Improved understanding of key elements governing the toxicity of energy ash eluates

Stiernström, Sara; Linde, Margareta; Hemström, Kristian; Wik, Ola; Ytreberg, Erik; Bengtsson, Bengt‐Erik; Breitholtz, Magnus

doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2012.12.008

Cited by 9 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…its strong relationship with SO 4 2À leaching) (Mount et al 1997;Tian et al 2018). Stiernström et al (2013) even propose that Ca might be one of the key elements responsible for the ecotoxicity of ash eluates on the crustacean Nitocra spinipes, despite Ca not being classified as individually ecotoxic. The CAN ash tested here produced significant immobilisation of Daphnia magna over the 48-h exposure also potentially influenced by its high Ca concentration.…”

Section: Ash Types and Element Solubilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemical composition of wildfire ash produced in contrasting ecosystems and its toxicity to Daphnia magna

Harper

Santín

Doerr

et al. 2019

Int. J. Wildland Fire

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It is well established in the world’s fire-prone regions that wildfires can considerably change the hydrological dynamics of freshwater catchments. Limited research, however, has focused on the potential impacts of wildfire ash toxicity on aquatic biota. Here, we assess the chemical composition and toxicity of ash generated from wildfires in six contrasting vegetation types distributed globally (UK grassland, Spanish pine forest, Spanish heathland, USA chaparral, Australian eucalypt forest and Canadian spruce forest). Acute (48h) immobilisation tests were conducted on the extensively studied aquatic macroinvertebrate Daphnia magna, a sensitive indicator of aquatic contaminants. We found significant differences between the chemical composition and toxicity of these ash types. The UK and Spanish ash had no detectable toxicity to Daphnia magna, whereas the Australian eucalypt, USA chaparral and Canadian spruce ash all caused significant toxicity (immobilisation). The principal characteristics of the latter ash types were their high pH, and NO3−, Cl− and conductivity levels. Elevated water-soluble and total concentrations of metals (e.g. Mn, Fe, Zn, Pb, Cu and As) and total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were not linked to toxicity.

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Section: Ash Types and Element Solubilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemical composition of wildfire ash produced in contrasting ecosystems and its toxicity to Daphnia magna

Harper

Santín

Doerr

et al. 2019

Int. J. Wildland Fire

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…its strong relationship with SO4 2 -leaching) (Mount et al 1997;Tian et al 2018). Stiernström et al (2013) even propose that Ca might be one of the key elements responsible for the ecotoxicity of ash eluates on the crustacean Nitocra spinipes, despite Ca not being classified as individually ecotoxic. The high Ca concentration CAN ash tested here also produced significant immobilisation of D.…”

Section: Ash Types and Element Solubilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Vegetation fires in temperate upland heaths: environmental impacts, recovery, and management implications

Harper¹

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The impacts of wildfires are diverse and highly variable dependent on location, habitat type, site conditions and fire severity. Wildfire impact research is however, limited across large areas of the UK presenting an issue for the creation of effective site-specific management planning in a number of areas and habitat types. To address this issue in the Brecon Beacons National Park (south Wales), research was conducted assessing post-fire: i) vegetation community composition; ii) soil physical and chemical properties; iii) ash chemical composition and toxicity. The primary conclusions from this research suggests vegetation community composition and soil physicochemical properties are able to recover relatively rapidly to long unburnt conditions (>11-years and >3-years, respectively) following wildfire events in dry heaths with shallow organic soils. The fast rates of post-fire vegetation recovery across the assessed sites are likely due to the species-poor, dwarf-shrub dominated, pre-fire conditions reducing the time required for the vegetation community to return to this low species diversity. Soil physicochemical properties showed limited impact from the fires, likely due to the high moisture retention of the surface organic soil layer having resulted in limited soil heating and depth penetration. Wider environmental concerns are raised by the ash composition, which showed remarkably high concentrations of potentially toxic substances such as, metallic elements (e.g. Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn and As) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), compared to ash from other environments and vegetation types. These conclusions pose important questions about the future of temperate heaths, the priorities of future upland management and highlight numerous areas for further research.

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Aquatic ecotoxicity of ashes from Brazilian savanna wildfires

Brito

Passos

Muniz

et al. 2017

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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In a global scenario of climate change, several studies have predicted an increase in fires in different parts of the world. With the occurrence of rains following the fires in the Brazilian savanna (Cerrado biome), the compounds present in ashes may enter aquatic environments and cause adverse effects to these ecosystems. In this context, this study evaluated the potential toxicity of ashes from two areas of Cerrado and an area of pasture, through ecotoxicological bioassays and using three aquatic species from distinct trophic levels, which were exposed to different dilutions of ashes: the microcrustacean Ceriodaphnia dubia, the fish Danio rerio and the mollusc Biomphalaria glabrata. The ashes from the three sampled areas showed higher concentrations of some elements in relation to the soil samples (B, Ca, K, Mg, Mn, P, S, Si, Sr, Zn), but only a small quantity of these compounds was solubilised. Our data showed that all ash samples caused acute toxicity to C. dubia (48hs-LC = 13.4 g L; 48hs-LC = 6.33 g L; 48hs-LC = 9.73 g L respectively for transition area, pasture, typical cerrado areas), while in relation to D. rerio and B. glabrata, no acute toxicity was observed when they were exposed to ashes from native Cerrado vegetation and pasture areas. Ashes from a transition area showed toxicity for D. rerio (48hs-LC = 25.0 g L); possibly, this was due to the combination of multiple preponderant inorganic elements of ashes with other organic compounds not analysed, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In summary, these results suggest that wildfires may pose risks to zooplankton communities and emphasize the need for more studies to better understand the complexity of the ecological effects of fire on aquatic ecosystems.

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Improved understanding of key elements governing the toxicity of energy ash eluates

Cited by 9 publications

References 36 publications

Chemical composition of wildfire ash produced in contrasting ecosystems and its toxicity to Daphnia magna

Chemical composition of wildfire ash produced in contrasting ecosystems and its toxicity to Daphnia magna

Vegetation fires in temperate upland heaths: environmental impacts, recovery, and management implications

Aquatic ecotoxicity of ashes from Brazilian savanna wildfires

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