Study of the Effect of Chemical Pollution with Coal-Fired Power Plant on the Fish of Lake Kenon (Trans-Baikal Territory, Russia)

Gazhit Ts Tsybekmitova,Evgeniya P Gorlacheva,Nataliya A Tashlykova

doi:10.2478/quageo-2021-0004

Abstract

Abstract In this study, contamination of potentially toxic elements (Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Hg and Pb) and species dominant in the fish community of Lake Kenon – Carassius auratus gibelio (Bloch 1782) and Perca fluviatilis (Linnaeus 1758) – were investigated. Chemical elements in samples were determined by atomic emission spectrometry (iCAP-6500, Thermo Scientific, USA) and mass spectrometry (X-7, Thermo Elemental, USA). It was reported that water in Lake Kenon contained low concentrations of the studied metals. The bottom sediments are enriched with Mn, Zn, Hg and Pb. Bioaccumulation factors of chemical elements accumulated from the surrounding water for P. fluviatus and C. auratus gibelio in descending order are as follows: Zn > Pb > Hg > Cu. P. fluviatus accumulates Hg in equal measure from both water and bottom sediments. Manganese and mercury are accumulated in the muscles of C. auratus gibelio from bottom sediments. The high accumulation ratio of Zn and Hg in C. auratus gibelio was obtained from Chara sp. (24 times) and Chironomus spp. (38 times), respectively. High accumulation ratio of Zn (26 times) and Hg (29 times) in P. fluviatus was obtained from amphipods. At the same time, Hg in P. fluviatus muscles was accumulated at high level from Chironomus spp. (67 times). In this way, management decisions for mitigation practices in Lake Kenon should be focussed on for the disposal of wastewater from the ash dump contaminated with chemical elements.

Highlights

The chemical elements are natural components of the aquatic environment, but their levels can be increased due to emissions and discharge from the coal-fired power industry
Bioaccumulation factors of chemical elements accumulated from the surrounding water for P. fluviatus and C. auratus gibelio in descending order are as follows: Zn > Pb > Hg > Cu
Management decisions for mitigation practices in Lake Kenon should be focussed on for the disposal of wastewater from the ash dump contaminated with chemical elements

Summary

Introduction

The chemical elements are natural components of the aquatic environment, but their levels can be increased due to emissions and discharge from the coal-fired power industry. Even relatively low contents of chemical elements in water and soils are bioactive and can be accumulated in fishes (Nikanorov, Zhulidov 1991, Sani 2011, Afshan et al 2014, Hashim et al 2014, Nzeve et al 2014) and result in various physiological changes and deformations in their anatomical and morphological structures, including genetic defects (Ayllon, Garcia-Vazquez 2000, Jezierska, Witeska 2001, Vosylienė, Jankaitė 2006, Ergene et al 2007, Vinodhini, Narayanan 2009, Afshan et al 2014, Pandey, Madhuri 2014, Gorlacheva, Afonin 2017, Mataphonov, Shoydokov 2020) Within this framework, the data on chemical element contamination of the ichthyofauna of Lake Kenon, employed for recreation and industrial fishing, are not available. We assumed that chemical substances transferred to the lake with filtration water from the ash dump and wastewaters from the thermal power station No 1 (TPP-1) are concentrated in water and the bottom deposits and represent a potential source of secondary pollution for the ecosystem

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Discussion

Conclusion