Heavy Metal Contamination in an Industrially Affected River Catchment Basin: Assessment, Effects, and Mitigation.

Gor Gevorgyan,Armine Mamyan,Ashok Vaseashta,Tigran Vardanyan,Tatevik Boshyan

doi:10.3390/ijerph18062881

Abstract

The concentrations of some heavy metals (Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Mo, Pb, Cd) were measured in river waters, macrozoobenthos, and fish (Kura scrapers) from one of the most developed mining areas in Armenia, the Debed River catchment basin. In order to assess heavy metal contamination and its hydro-ecological and health effects, the macrozoobenthos quantitative and qualitative parameters, geo-accumulation index, and hazard index were determined. Microalgal extraction experiments were conducted to assess the microalgal remediation efficiency for heavy metal removal from mining wastewaters. The results showed that the rivers in many sites were polluted with different heavy metals induced by mining activities, which adversely affected macrozoobenthos growth and caused human health risks in the case of waters used for drinking purposes. However, the river fish, particularly Kura scrapers, were determined to be safe for consumption by the local people, as per the conditions of the evaluated fish ingestion rate. The results have shown that microalgal remediation, particularly with Desmodesmus abundans M3456, can be used for the efficient removal ~(62–100%) of certain emerging contaminants (Mn, Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd) from mining wastewater discharged in the Debed catchment basin.

Highlights

Rivers are exposed to severe contamination due to the rapid development of society and economy [1]
Debed River water in site D-5 was contaminated with Fe in the territory of Alaverdi Town where the potential contamination source of Fe involves the discharges from the Alaverdi copper smelter activity
The present study provides valuable information about heavy metals (HMs) contamination in a river catchment basin suffering from an abundance of mining activities, and its hydro-ecological and associated health effects

Summary

Introduction

Rivers are exposed to severe contamination due to the rapid development of society and economy [1]. The rapid development of industrialization, in terms of increased discharges of untreated or inadequately treated wastewaters, has become a serious threat to rivers [2]. These contaminants mainly refer to heavy metals (HMs) that are persistent, tend to bio-accumulate, and are toxic substances [3,4,5,6]. HM pollution is causing stresses on rivers worldwide, especially in developing countries [4] They are environmentally hazardous even at low concentrations, due to their properties of high toxicity, bioaccumulation, and non-degradability and their ubiquitous presence in nature [7].

Methods

Results

Conclusion