Environmental Impact on an Arctic Soil–Plant System Resulting from Metals Released from Coal Mine Waste in Svalbard (78° N)

Abstract

Impact of acid mine drainage (AMD) from a coal mine waste rock pile deposited within a permafrost-affected Arctic ecosystem was investigated near Longyearbyen (Svalbard, 78°N). Analyses included metal concentrations (Al, Fe, Mn, Zn, Ni, Cr, As and Pb) in runoff, soil and plants. It was observed that impacts of AMD, such as plant degradation, were similar to impacts reported from non-arctic ecosystems. It was found that bio-available metal concentrations in soil samples were not useful in assessing potential plant toxicity, as metals were not accumulated in the most impacted area due to low soil pH (pH<4). Native graminoid plants in the high impacted area showed accumulation of all the investigated elements. Al, Mn and As were found at phyto-toxic concentrations. Metal uptake in two native graminoid plants was studied in the laboratory. Positive correlations were noted between metal concentrations and plant uptake for all metals investigated, except Fe. High Fe concentrations found in plant samples in the impacted area are considered a result of Fe-oxide precipitation (plaque) on leaves during the spring flush when runoff covers the plants. We conclude that the weathering products Al, Mn and Fe induce the largest negative impact on vegetation in the area, and that a major fraction of the annual uptake of metals occurs during spring flushes. During these flushes, metals produced from weathering processes throughout the winter are released in high concentrations, coinciding with low pH values, low infiltration rates due to permafrost and the start of the plant growth season.

The Origin of Heavy Metals and Radionuclides Accumulated in the Soil and Biota Samples Collected in Svalbard, Near Longyearbyen

“…The metals were extracted from the soil with 25% acetic acid. The mean values of Ni concentration in the samples of surface soil (A horizon) ranged from 5.1 to 63.7 µg/g, whereas in plants: P. arctica, L. confusa and P. concinna, the mean Ni concentrations ranged from 5.7 to 27.9 µg/g [21]. The samples collected near the Polish Polar Station also contain high concentrations of Ni (min.…”

“…Another source of pollution is the windgenerated coal-mining pollution (e.g. heavy metals) released by thawing [19][20][21] and flushed down from the piles (acid mine drainage -AMD), which may injure local tundra vegetation [19]. These kinds of pollutants can be wind spread over the larger areas surrounding the mines and rock piles.…”

Screening of heavy metal containing waste types for use as raw material in Arctic clay-based bricks

“…Benefits such as increased durability (Torres et al, 2009), reduced firing temperature (Segadães et al, 2005) and lowered total cost (Roy et al, 2007) were reported for the produced ceramics. The Arctic area contains several mining operations and has already experienced severe environmental problems relating to tailings (Askaer et al, 2008;Poland et al, 2003) Up until this date, only a few mines have been in operation in Greenland, but serious environmental problems relating to the tailings from some of these mines have also been experienced here (Johansen and Asmund, 2001). Use of the mine tailings in clay-based bricks might offer an environmentally better alternative to disposal, which is addressed in this paper.…”

The Use Of Mosses In Biomonitoring Of Selected Areas In Poland And Spitsbergen In The Years From 1975 To 2014

“…But the coal electrical power plants in Longyearbyen, Barentsburg and Ny-Ålesund may be also a source for local air pollution like S0 2 and heavy metals [24]. Another source of pollution is winter-generated coal-mining pollution (eg heavy metals) released by thawing [25,26] and flushed down from the piles (acid mine drainage -AMD). This kind of pollutants can be wind spread over larger areas around the mines and the rock piles.…”