Abstract
In the Pocone district, Brazil, Hg distribution was studied in a small watershed which drains tailings from a 10 yr old gold mining operation. Heavy regional rains are responsible for continuous weathering, thereby making it possible to transport Hg into the ecologically important Pantanal area. Mercury concentrations in creek sediments range from < 0.02 to 0.18 mg. kg−1. The highest concentrations occur close to the tailings deposit. Mercury concentrations in the water were always below the detection limit of the analytical method used (<0.04 µg. L−1). Suspended matter samples collected before, during and after a storm, showed a Hg peak value of 0.61 mg kg−1. about 30 min after the event. Dissolved Hg concentration still fell below the detection limit. Among the biota, molluscs accumulated moderately high concentrations of Hg, while macrophytes and fish did not. Mercury concentrations in molluscs were dependent on size, with larger animals presenting higher Hg concentration. We conclude that Hg present in the tailings shows low mobility and that its eventual transport into the drainage system is dependent on the erosion of fine material from the wastes during rains, resulting in a restricted contamination of the area and low Hg concentration in the biota.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Agemian, H. and Chan, V.: 1978, An. Chim. Acta 101, 193.
Andren, A. W. and Nriagu, J. O.: 1979, ‘The Global Cycle of Mercury’, in Nriagu, J. O. (ed.), The Biogeochemistry of Mercury in the Environment, Elsevier/North Holland Publ. Co., Amsterdam, pp. 1–19.
CETEM: 1989, Relatorio Anual do Projeto Pocone, Centro de Tecnologia Mineral, CNPq, Rio de Janeiro, 93 p.
Cunningan, P. A. and Tripp, M. R.: 1975, Mar. Biol. 31, 321.
Davies, I. M.; Graham, W. C., and Pirie, J. M.: 1979, Marine Chem. 7, 111.
Evans, R. D.: 1986, Arch. Environm. Contamin. Toxicol. 15, 505.
Fernandes, A., Guimaraes, M., Bidone, E. D., Lacerda, L. D., and Pfeiffer, W. C.: 1990, ‘Contaminacao por mercurio na regiao do Projeto Carajas, Para’, in Riscos e Consequencias do Uso do Mercurio. Org, Panamer. Sande. Brasilia, DR (in press).
Fowler, S. W., Heyreaud, M., and La Rosa, J.: 1978, Mar. Biol. 46, 267.
Hinton, E. R., Rowlins, L. K., and Flanagan, E. B.: 1987, Environm. Sci. Technol. 21, 198.
Lacerda, L. D., Pfeiffer, W. C., Silveira, E. G., Bastos, W. R., and Souza, C. M. M.: 1987, An. I Congr. Brasil. Geoquimica. 2, 295.
Lacerda, L. D., Pfeiffer, W. C., Ott, A. T., and Silveira, E. G.: 1989, Biotropica 21, 91.
Lacerda, L. D., Pfeiffer, W. C., Silveira, E. G., and Souza, C. M. M.: 1990. Acta Limnol Bras. 3, 978–989.
Lane, P. A., Crowell, M. J., and Graves, M. C.: 1988, Canmet Spec. Publ. SP88-23,3.
Lindqvist, O., Jernelov, A. Johansson, K., and Rodhe, H.: 1984, Mercury in the Swedish Environment. Global and Local Sources. Natl. Swedish Environ. Protection Board PReport, Solna, 105 p.
Malm, O., Pfeiffer, W. C., Bastos, W. R., and Souza, C. M. M.: 1989, Cien. Cult. 41, 88.
Martinelli, L. A., Ferreira, J. R., Forsberg, B. R., and Victoria, R. L.: 1988, Ambio 17, 252.
Mohlenberg, F. and Riisgard, H. U.: 1988, Environm. Pollut. 55, 137.
Mudroch, A. and Clair, T. A.: 1986, Sci. Total Environ. 57, 205.
Nriagu, J. O.: 1979, The Biogeochemistry of Mercury in the Environment, Elsevier, North Holland Biochemical Press, Amsterdam, 696 p.
Pfeiffer, W. C. and Lacerda,L. D.: 1988, Environ. Technol Lett. 9, 325.
Pfeiffer, W. C., Lacerda, L. D., Malm, O., Souza, C. M. M., Silveira, E. G., and Bastos, W. R.: 1989a, Sci. Total Environ 87/88, 233.
Pfeiffer, W C., Malm, O., Souza, C. M. M., Bastos, W. R., and Torres, J. P.: 1989b, Proc. 7th, Inter. Conf. Heavy Metals in the Environment, Geneve, 1, 222.
Riisgard, H. U. and Famme, P.: 1986, Mar. Pollut. Bull. 17, 255.
Riisgarg, H. U. and Fame, P.: 1988, Toxicol Environm. Chem. 16, 219.
Salomons, W. and Forstner, U.: 1984, Metals in the Hydrocycle, Springer Verlag, Berlin, 397 p.
Siegel, S. M., Siegel, B. Z., Lipp, C., Kruckeberg, A., Towers, G. H. N., and Warren, H.: 1985, Water, Air, and Soil Pollut. 25, 73.
Siegel, S. M., Siegel, B. Z., Barghigiani, C., Aratani, K., Penny, P., and Penny, D.: 1987, Water, Air, and Soil Pollut.. 33, 65.
Silva, C. J. and Silva-Pinto, V.: 1989, Rev. Brasil Biol. 49, 691.
Slavin, S., Barnett, W. and Crassweller, P. O.: 1972, Atomic Absorption Newslett. 1, 37.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lacerda, L.D., Pfeiffer, W.C., Marins, R.V. et al. Mercury dispersal in water, sediments and aquatic biota of a gold mining tailing deposit drainage in pocone, Brazil. Water Air Soil Pollut 55, 283–294 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00211194
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00211194