Hydrobiological studies on the Tugela River system, Part VI-acidic drainage from Mines in the natal coalfields

Kemp, P.H.

doi:10.1007/bf00189904

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…However, the low numbers of macroinvertebrate families throughout the study in comparison with other South African rivers and streams impacted by acid drainage from coal field mines (Harrison, 1958;Kemp, 1967) could possibly be related to adverse effects of metal bioaccumulation in biota. An earlier study by Roux et al (1996) indicated that inorganic Al concentrations between 0.1-0.3 mg l -1 , much lower than the concentrations detected in this study, were toxic to different benthic 23 macroinvertebrate species.…”

mentioning

confidence: 82%

Bioaccumulation of aluminium and iron in the food chain of Lake Loskop, South Africa

Oberholster

Myburgh

Ashton

et al. 2012

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety

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Concentrations of total Aluminium (Al) and Iron (Fe) were determined in Lake Oreochromis mossambicus was along a mean sequence of intestine > yellow body fat > brain > gills > liver > heart > white body fat, while the mean sequence of total Al and Fe in Micropterus salmoides was: intestine > gills > liver > heart > brain > white body fat. From the levels of Al detected in the yellow body fat of the studied fish species Oreochromis mossambicus, we suggest that this phenomenon may be related to the feeding habits of this species. Furthermore, the intake of certain species of phytobenthos by Oreochromis mossambicus could have played a role in the bioaccumulation of Al in the food chain and the possible development of pansteatitis in predators at higher trophic levels.

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mentioning

confidence: 82%

Bioaccumulation of aluminium and iron in the food chain of Lake Loskop, South Africa

Oberholster

Myburgh

Ashton

et al. 2012

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety

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“…Some of the earliest studies benchmarking the impact of drainage from coal mines on biota and river chemistry in KwaZulu-Natal were undertaken by Kemp (1962Kemp ( , 1967, and Oliff (1963) in the upper reaches of the Thukela River. These investigations were confined to the study of invertebrates and/or water chemistry of river systems draining the active coal mining operations around the towns of Newcastle, Glencoe and Dundee in the north-west of the province.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Acidic drainage water generated by coal mining activities is derived from underground oxidation of pyrites (iron sulphide contained in the coal and associated strata) to ferrous and ferric sulphate (Kemp, 1967). The formation of such acidic conditions can be a natural process but mining activities also accelerate the process by disturbing mineral matter.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The assessment of diffuse pollution from acid-mine drainage using an updated and revised diatom assessment procedure as an added-value bio-monitoring tool

Archibald¹,

Taylor

2007

Water Science and Technology

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Three data sources (physico-chemistry, bio-monitoring and eco-toxicology) are currently used in South Africa to establish environmental water quality conditions. Environmental water quality in turn is key information required for the "ecological reserve determination" of river reaches. Bio-monitoring in South Africa has been limited in recent times mostly to the use of the SASS procedure which relies on invertebrates only. This paper describes the re-introduction of a diatom-based water quality assessment as an added-value bio-monitoring tool. A specific example is discussed citing the response of diatom assemblages to diffuse pollution from acid mine drainage and how effective diatoms are as indicators of ecological integrity and river recovery measured downstream of the area of impact. The advantages of applying this bio-monitoring technique over other biological measures are presented in the context of technological advances in rapid image processing, species identification and software applications of diatom-based water quality indices. The valuable records of the diatom assemblages of the past, held in the South African Diatom Collection at the CSIR (KwaZulu-Natal), can now be accessed and interpreted as historical environmental water quality reference points for several rivers in South Africa.

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The effects of coal industry pollutants on the macroinvertebrate fauna of a small river in the South Wales coalfield

Scullion

Edwards

1980

Freshwater Biology

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SUMMARY. The effects of pollutants from the coal industry on the macroinvertebrate fauna of a small river in the South Wales coalfield were investigated during 1972 and 1973. Three major types of pollution, each spatially separate, affected the river and its tributaries. The upper reaches received acidic drainage from coal stockpiles. The lower reaches received a discharge from a drift mine, bearing high loads of suspended coal particles which caused siltation of the river bed downstream to its confluence with the R. Taff (3.5 km). The largest tributary was subjected, under neutral pH, to siltation by ferric hydroxide, derived from seepage from an abandoned mine. In the upper reaches, a few acid‐tolerant invertebrate species survived in low numbers. Downstream recovery was not complete before the discharge of coal particles. In the reaches silted by ferric hydroxide or coal there was a pronounced reduction (80–90%) in faunal abundance. Clear differences in sensitivity of invertebrate groups to these types of siltation were apparent. The data are used to assess the various methods of biological surveillance involving invertebrates.

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Hydrobiological studies on the Tugela River system, Part VI-acidic drainage from Mines in the natal coalfields

Cited by 4 publications

References 4 publications

Bioaccumulation of aluminium and iron in the food chain of Lake Loskop, South Africa

Bioaccumulation of aluminium and iron in the food chain of Lake Loskop, South Africa

The assessment of diffuse pollution from acid-mine drainage using an updated and revised diatom assessment procedure as an added-value bio-monitoring tool

The effects of coal industry pollutants on the macroinvertebrate fauna of a small river in the South Wales coalfield

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