TY - JOUR
T1 - Iron ore tailings as a source of nutrients to the coastal zone
AU - Costa, Eduardo Schettini
AU - Cagnin, Renata Caiado
AU - da Silva, Cesar Alexandro
AU - Longhini, Cybelle Menolli
AU - Sá, Fabian
AU - Lima, Ana Teresa
AU - Gomes, Luiz Eduardo de Oliveira
AU - Bernardino, Angelo Fraga
AU - Neto, Renato Rodrigues
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - The Fundão dam rupture was one of the largest environmental disasters worldwide and released millions of m3 of iron ore tailings into the Doce River basin in southeastern Brazil. Here we assessed the supply of dissolved nutrients associated to tailings in the Doce River estuary and its adjacent coastal zone. First, we observed an acute increase in dissolved silicates (From 16.26 μM to 175.47 μM) and nitrate (From 5.56 μM to 50.69 μM) in the estuary when compared to days prior to the event. Coastal marine ecosystems showed significant concentrations of nitrite (From 0.72 μM to 2.99 μM) and phosphate (From 0.09 μM to 2.30 μM) one year after the disaster, which we attribute mainly to nutrient recycling. The chronic effects include an increase in nutrient load to the coastal zone with a predominance of nitrogenous species, which may increase the limitation of phosphorus and silica to marine primary production.
AB - The Fundão dam rupture was one of the largest environmental disasters worldwide and released millions of m3 of iron ore tailings into the Doce River basin in southeastern Brazil. Here we assessed the supply of dissolved nutrients associated to tailings in the Doce River estuary and its adjacent coastal zone. First, we observed an acute increase in dissolved silicates (From 16.26 μM to 175.47 μM) and nitrate (From 5.56 μM to 50.69 μM) in the estuary when compared to days prior to the event. Coastal marine ecosystems showed significant concentrations of nitrite (From 0.72 μM to 2.99 μM) and phosphate (From 0.09 μM to 2.30 μM) one year after the disaster, which we attribute mainly to nutrient recycling. The chronic effects include an increase in nutrient load to the coastal zone with a predominance of nitrogenous species, which may increase the limitation of phosphorus and silica to marine primary production.
KW - Coastal zone
KW - Dissolved nutrients
KW - Environmental disaster
KW - Ore tailings
U2 - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112725
DO - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112725
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 34304062
AN - SCOPUS:85111028625
SN - 0025-326X
VL - 171
JO - Marine Pollution Bulletin
JF - Marine Pollution Bulletin
M1 - 112725
ER -