Contribution for tier 1 of the ecological risk assessment of Cunha Baixa uranium mine (Central Portugal): II. Soil ecotoxicological screening

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2008

Authors

Antunes, SC (Author) Other; Castro, BB (Author) Other; Pereira, R (Author) Other; Goncalves, F (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Science of the Total Environment

Vol. 390

Pages: 387-395

ISSN: 0048-9697

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 65 Citations

Scopus - 71 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Natural sciences > Earth and related Environmental sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-004-1GV

DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2007.07.053

Abstract (EN): This study presents the first ecotoxicological data concerning the soils of the area surrounding the Cunha Baixa uranium mine. Our main goal was to categorise soils from the area based on their toxicity profiles using a battery of cost- and time-effective bioassays (elutriate approach - Microtox (R) and Daphnia acute tests; whole-soil approach - Microtox (R)) and avoidance assays with Eisenia andrei), as a part of tier 1 of an ongoing Environmental Risk Assessment. No acute toxicity was found for any of the 10 sites/soils using Microtox (R) or Daphnia. On the contrary, the behavioural. response of E. andrei was found to be an extremely sensitive endpoint, allowing the discrimination of highly to moderately toxic soils based on their toxicity profiles (as a function of soil concentration). Soils exhibiting highest toxicity corresponded to areas subjected to runoffs or sludge deposition from the aquatic effluent, while non-toxic soils were farthest to the mine. Data obtained in avoidance assays strengthen the previous evaluation of risks based on chemical data and supported decisions about proceeding for tier 2.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 9