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Environmental monitoring of trace elements and evaluation of environmental impacts to organisms near a former uranium mining site in Nigyo-toge, Japan

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Abstract

This study was conducted to find out characteristics of trace element levels and those impacts to organisms at a former uranium (U) mining site. Concentrations of trace elements (Li, Mg, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Mo, Cd, Cs, Ba, Pb, Bi, and U) were determined in sediments, water, and three organism types (insects, frogs, and newts) from three zones in the former U mining site, Ningyo-toge in Japan. Concentrations of As and U in the sediments and water samples were the highest at the mill tailings pond (MP) site, where post-U extraction remnants have been accumulated. Additionally, among the organisms analyzed the highest concentrations of these elements/isotopes were found in newts from MP. Considering data analyses of the whole-body element concentrations, bioaccumulation factors, and δ15N values for the organisms, it was concluded that newts might be the most vulnerable species in this location. Further monitoring and more accurate evaluation of the ecological impacts are preferred for this former U mining site.

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The data that support the findings of this study are available. The authors in this study supply the written permission from the copyright holder to publish in Environmental Monitoring and Assessment.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan (MEXT), as part of the Joint Usage/Research Center—Leading Academia in Marine and Environment　Pollution Research (LaMer) Project of Ehime University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environment and Public Health, National Institute for Minamata Disease, 4058-18, Hama, Minamata, Kumamoto, 867-0008, Japan

    Sawako Horai

  2. Faculty of Regional Sciences, Tottori University, Tottori, Japan

    Shoichi Murakami

  3. Ningyo-Toge Environmental Engineering Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Okayama, Japan

    Akihiro Sakoda

  4. Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Ibaraki, Japan

    Rumiko Nakashita

  5. Center for Marine Environmental Studies, Ehime University, Ehime, Japan

    Tatsuya Kunisue

  6. Head Office of Tsuruga Decommissioning Demonstration, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Fukui, Japan

    Yuu Ishimori

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  1. Sawako Horai
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Correspondence to Sawako Horai.

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This research study was performed with approval from each ethics committee of Tottori University and Ningyo-toge Environmental Engineering Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency.

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Horai, S., Murakami, S., Sakoda, A. et al. Environmental monitoring of trace elements and evaluation of environmental impacts to organisms near a former uranium mining site in Nigyo-toge, Japan. Environ Monit Assess 194, 415 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-022-10034-7

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