Impacts on tundra vegetation from heavy metal-enriched fugitive dust on National Park Service lands along the Red Dog Mine haul road, Alaska (original) (raw)
Related papers
PLOS ONE, 2017
Spatial patterns of Zn, Pb and Cd deposition in Cape Krusenstern National Monument (CAKR), Alaska, adjacent to the Red Dog Mine haul road, were characterized in 2001 and 2006 using Hylocomium moss tissue as a biomonitor. Elevated concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn in moss tissue decreased logarithmically away from the haul road and the marine port. The metals concentrations in the two years were compared using Bayesian posterior predictions on a new sampling grid to which both data sets were fit. Posterior predictions were simulated 200 times both on a coarse grid of 2,357 points and by distance-based strata including subsets of these points. Compared to 2001, Zn and Pb concentrations in 2006 were 31 to 54% lower in the 3 sampling strata closest to the haul road (0-100, 100-2000 and 2000-4000 m). Pb decreased by 40% in the stratum 4,000-5,000 m from the haul road. Cd decreased significantly by 38% immediately adjacent to the road (0-100m), had an 89% probability of a small decrease 100-2000 m from the road, and showed moderate probabilities (56-71%) for increase at greater distances. There was no significant change over time (with probabilities all 85%) for any of the 3 elements in more distant reference areas (40-60 km). As in 2001, elemental concentrations in 2006 were higher on the north side of the road. Reductions in deposition have followed a large investment in infrastructure to control fugitive dust escapement at the mine and port sites, operational controls, and road dust mitigation. Fugitive dust escapement, while much reduced, is still resulting in elevated concentrations of Zn, Pb and Cd out to 5,000 m from the haul road. Zn and Pb levels were slightly above arctic baseline values in southern CAKR reference areas.
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 2011
Vegetation, sub-surface peat, and road dust were sampled near the Delong Mountain Transportation System (DMTS) haul road in northwest Alaska in 2005-2006 to document aluminum, barium, cadmium, lead, and zinc concentrations, and to evaluate bioaccessibility of these metals. The DMTS haul road is the transport corridor between Red Dog Mine (a large-scale, lead-zinc mine and mill) and the coastal shipping port, and it traverses National Park Service lands. Compared to reference locations, total metal concentrations in four types of vegetation (birch, cranberry, and willow leaves, and cotton grass blades/stalks) collected 25 m from the haul road were enriched on average by factors of 3.5 for zinc, 8.0 for barium, 20 for cadmium, and 150 for lead. Triple rinsing of vegetation with a water/methanol mixture reduced metals concentrations by at most 50%, and cadmium and zinc concentrations were least affected by rinsing. Cadmium and zinc bioaccessibility was greater in vegetation (50% to 100%) than in dust (15% to 20%); opposite pattern was observed for lead bioaccessibility (<30% in vegetation; 50% in dust). Barium exhibited low-to-intermediate bioaccessibility in dust and vegetation (20% to 40%), whereas aluminum bioaccessibility was relatively low (<6%) in all sample types. Our reconnaissance-level study indicates that clean-up and improvements in lead/zinc concentrate transfer activities have been effective; however, as of 2006, metal dispersion from past and/or present releases of fugitive dusts along the DMTS road still may have been contributing to elevated metals in surface vegetation. Vegetation was most enriched in lead, but because bioaccessibility of cadmium was greater, any potential risks to animals that forage near the haul road might be equally important for both of these metals.
Using lichens as bioindicators of air pollution deposition near remote mining operations
2009
Lichens are non-vascular plants that serve as excellent bioindicators of air pollutant deposition, as they absorb nutrients directly from the atmosphere, while also readily accumulating atmospheric contaminants. We present two studies where lichens were used as bioindicators near remote mining operations. First, a new research program was implemented in 2008 to map the characteristics of air pollutant deposition using epiphytic lichens as bioindicators in the Athabasca Oil Sands region of northeastern Alberta, Canada. Lichen elemental content will inform patterns of nitrogen and sulphur deposition in the region and a sub-set of lichen samples will be analyzed for trace metals to identify specific pollutant sources that contribute to elemental enrichment in lichen. Second, terrestrial lichens were used to evaluate off-site airborne transport of metals from the Anvil Range open-pit lead-zinc mine in south-central Yukon, Canada. This study indicated elevated lead and zinc concentration...
Science of The Total Environment, 2005
Heavy metal escapement associated with ore trucks is known to occur along the DeLong Mountain Regional Transportation System (DMTS) haul road corridor in Cape Krusenstern National Monument, northwest Alaska. Heavy metal concentrations in Hylocomium splendens moss (n = 226) were used in geostatistical models to predict the extent and pattern of atmospheric deposition of Cd and Pb on Monument lands. A stratified grid-based sample design was used with more intensive sampling near mine-related activity areas. Spatial predictions were used to produce maps of concentration patterns, and to estimate the total area in 10 moss concentration categories.
Metal Accumulation in Lichens as a Tool for Assessing Atmospheric Contamination in a Natural Park
The Environment and Natural Resources Journal, 2020
Motor vehicles passing through natural areas could contribute to the air pollution that most likely causes biodiversity losses and decreases air quality. This study assessed the impact of tourism on atmospheric metal pollution in Khao Yai National Park (KYNP), Thailand. Native thalli of the epiphytic lichen Parmotrema tinctorum were collected during the rainy period at a total of eleven sampling sites: three sites in forested (no traffic), four sites in accommodation (low-moderate traffic) and four sites in parking (moderate-high traffic) areas in KYNP. Nine traffic-related metals, including As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Sb, V and Zn, were detected using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The concentrations of most metals did not show significant differences between the higher traffic intensity areas and the no traffic area, and the concentrations of the metals were in the range of their background concentrations. Only Cr and V, metals related to motor vehicles, were identified at the accommodation sites at significantly higher concentrations (Cr=3.4 µg/g, V=1.33 µg/g) than their baseline concentrations (Cr=1.4 µg/g, V=0.96 µg/g). These two metals have adverse effects on humans, plants, lichens and other organisms. Bioaccumulation ratios (B ratios) indicated that most metals at most sampling sites did not bioaccumulate. No metal demonstrated high or severe bioaccumulation. This result suggests that the impact of tourism on atmospheric metal pollution in the rainy period at the KYNP was modest. It also affirms the ability of lichen as an effective tool for assessing atmospheric contamination in natural areas.
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