacturing plant in Seydis :ehir, Turkey, were evaluated for their composition and potential toxicity to sea urchin embryos. In addition to these primary samples, ones from other bauxite plants in France, Greece, and Italy were also tested. The study analyzed inorganic content using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy and assessed toxicity through sea urchin bioassays focusing on several developmental parameters. Findings indicated that seawater extraction revealed contaminants mostly limited to Fe and Mn, while the majority of toxicity was traced back to free Fe and the presence of high pH and Al levels in specific samples, most notably from a red sludge holding pond. Results suggest that toxicity may be linked to variations in bauxite ore composition or manufacturing processes.