Dust-particle migration around flotation tailings ponds: pine needles as passive samplers

Abstract

The potential use of dust particles trapped on Scots pine needles for tracking dust migration around flotation tailings ponds in the Silesian-Krakowian ore district, Southern Poland was tested. 1-, 2- and 3-years old needles were studied using a scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis. Particle sizes and morphologies, and the nature of the compounds hosting metals ions, were examined. A large majority of the particles examined are <10 microm in size. Almost 80% of particles represent respirable dust. All the components in the flotation wastes appear among the chemical compounds identified in particles on the pine needles. The quantity of the waste particles decreases with distance from the flotation tailings ponds. The analysis of dust particles on pine needles could be a useful method for estimating vectors and travel distances of suspended dust migrating around open flotation tailings ponds and around other point sources emitting dust particles with chemical compositions differing from the environmental background.

Geochemical position of Pb, Zn and Cd in soils near the Olkusz mine/smelter, South Poland: effects of land use, type of contamination and distance from pollution source

“…Moreover, the heterogeneous chemistry between PbSO 4 and CaCO 3 resulting in hydrocerussite or cerussite can already take place in the atmosphere (Falgayrac et al 2006). Lead and Zn carbonates were also proved as the main Pb, Zn phases of dust particles from tailing ponds and around mining and smelting area near the Olkusz (Cabala and Teper 2007;Teper 2009;Cabala et al 2009). …”

“…Some soils are directly affected, or even sealed, by the dumping of mining and smelting waste materials (Ullrich et al 1999;Cabala and Teper 2007;Cabala et al 2009). The remobilization of dust particles from the surface of open tailing ponds supplies considerable amounts of potentially toxic elements to adjacent ecosystems, while the deposition of air-borne particles affects large areas around the point sources of pollution (Teper 2009). Due to a large surface area, tree canopies, and especially those of conifers, are effective scavengers of airborne pollutants; both dissolved and particulate.…”

“…Several studies on metal contamination of soils in the Upper Silesia region (South Poland) originating from mining and smelting have been published (Cabala and Teper 2007;Teper 2009;Cabala et al 2009). The MVT formation related ore composition produces specific metal assemblage found in wastes, with domination of Pb, Zn and Cd.…”

Impairment of soil health due to fly ash-fugitive dust deposition from coal-fired thermal power plants

“…Coal mining operations in the nearby coal fields and transfer of coal to thermal power stations also result in fugitive dust (particles lifted into the ambient air caused by man-made and natural activities such as the movement of soil, vehicles, equipment, blasting, and wind) related problems in the surrounding areas (Triantafyllou 2000). Air pollutants not only affect human health but also have the potential to affect the ecosystem through soil-mediated processes; due to this fact, there is a renewed interest in evaluating soil quality around the thermal power plants (Teper 2009). In the last decade, coal storage and processing activities and procedures related to coal ash transportation and disposal have become subjects of growing concern.…”

A Multi-Analytical Approach to the Use of Conifer Needles as Passive Samplers of Particulate Matter and Organic Pollutants

“…Gaseous organic pollutants can diffuse through the cuticle, penetrate through the stomata (Urbat et al, 2004) or be trapped in the epicuticular wax (Iozza et al, 2009). Inorganic particles or particle-associated organic pollutants deposit on needles via wet (Eriksson et al, 1989) or dry mechanisms (Turunen et al, 1997) and remain there thanks to the presence of sticky substances like wax or honeydew deposits (Sawidis et al, 2012) and surface roughness (Teper, 2009).…”