Arctic vegetation damage by winter-generated coal mining pollution released upon thawing
Acid mine drainage (known as AMD) is a well-known environmental problem resulting from the oxidation of sulfidic mine waste. In cold regions, AMD is often considered limited by low temperatures most of the year and observed environmental impact is related to pollution generated during the warm summe...
Published in: | Environmental Science & Technology |
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Language: | English |
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2007
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Online Access: | https://orbit.dtu.dk/en/publications/11eb5662-6742-4a66-804e-b7766fcc0886 https://doi.org/10.1021/es061457x |
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ftdtupubl:oai:pure.atira.dk:publications/11eb5662-6742-4a66-804e-b7766fcc0886 2023-05-15T14:26:11+02:00 Arctic vegetation damage by winter-generated coal mining pollution released upon thawing Elberling, B. Søndergaard, J. Jensen, L.A. Schmidt, L.B. Hansen, B.U. Asmund, G. Balic-Žunic, T. Hanson, Susanne Hollesen, J. Jansson, P.-E. Friborg, T. 2007 https://orbit.dtu.dk/en/publications/11eb5662-6742-4a66-804e-b7766fcc0886 https://doi.org/10.1021/es061457x eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess Elberling , B , Søndergaard , J , Jensen , L A , Schmidt , L B , Hansen , B U , Asmund , G , Balic-Žunic , T , Hanson , S , Hollesen , J , Jansson , P-E & Friborg , T 2007 , ' Arctic vegetation damage by winter-generated coal mining pollution released upon thawing ' , Environmental Science & Technology (Washington) , vol. 41 , no. 7 , pp. 2407-2413 . https://doi.org/10.1021/es061457x article 2007 ftdtupubl https://doi.org/10.1021/es061457x 2023-01-11T23:56:21Z Acid mine drainage (known as AMD) is a well-known environmental problem resulting from the oxidation of sulfidic mine waste. In cold regions, AMD is often considered limited by low temperatures most of the year and observed environmental impact is related to pollution generated during the warm summer period. Here we show that heat generation within an oxidizing, sulfidic, coal-mining waste-rock pile in Svalbard (78° N) is high enough to keep the pile warm (roughly 5 °C throughout the year) despite mean annual air temperatures below -5 °C. Consequently, weathering processes continue year-round within the waste-rock pile. During the winter, weathering products accumulate within the pile because of a frozen outer layer on the pile and are released as a flush within 2 weeks of soil thawing in the spring. Consequently, spring runoff water contains elevated concentrations of metals. Several of these metals are taken up and accumulated in plants where they reach phytotoxic levels, including aluminum and manganese. Laboratory experiments document that uptake of Al and Mn in native plant species is highly correlated with dissolved concentrations. Therefore, future remedial actions to control the adverse environmental impacts of cold region coal-mining need to pay more attention to winter processes including AMD generation and accumulation of weathering products. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Arctic Svalbard Technical University of Denmark: DTU Orbit Arctic Rock Pile ENVELOPE(-65.167,-65.167,-68.417,-68.417) Svalbard Environmental Science & Technology 41 7 2407 2413 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Technical University of Denmark: DTU Orbit |
op_collection_id |
ftdtupubl |
language |
English |
description |
Acid mine drainage (known as AMD) is a well-known environmental problem resulting from the oxidation of sulfidic mine waste. In cold regions, AMD is often considered limited by low temperatures most of the year and observed environmental impact is related to pollution generated during the warm summer period. Here we show that heat generation within an oxidizing, sulfidic, coal-mining waste-rock pile in Svalbard (78° N) is high enough to keep the pile warm (roughly 5 °C throughout the year) despite mean annual air temperatures below -5 °C. Consequently, weathering processes continue year-round within the waste-rock pile. During the winter, weathering products accumulate within the pile because of a frozen outer layer on the pile and are released as a flush within 2 weeks of soil thawing in the spring. Consequently, spring runoff water contains elevated concentrations of metals. Several of these metals are taken up and accumulated in plants where they reach phytotoxic levels, including aluminum and manganese. Laboratory experiments document that uptake of Al and Mn in native plant species is highly correlated with dissolved concentrations. Therefore, future remedial actions to control the adverse environmental impacts of cold region coal-mining need to pay more attention to winter processes including AMD generation and accumulation of weathering products. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Elberling, B. Søndergaard, J. Jensen, L.A. Schmidt, L.B. Hansen, B.U. Asmund, G. Balic-Žunic, T. Hanson, Susanne Hollesen, J. Jansson, P.-E. Friborg, T. |
spellingShingle |
Elberling, B. Søndergaard, J. Jensen, L.A. Schmidt, L.B. Hansen, B.U. Asmund, G. Balic-Žunic, T. Hanson, Susanne Hollesen, J. Jansson, P.-E. Friborg, T. Arctic vegetation damage by winter-generated coal mining pollution released upon thawing |
author_facet |
Elberling, B. Søndergaard, J. Jensen, L.A. Schmidt, L.B. Hansen, B.U. Asmund, G. Balic-Žunic, T. Hanson, Susanne Hollesen, J. Jansson, P.-E. Friborg, T. |
author_sort |
Elberling, B. |
title |
Arctic vegetation damage by winter-generated coal mining pollution released upon thawing |
title_short |
Arctic vegetation damage by winter-generated coal mining pollution released upon thawing |
title_full |
Arctic vegetation damage by winter-generated coal mining pollution released upon thawing |
title_fullStr |
Arctic vegetation damage by winter-generated coal mining pollution released upon thawing |
title_full_unstemmed |
Arctic vegetation damage by winter-generated coal mining pollution released upon thawing |
title_sort |
arctic vegetation damage by winter-generated coal mining pollution released upon thawing |
publishDate |
2007 |
url |
https://orbit.dtu.dk/en/publications/11eb5662-6742-4a66-804e-b7766fcc0886 https://doi.org/10.1021/es061457x |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-65.167,-65.167,-68.417,-68.417) |
geographic |
Arctic Rock Pile Svalbard |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Rock Pile Svalbard |
genre |
Arctic Arctic Svalbard |
genre_facet |
Arctic Arctic Svalbard |
op_source |
Elberling , B , Søndergaard , J , Jensen , L A , Schmidt , L B , Hansen , B U , Asmund , G , Balic-Žunic , T , Hanson , S , Hollesen , J , Jansson , P-E & Friborg , T 2007 , ' Arctic vegetation damage by winter-generated coal mining pollution released upon thawing ' , Environmental Science & Technology (Washington) , vol. 41 , no. 7 , pp. 2407-2413 . https://doi.org/10.1021/es061457x |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1021/es061457x |
container_title |
Environmental Science & Technology |
container_volume |
41 |
container_issue |
7 |
container_start_page |
2407 |
op_container_end_page |
2413 |
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1766298664780693504 |