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Impact of land uses on heavy metal distribution in the Selenga River system in Mongolia

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Abstract

The Selenga River contributes to 50% of the total inflow to Lake Baikal. Large tracts of the Selenga River Basin have been developed for industry, urbanization, mining, and agriculture, resulting in the release of suspended solids (SS) that affect downstream water quality and primary productivity. This study addressed SS as the main factor controlling pollutant transport and the primary indicator of land degradation in the Selenga River system. Tributaries with larger areas dedicated to agricultural use had higher SS concentrations, reaching 862 mg L−1, especially during the high runoff and intensive cultivation season. Although the large SS flux was detected in the main river, the small tributaries were distinguished by high SS concentrations. The high SS concentration corresponded to widespread development in the watershed. Watersheds with high potential of SS release are sensitive to intensive land uses. SS in the river system had a constant elemental composition consisting mainly of Fe and Al oxides, indicating that surface soils were major constituents of the tributary SS. Three minor heavy metals (Zn, Cu, and Cr) appeared in high concentrations downstream of urban and mining areas (two- to sixfold increases), indicating that these contaminants are carried by SS. At two tributary junctions, the concentration of contaminants on the SS decreased due to a large influx of SS with low heavy metal contents. Changes in electric conductivity and pH at downstream of tributary junctions enhanced the sedimentation of SS and the removal of contaminants from the water phase after aggregation of the SS. Land use changes in the tributary watersheds are major controlling factors for the fate of contaminants in the river system.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B), Grant No. 25304001 from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. The authors also thank to Ms. Batdulam B., Mr. Galdmaa, D., Ms. Bolormaa T. National University of Mongolia is appreciated by the research support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, Graduate School of Urban Environmental Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, 1920397, Japan

    Orgilbold Myangan & Masayuki Kawahigashi

  2. Department of Chemistry, National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

    Bolormaa Oyuntsetseg

  3. Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, Kobe, 6570013, Japan

    Nobuhide Fujitake

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  1. Orgilbold Myangan
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  2. Masayuki Kawahigashi
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  3. Bolormaa Oyuntsetseg
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  4. Nobuhide Fujitake
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Correspondence to Masayuki Kawahigashi.

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Myangan, O., Kawahigashi, M., Oyuntsetseg, B. et al. Impact of land uses on heavy metal distribution in the Selenga River system in Mongolia. Environ Earth Sci 76, 346 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-017-6664-z

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