Abstract
Algae including cyanobacteria function as efficient temporary sinks in wetlands below uranium mining tailings and dumps. As far as investigated their accumulation potential exceeds in parts higher plants and soils, microphytic and epiphytic algae each being superior to macrophytic algae and vascular plants. The enrichment compared to the surrounding water is high. In the living biomass uranium can be accumulated up to 300 mg/kg dry matter (DM), lead up to 250 mg/kg DM and arsenic even up to 4000 mg/kg DM. On average approx. half of the contamination is loosely adsorbed on the cell surfaces. The dimension of contaminant remobilization is yet unknown.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Bustard M, McHale PM (1997) Biosorption of uranium by cross-linked and alginate immobilized residual biomass from distillery spent wash. Bioprocess Eng 17: 127-130
Clemens C (2000) Immobilisierung von Uran durch Scenedesmus subspicatus L. unter Berücksichtigung der spezifischen Wachstumsrate, der Phosphatkonzentration und der Biomassedichte. Diplomarbeit, Instirut für Allgemeine Ökologie und Umweltschutz, Technische Universität Dresden, Fakultät Forst-, Geo-,Hydrowissenschaften
Brackhage C, Dienemann H, Dannecker A, Dudel EG (1999): Radionuclide and heavy metal distribution in soil and plants from a 35-year old reclaimed uranium mining dump site. Proceedings of 5th Int. Conf. On the Biogeochemistry of Trace Elements, Vienna, Vol II., p. 1174-1176.
Dudel GE, Brackhage C, Clemens C, Dienemann H, Mkandawire M, Rotsche J, Weiske A (2001) Principles and limitations for natural attenuation of radionuclides in former uranium mining and milling sites. Proceedings of the 8th International Conference of Environmental and Radioactive Waste Management (ICEM 01) Brugge (Belgium), American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) 8 p.
Dudel GE, Brackhage C, Clemens C, Stolz L, Dienemann H, Weiske A (2002) Rückhalte-vermögen von Radionukliden durch Algen im Abstrom Industrieller Absetzanalgen. FuE-Abschlussbericht, Sächs. Staatsministerium fur Umwelt und Landesentwicklung, Landesamt für Umwelt und Geologie.
Emerson S, Hesslein R (1973) Distribution and uptake of artifìcilly introduced radium-226 in a small lake. J Fish Res Board Can 30: 1485-1490
De Filippis LF, Pallaghy CK (1999) Heavy Metals: Sources and Biological Effects, in: Rai, LC, Gaur JP, Soeder CJ (eds.) Algae and Water Polution. Stuttgart: 32-77
Franklin N, Stauber J, Markich S, Lim R (2000) pH-dependent toxicity of copper and uranium to a tropical freshwater alga (Chlorella sp.). Aquat Toxicol 48, 275-289
Golab DR, Orlowska B, Smith RW (1991) Biosorption of Lead and Uranium by Streptomyces Sp.. Water Air Soil Pollut 60: 99-106
Goldberg EL; Gracher, MA, Bobrov UA (1998) Do diatom algae structures accumulate uranium ?, Nucl Instr Meth A, 405 (2-3), 584 - 589
Hennig C, Panak PJ, Reich T, Raff J, Selenska-Pobell S, Bernhard G, Nitsche H (2000) Uranium(VI) complexation by Bacillus species isolated from uranium mining waste pile - a Comparative EXAFS Study
Kalin M, Smith MP (1986) Biological Polishing Agents for Mill Waste Water: An Example Chara, In: Lawrence, RW, Branion RMR, Ebner HG (eds.) Fundamental and Applied Biohydrometallurgy, p. 491
Kalin, M and Smith MP (1996) Mining Waste Management Areas : Converting Waste Sites to Ecosystems with Biologically Mediated Processes, Water Environment of Ontario Conference 1996, Design Criteria for Passive Treatment Processes for Mining Wastes, Toronto, Ontario 8 p.
Kalin M and Wheeler WN (1992) Periphyton Growth and Zinc Sequestration. Proceedings of the Ninth Annual General Meeting of BIOMINET, Edmonton, Alberta, pp. 49-64
Knauer K, Behra R, Hemond H (1999) Toxicity of inorganic and methylated arsenic to algal communities from lakes along arsenic contamination gradient. Aquat Toxicol 46: 221-230
Macaskie LE, Blackmore JD, Empson RM (1988) Phosphatase overproduction and enhanced uranium accumulation by a stable mutant of a Citrobacter sp. isolated by a novel method. FEMS Microbiology Letters 55: 157-162
Macaskie LE, Empson RM, Cheetham AK, Grey CP, Skarnulis AJ (1992) Uranium Bioac-cumulation by a Citrobacter sp. as a Result of Enzymically Mediated Growth of Polycrystalline HU02P04. Science 257: 782 - 784
Meinrath G, Volke P, Merkel B, Dudel EG (1999) Determination and interpretation of uranium contents in environmental samples. Fres Anal Chem 364: 191-202
Planas D; Healy F (1978) Effects of Arsenate on growth and phosphorus metabolism of phytoplankton. J Phycol 15: 424 - 428
Vymazal J (1994) Algae and Element Cycling in Wetlands. Lewis Publishers, USA
Williams AR (1990) Radium uptake by freshwater plants, in: The Environmental Behaviour Of Radium. Vol 1 - Technical Reports Series 310; International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna: 487-508
Yen P, Yu Q, Lin Z, Kaewsarn P (2001) Biosorption and desorption of Cadmium(II) by biomass of Laminaria japonica. Environ Technol 22(5): 509-514
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2002 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Dienemann, C., Dudel, G.E., Dienemann, H., Stolz, L. (2002). Retention of Radionuclides and Arsenic by Algae Downstream of U mining Tailings. In: Merkel, B.J., Planer-Friedrich, B., Wolkersdorfer, C. (eds) Uranium in the Aquatic Environment. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-55668-5_71
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-55668-5_71
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-62877-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-55668-5
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive