The Impact Evaluation of Acid Mine Drainage on Zebrafish (Danio rerio) and Water Fleas (Daphnia magna) in the Vicinity of the Geum River Basin in Korea

Abstract

Heavy metals, such as copper, lead, and cadmium, carried by acid mine drainage are pollutants of the aquatic ecosystem, posing a significant health risk to the water resource for humans. Environmental technologies to reduce metal contamination are applied for post-mining prevention and improvement. Despite detailed pollution management, water contaminated by heavy metals still flows into the natural water system. This study investigated the impact of drainage discharged from abandoned mines near the major river in South Korea on aquatic organisms. The toxicity of the field water showed a more significant effect than observed through the experiment for each heavy-metal concentration. Various toxic substances coexisted in the field water around the mine, such that the overall toxic intensity was high even when the concentration of each heavy metal was low. As a result, the inhibition of activity of aquatic organisms was observed at low individual concentrations, and further investigation on the effect of long-term exposure to trace amounts of heavy metals is required.

Análisis Hidrogeoquímico De La Calidad De Aguas Superficiales en Una Zona Minera en El Flanco Oeste De La Cordillera Occidental De Los Andes

“…However, mining can also have adverse environmental impacts that affect water quality 2 . Inadequate management of mining wastewater and tailings can alter nearby rivers and streams, affecting the quality of surface water resources and the quality of life of nearby populations 3,4 . Therefore, the development of water quality studies is important to verify compliance with mining water quality control regulations in accordance with each country's current legislation Hydrogeochemistry is the study responsible for evaluating the quality of water based on its chemical composition and interaction with geology and mineralization of the area 5 .…”