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Ecotoxicological Assessment of Contaminated River Sites as a Proxy for the Water Framework Directive: an Acid Mine Drainage Case Study

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Abstract

Metal contamination of freshwater bodies resulting from mining activities or deactivated mines is a common problem worldwide such as in Portugal. Braçal (galena ore) and Palhal (pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, galena, sphalerite, and pyrite ore), located in a riverside position, are both examples of deactivated mining areas lacking implemented recovery plans since their shutdown in the early mid-1900s. In both mining areas, effluents still flow into two rivers. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the potential hazard posed by the mining effluents to freshwater communities. Therefore, short- and long-term ecotoxicological tests were performed on elutriates from river sediments collected at each site using standard test organisms that cover different functional levels (Vibrio fischeri, Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, Lemna minor, and Daphnia sp.). The results show that elutriates from the sediments of Palhal were very toxic to all tested species, while in contrast, elutriates from Braçal showed generally no toxicity for the tested species. Our study highlights the usefulness of using an ecotoxicological approach to help in the prioritization/scoring of the most critical areas impacted by deactivated mines. This ecotoxicological test battery can provide important information about the ecological status of each concerning site before investing in the application of time-consuming and costly methods defined by the Water Framework Directive or can stand as a meaningful complementary analysis.

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Acknowledgments

Tânia Vidal, Joana L Pereira, and Nelson Abrantes are recipients of individual scholarships by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (SFRH/BD/48046/2008, SFRH/BPD/44733/2008, and SFRH/BPD/35665/2007, respectively).

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  1. Department of Biology, CESAM (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies), University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal

    Tânia Vidal, Joana Luísa Pereira, Amadeu M V M Soares & Fernando Gonçalves

  2. Department of Environment and Planning, CESAM (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies), University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, Aveiro, 3810-193, Portugal

    Nelson Abrantes

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  1. Tânia Vidal
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  2. Joana Luísa Pereira
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Correspondence to Joana Luísa Pereira.

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Vidal, T., Pereira, J.L., Abrantes, N. et al. Ecotoxicological Assessment of Contaminated River Sites as a Proxy for the Water Framework Directive: an Acid Mine Drainage Case Study. Water Air Soil Pollut 223, 6009–6023 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-012-1335-x

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