Doce River Research Articles

Surface water removal of Aluminum(III), Iron(III) and Manganese(II) using sustainable natural serpentinite mining tailings, proof of concept

To remediate surface water as the Doce River and spring waters from Minas Gerais, Brazil, this study examined the possibility of natural serpentinite mining tailings as a sustainable alternative for removing aluminum (III), iron (III), and manganese (II). The study used a Box-Behnken experimental design to examine how initial metal concentration, adsorbate dosage, and adsorption time affect metal removal effectiveness. Results demonstrated impressive performance, with removal rates exceeding 80 % for Al(III) and Fe(III) within the initial 5 min, and 60 % for Mn(II) within 30 min. This study delves deeper into the removal mechanisms, kinetics, adsorption isotherms and characterization identify physisorption and chemisorption pathways in which complex formation with released OH− groups and ion exchange with Mg(II) from serpentinite emerged as key contributors to the removal process. Furthermore, ion metal adsorption and regeneration cycles were assessed, exhibit sustained removal efficacy without notable capacity reduction. Each cycle shows an average metal adsorption capacity of 0.32 mg g−1 and an average Mg(II) release capacity of 0.98 mg g−1. Remarkably, the application of serpentinite successfully lowered the metals content of the Doce River and spring water to drinkable standards. A batch and continuous process is proposed for scaling-up serpentinite's metal adsorption. Overall, this study shows serpentinite's potential as a foundation for sustainable and cost-effective methods to treat surface water contamination with Al(III), Fe(III), and Mn(II).

An overview of soil and plant assessment for predicting site quality and recovery strategies of one the largest tailings dam failures worldwide.

Brazil's Fundão dam collapse is one of the world's largest disasters of tailing dam failures. Previous research has evaluated toxic metals and non-metals (Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, As, Hg) in the same soil samples used in this study, and results have indicated that only Fe and Mn concentrations increased above the original baseline (Melo et al., 2023). Consequently, the present study's focus has shifted towards assessing and integrating changes in soil quality regarding chemical fertility and morphological, physical, and mineralogical attributes in the floodplains post-dam collapse. Soil samples from 0 to 0.2 and 0.2-0.4m depths, and samples of Urochloa sp. were collected along ten transects, spanning 100km perpendicular to the Doce River channel. This sampling strategy targeted specific landscape positions including areas affected by deposited iron tailings (DIT), soil tailing mixture (STM), and control soil (CS) devoid of iron tailing interference. Results showed no discernible alterations in Ca, Mg, K, and P concentrations in Urochloa sp., and the most severe negative impacts observed regarded the replacement of kaolinitic pre-disaster matrix for hematitic matrix, reduction in organic carbon, and the prevalence of sand and silt particles. These factors collectively contributed to triggering: (i) decrease in chemical fertility and cation exchange capacity and (ii) significant decline in physical quality, evidenced by increased density and reduced total porosity and macroporosity. Addressing these adverse effects would require the augment of organic matter levels and offset the dominance of the hematitic matrix in the DIT. Furthermore, it is imperative to decompact the DIT by mechanized or plant cultivation means.

Application of sensing techniques for quantifying CO2 flux and dynamics in environments affected by the fundão dam collapse, mariana, Brazil

The District of Mariana in Minas Gerais, Brazil, witnessed one of the largest natural disasters in history. It involved the deposition of thousands of cubic meters of mining waste on soils near tributaries of the Doce River, resulting in degraded areas and a new environmental landscape. Numerous studies have focused on changes in soil microbiota and physical-chemical attributes. However, studies quantifying and analyzing carbon flux (FCO2) dynamics in the field using proximal sensors under varying temperatures, humidity conditions, and vegetation cover are scarce and nearly nonexistent. These studies could aid in monitoring the recovery of degraded areas and in understanding FCO2 dynamics in such environments. The aim of this study was to quantify and assess FCO2 dynamics using combined sensing techniques in diverse mining-affected areas, comparing different stages of recovery and their vegetation impact, and linking the results to pedoenvironmental factors. To achieve this, four areas were carefully selected and evaluated: affected pasture (AP), pasture (P) (non-affected), mix (MIX), and native trees (NT). In each area, readings were taken using an Infrared gas analyzer (IRGA) sensor, and temperature and soil moisture were measured. Additionally, soil samples were collected for chemical, physical, and biological characterization. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) assessments were conducted using satellites to evaluate vegetation cover. Non-parametric tests (Kruskal Wallis and Principal Component Analyses - PCA) were employed to evaluate differences between the areas and to assess the correlation among the environmental variables. The P area had the highest FCO2 and total organic carbon (TOC), differing significantly from the other site areas. Conversely, AP had the lowest FCO2 and was distinct from other sites. The MIX and NT areas had intermediate FCO2 and TOC values, which were statistically similar to each other. PCA identified distinct patterns in FCO2, soil temperature, and moisture. FCO2 was positively correlated with soil temperature and negatively correlated with moisture. There was a relationship between the biological variables microbial quotient (qMic), metabolic quotient (qCO2), COT, and FCO2. qMic reached the highest values in the MIX area, decreasing linearly from NT to P. Conversely, AP had the lowest qMic. qCO2 had the highest value in AP and NT. The proximal IRGA sensor effectively quantified FCO2 and differentiated mining tailing-affected areas. This assessment incorporated soil temperature, moisture sensors, vegetation index, and soil attribute data. The FCO2 levels were higher in P areas and lower in AP areas. Elevated FCO2 levels were correlated with a high soil temperature and low humidity. In AP, qMic was low, and qCO2 was high, indicating lower FCO2 levels. Conversely, P exhibited a higher FCO2. Higher NDVI values were correlated with elevated FCO2 in areas with specific vegetation cover during environmental recovery, while lower NDVI areas had lower FCO2 levels.

Reducing the Wallacean and the Haeckelian Deficits in Apobaetis Day, 1955 (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae).

During an ongoing project aiming to understand the dynamics of Ephemeroptera biodiversity in the Doce River Basin after the disaster, an unusual large number of Apobaetis Day, 1955 were analyzed. The occurrence of Apobaetis is quite relevant, since the combination of factors such as its small body size and its habitat preferences makes their collection difficult and its presence often neglected. For the first time in science, adults of Apobaetis irai De Lima, Massariol, Cruz & Hamada, 2022 and Apobaetis fiuzai Salles & Lugo-Ortiz, 2002 are described and diagnosed. Apobaetis irai can be easily distinguished, among other characteristics by turbinate portion of compound eyes touching each other along midline; abdominal terga II-III and V-VII with well-marked lines on lateral and posterior margins; posterior margin of subgenital plate with projection broadly rounded to slightly truncate. Apobaetis fiuzai are diagnosed by turbinate portion of compound eyes touching each other posteriorly; mesothorax brown, except for broad cream marks on anterior margin of PSp and SLS, SSLi tinged with white, posterior corner of SMS with a red spot; abdominal terga II-VI translucent orangish-brown, terga VII-X brown, terga II-III and VI with conspicuous red medial mark; posterior margin of subgenital plate with subtriangular projection, apex narrowly truncate; forceps base wider at base, inner irregular edges. The new records of A. irai and A. fiuzai extend the distribution of Apobaetis within Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo States, Brazil. Furthermore, it is reported for the first time cases of gynandromorphs for Apobaetis.

Changes in land use dynamics following the Fundão dam collapse in the Doce River Basin, Brazil

Although regarded as “unexpected,” the collapse of the Fundão tailings dam in 2015 resulted from the synergistic interplay between the capitalist logic of environmental resource exploitation and environmental degradation in the Doce River Basin (DRB). Our objective was to assess whether this disaster altered land-use dynamics in the DRB. To achieve this, we characterized land-use transitions by comparing changes over three years before (2012–2015) and after (2016–2019) the disaster. We differentiated municipalities adjoining the affected rivers from the remaining municipalities. We evaluated anthropogenic and natural driving forces as explanatory variables: farmland to natural vegetation (land abandonment) or natural vegetation to farmland (farmland expansion). We detected two main driving forces of land abandonment, precipitation and temperature, both before and after the dam collapse. Still, there was a shift between periods: before the dam collapse, the drivers of land abandonment differed between municipalities adjoining and those not adjoining the affected rivers. After the disaster, all municipalities shared the same drivers for land abandonment. For farmland expansion, we detected five drivers for the period before (temperature, precipitation, natural vegetation area, roads, and municipality area) and five drivers after (urban area, slope, natural vegetation area, roads, and municipality area) the dam collapse. Thus, we detected a change in the drivers but no distinction between municipalities adjoining and not adjoining the affected rivers. Our results evidenced a direct effect of the disaster on land abandonment but not farmland expansion, where the observed temporal changes may be related to temporal changes independent of the disaster. Our work shows that the collapse of the Fundão mining dam changed the drivers of “land abandonment,” which may be due to anthropic avoidance of using Doce River’s water for farmland or to a change in socio-economic drivers, such as those related to the monthly financial compensation of affected farmers.

Productivity and nutritional aspects in Moringa oleifera plants fertilized with NPK in south-eastern Brazil

Moringa oleifera is an Asian tree species cultivated for its nutritional and medicinal properties. Present study was carried out during 2021 and 2022 at Federal Institute of Minas Gerais, São João Evangelista-MG, Doce River Valley, South-Eastern Brazil to determine NPK doses for Moringa and critical NPK levels in the shoot. The experimental design was a fractional factorial of the type (1/2)43, with 32 treatments set up in four blocks. The treatments represented combinations of doses of N (0, 40, 80, 160 kg/ha); P2O5 (0, 45, 90, 180 kg/ha); and K2O (0, 20, 40, 80 kg/ha). Each experimental unit was composed of four seedlings arranged in a row. Plant shoot harvests were carried out every 60 days (January, March, May, July, September and November) for two consecutive years. The data were analyzed using regression analysis, and the adjusted response surface model was: Y = b0 + b1 N + b2 N2 + b3 P + b4 P2 + b5 K + b6 K2 + b7 NP + b8 NK + b9 PK. The productivity of fresh and dry matter of the shoot of M. oleifera plants was influenced only by N doses in the first year of cultivation, when the supply of 88.7 and 85.8 kg/ha of N led to the maximum estimated productivity for fresh (10,360.3 kg/ha) and dry matter (2,84.0 kg/ha). The critical contents in the shoot were 3.23 dag/kg (N), 0.41 dag/kg (P), and 2.18 dag/kg (K), while the annual extraction by plants was 78.44 kg/ ha (N), 8.99 kg/ha (P), and 48.81 kg/ha (K).

Dynamics of Fe, Mn, and potentially harmful elements under reducing conditions in iron ore tailings after dam collapse in the Doce River basin-Brazil: flooded and non-flooded rice cultivations.

Potentially harmful element (PHE) bioavailability is important to environmental contamination and must be checked under several soil conditions. This study aimed to assess Fe, Mn, and PHE uptake by rice (Oryza sativa) grown on flooded and non-flooded Fe tailings collected from the Doce River basin after its collapse in Brazil. After 65days of sowing, shoots and roots were harvested to determine PHE concentrations. The mean concentrations of Mn in shoots and Fe in the roots of rice grown on the flooded tailings were 2140mgkg-1 and 15,219mgkg-1, respectively. Mn was extensively translocated from roots to shoots (translocation factor (TF) = 2). Conversely, Fe accumulated in roots (TF = 0.015) and caused morphological damage to this rice organ. The application of macro and micronutrients lessened Fe toxicity in the roots of rice cultivated on the flooded tailings. The flooding of tailings influenced more Fe accumulation than Mn accumulation by rice plants. The PHE Ag, As, Cd, Ni, Hg, Pb, and Sb exhibited low total concentrations (maximum of 9mgkg-1 for Ni and a minimum of 0.2mgkg-1 for Cd, Hg, and Sb), and it was not observed an increase in their availability under tailings flooding conditions.

Residues from the Fundão Dam Accident in Brazil and their Effects on Photosynthetic Efficiency of Two Restinga Plant Species.

In 2015, a breach in the Fundão Dam in Mariana (Minas Gerais State, Brazil) resulted in the release of contaminated tailings into the Doce River basin. This accident increased the concentrations of arsenic (As), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), vanadium (V), and manganese (Mn) in the soil, posing a potential hazard to the physiology of native species. The purpose of this study was to assess whether chlorophyll a fluorescence (ChlF) in Allagoptera arenaria and Guapira pernambucensis changed following this accident when tested under different precipitation regimes in relation to soil properties and metal(loid) absorption. Our research was conducted in two sites located in the state of Espírito Santo in southeastern Brazil. Five independent biological replicates of A. arenaria and G. pernambucensis were selected at each site for nutritional and chlorophyll a fluorescence analysis. Five years after the dam rupture, A. arenaria and G. pernambucensis had absorbed As, Pb, and V. The increased amounts of metal(loid)s absorbed did not significantly impair the OJIP curve configuration for either species during the evaluated periods. However, A. arenaria at Biological Reserve of Comboios (RBC) during the rainy season showed increases in the values of maximum quantum yield of PSII photochemistry (φP0) and total performance index on absorption basis (PITOTAL). These changes indicated more efficient tolerance mechanisms for increases in the concentrations of As, Pb, and V than those observed in G. pernambucensis. It was concluded that A. arenaria and G. pernambucensis exhibited an acclimation strategy in response to increased absorption of metal(loid)s.

Relating differential crustal architecture to passive margin evolution: A case study from the Colatina Fracture Zone (SE Brazil) using apatite fission‐track thermochronology

The Colatina Fracture Zone (CFZ) defines a distinct NNW–SSE‐oriented linear zone of fractures and brittle faults that represents an inherited weak zone in the current crustal structure of the (Pre)Cambrian Araçuaí Orogen. In the Early Cretaceous, the CFZ was reactivated during rifting of West Gondwana and subsequent opening of the South Atlantic Ocean, as evidenced by the emplacement of dykes along its structural network and the development of major depocentres of the Campos Basin in the offshore segments of the CFZ. Previous thermochronological studies have demonstrated that the CFZ was also rejuvenated during the drift phase of the South Atlantic. However, a number of questions regarding differential surface uplift and basement exhumation between the CFZ and its surrounding areas, such as the Doce River Valley (DRV), are still unresolved. In this study, we aim to investigate the CFZ as a distinctive structure in the tectonic rejuvenation of the passive margin of south‐east Brazil. Samples from the CFZ and the DRV were collected for apatite fission‐track (AFT) analyses. In the DRV, samples yield AFT central ages from 87 to 97 Ma with mean track lengths (MTL) from 12.6 to 13.3 μm. In contrast, in the CFZ, AFT central ages from 70 to 83 Ma with MTL values from 13.2 and 13.4 μm are obtained. The correlation between AFT age and elevation suggests that the tectonic development of these regions was markedly different and uncoupled. The thermal history models from the AFT data further constrain this differential evolution. On the one hand, thermal history modelling for the DRV indicates a slower and protracted cooling since the incipient Atlantic rifting in the Early Cretaceous. On the other hand, the models for CFZ reveal a rapid cooling phase between the Late Cretaceous to the Palaeocene. In the DRV, the observed basement cooling was most probably triggered by erosion of the uplifted rift shoulder generated by Gondwana break‐up. The more recent, Late Cretaceous–Palaeocene rock cooling, localized in the CFZ, was synchronous with a major phase of the Andean orogeny. This suggests that reactivations and erosional exhumation of the CFZ basement could be a consequence of far‐field propagation of intraplate compressional stress. The higher susceptibility of the CFZ to reactivating over its surroundings shows that structural inheritance is a key factor in the differential tectonic evolution of passive margins. Further research on the Late Cretaceous–Palaeocene reactivation in the CFZ's offshore extension may be crucial for the exploitation of hydrocarbons in the Campos and Espírito Santos basins.

Simplified fish larval supply in coastal areas after a dam burst in Brazil

Coastal and estuarine systems play an important role in the maintenance of marine biodiversity, providing nursery, feeding, developmental and reproductive areas for terrestrial and aquatic species. The Fundão dam collapse is considered one of the biggest environmental disasters in Brazil, causing great social, economic and ecological damage in the affected areas. In our study, we used beta diversity and its components as a tool to monitor the spatio-temporal variation of fish larvae in four marine areas adjacent to the Doce River. The results show that the four areas undergo different spatio-temporal dynamics, with the composition of fish larvae in the Doce being simplified in the last years after the dam burst, compared to the other adjacent marine areas. In addition, turbidity is an important factor that has caused the homogenization of the larval composition of the Doce, demonstrating that mud resuspension events can cause a decrease in diversity and also suggesting the toxicity of the mud composition. The change from negative to positive additive and colonizing components in recent years suggests a slight recovery of diversity in the Doce compared to other marine areas. Finally, we have shown that some species may be tolerant to the impact, but with probable behavioral, energetic and physiological costs, which justifies the constant monitoring of these areas.

Metal-contaminated sediment toxicity in a highly impacted Neotropical river: Insights from zebrafish embryo toxicity assays

The Fundão dam collapse was one of the largest mining-related disasters globally. It resulted in the release of mining tailings containing heavy metals, which contaminated the Doce River in southeastern Brazil. This study assessed the effects of acute exposure of Danio rerio embryos to sediments contaminated by mine tailings six years after the Fundão dam collapse. The study sites included P2, P3, and P4 in the upper Doce River, as well as site P1 on the Piranga River, an uncontaminated river. Sediment samples were analyzed for 10 metals/metalloid by atomic absorption spectrometry. In the assays, embryos were exposed to sediment from P1–P4 sites, and uncontaminated quartz was used as control sediment. Various biomarkers were applied to assess biological responses, and the integrated biomarker response (IBR) index was calculated for each site. Sediment samples revealed elevated levels of As, Cr, Cu, Hg, and Ni beyond Brazilian legislation limits. At 96-h exposure, embryo mortality rates exceeded 20% in P1, P2, and P3, higher than the control and P4 (p < 0.0001). Hatching rates ranged from 60 to 80% in P1, P2, and P3, lower than the control and P4 (p < 0.001). Larvae exposed to P2 sediment (closest to the Fundão dam) exhibited skeletal, physiological, and sensory malformations. Neurotoxicity was indicated by increased acetylcholinesterase activity and reduced spontaneous movements in embryos exposed to Doce River sediment. Contamination also increased metallothionein and heat shock protein 70 levels, along with changes in cell proliferation and apoptosis. Principal component analysis showed a good correlation between metals/metalloid in the sediment and larval morphometric endpoints. The IBR index highlighted suitable biomarkers for monitoring metal contamination in fish embryos. Overall, our findings suggest that sediment toxicity following the Fundão dam failure may compromise the sustainability of fish communities in the Doce River.

Rare earth elements and yttrium along eastern Atlantic estuaries

Rare earth elements (REE) are widely used as tracers of geochemical and anthropogenic processes across diverse environments. We investigated the abundances, sources, and fractionation of REE and Y in 12 estuaries along the Southwest Atlantic Coast. Additionally, we assessed the concentrations of Al, Fe, Mn, and organic carbon (OC) to elucidate the influence of diagenetic remobilization and facilitate comparison between estuaries. The ƩREEY varied widely, ranging from 6 mg kg-1 (Santa Cruz Channel; > 90% sand) to 337 mg kg-1 (Piraquê-Açú; 30% silt+clay). Normalized REE abundances relative to post-Archean Australian shale (PAAS) revealed enrichment of light REE (LREE) over heavy REE (HREE). Moreover, the northern estuaries of the Todos os Santos Bay (São Paulo, Mataripe, Subaé), Vitória Bay, and the Doce River exhibited enrichment of medium REE (MREE) over HREE. Positive correlation between ƩREEY and Al, Fe, and Mn were observed in 5 of the studied estuaries. LREE showed a positive correlation with Al (r2 > 0.7) and Fe (r2 > 0.8) across most of the areas studied. Additionally, REE were significantly correlated with Mn (r2 > 0.8) in only 5 out of the 12 estuaries, while a positive correlation with OC (r2 > 0.8) was observed in 8 estuaries. The concentration of REEY, Al, Mn, Fe, and OC depends on the bottom types and position along the estuarine zones. The observed REEY abundances contribute to the characterization of estuaries along the east coast of Brazil and can serve as a baseline reference for the region.

Deep lakes support higher zooplankton functional diversity than shallow lakes: A case study in lacustrine environments affected by mining tailings (lower Doce River basin, Brazil)

Abstract Tragic incidents involving mine tailings spills have impacted many aquatic ecosystems around the world. The massive mine tailings dam collapse of Fundão, which occurred in Brazil in 2015, affected several aquatic ecosystems, including shallow and deep lakes in the lower Doce River basin. Until now, the effects of mine tailings on the functional diversity of zooplankton remain poorly understood. We investigated the functional diversity of zooplankton (functional groups, functional richness [FRic] and functional evenness [FEve]) in shallow and deep lakes, exploring the influence of environmental variables and metals. In addition, trends in functional redundancy and functional vulnerability were also assessed to understand patterns of resilience in mining‐impacted ecosystems. Surveys were performed monthly on three deep and three shallow lakes affected by the dam failure, from October 2018 to September 2019. In the deep lakes, the zooplankton community was dominated by smaller filter‐feeders and omnivorous species, associated with cyanobacteria density and chlorophyll‐a. Medium‐sized filters were associated to iron, suspended particulate organic matter and total organic carbon in shallow lakes. The smaller filter‐feeders and omnivorous trophic groups had a higher contribution to increasing the functional diversity of zooplankton than medium‐sized filter‐feeders in both deep and shallow lakes. FRic and FEve were higher in deep lakes than in shallow lakes. Shallow lakes were highly vulnerable to species loss and functional diversity was modulated by environmental changes and metal pollution. Tropical shallow lakes impacted by mining tailings should receive particular attention in conservation plans, as a consequence of their high level of pollutant retention in comparison with deep lakes. In addition, we highlight the importance of using a functional approach to better understand the ecosystem changes resulting from the impacts of mine tailings on aquatic environments.

Modeling Environmental Vulnerability for 2050 Considering Different Scenarios in the Doce River Basin, Brazil

Understanding climate change and land use impacts is crucial for mitigating environmental degradation. This study assesses the environmental vulnerability of the Doce River Basin for 2050, considering future climate change and land use and land cover (LULC) scenarios. Factors including slope, elevation, relief dissection, precipitation, temperature, pedology, geology, urban distance, road distance, and LULC were evaluated using multicriteria analysis. Regional climate models Eta-HadGEM2-ES and Eta-MIROC5 under RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 emission scenarios were employed. The Land Change Modeler tool simulated 2050 LULC changes and hypothetical reforestation of legal reserve (RL) areas. Combining two climate and two LULC scenarios resulted in four future vulnerability scenarios. Projections indicate an over 300 mm reduction in average annual precipitation and an up to 2 °C temperature increase from 2020 to 2050. Scenario 4 (RCP 8.5 and LULC for 2050 with reforested RLs) showed the greatest basin area in the lowest vulnerability classes, while scenario 3 (RCP 4.5 and LULC for 2050) exhibited more high-vulnerability areas. Despite the projected relative improvement in environmental vulnerability by 2050 due to reduced rainfall, the complexity of associated relationships must be considered. These results contribute to mitigating environmental damage and adapting to future climatic conditions in the Doce River Basin.

CHARGES FOR THE USE OF RAW WATER: AN ANALYSIS OF THE PERFORMANCE OF MODELS APPLIED IN WATERS UNDER FEDERAL DOMAIN IN THE CUREMA-MÃE D'ÁGUA WATER SYSTEM

Aiming to explore the potential fundraising, models used for charging the raw waters of São Francisco, Paraíba do Sul, and Doce rivers were applied and evaluated in the Curema-Mãe D'Água water system, located in semiarid Brazil. The methodology consisted of a bibliographical review, documentary research, system operation modeling, application of models, and critical analysis of operations and collections results, comprising a total of 240 months from 2002 to 2021. When applying the Standard Operational Policy (SOP), the water system did not meet the demands 35.4% of the time. The model with the highest collection was the one used in Paraíba do Sul River (R$ 12.71 million/year). The models applied in São Francisco (R$ 1.37 million/year) and Doce Rivers (R$ 3.58 million/year) presented the lowest collections. The Paraíba do Sul River model provided the highest charging with water abstract and consumption elements. The Doce River model, conversely, delivered the highest values through the effluent discharge element. The analysis of charging results indicates that each model has specific applications and outcomes. None of the models consider eventual water scarcity conditions in their formulations.

A New Small-Sized Pareiorhaphis (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the Manhuaçu River, Doce River Basin, Minas Gerais State, Eastern Brazil

A New Small-Sized Pareiorhaphis (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the Manhuaçu River, Doce River Basin, Minas Gerais State, Eastern Brazil

Understanding seasonal variations in As and Pb river fluxes and their regulatory mechanisms through monitoring data.

The Doce River Basin (DRB) suffers with the adverse impacts of mining activities, due to its high level of urbanization and numerous industrial operations. In this study, we present novel insights into contaminant flow dynamics, seasonal variations, and the primary factors driving concentration levels within the region. We conducted an extensive analysis using a database sourced from the literature, which contained data on the contamination of arsenic (As) and lead (Pb) in the Doce River. Our primary aim was to investigate the patterns of As and Pb flow throughout the entire basin, their response to seasonal fluctuations, and the key parameters influencing their concentration levels. The results showed significant seasonal fluctuations in As and Pb fluxes, peaking during the rainy season. The 2015 Fundão dam breach in the DRB led to notable changes, elevating elemental concentrations, particularly As and Pb, which were subsequently transported to the Atlantic Ocean. These increased concentrations were primarily associated with iron and manganese oxides, hydroxides, and sulfates, rather than precipitation, as evidenced by regressions with low R2 values for both As (R2 = 0.07) and Pb (R2 < 0.001), concerning precipitation. The PCA analysis further supports the connection between these elements and the oxides and hydroxides of Fe and Mn. The approach employed in this study has proven to be highly effective in comprehending biogeochemical phenomena by leveraging data from the literature and could be a model for optimizing resources by capitalizing on existing information to provide valuable insights for drainage basin management, particularly during crises.

Biomassa e demanda hídrica do capim mombaça em solo afetado pelo rompimento da Barragem do Fundão

ABSTRACT The collapse of the Fundão Dam in Mariana, MG, in 2015 introduced the challenge of using Technosol, a soil type formed by deposition of iron mining waste along the Doce River banks, for agricultural purposes. This study aimed to determine the optimal water depth for enhancing production of tropical forage, Megathyrsus maximus cv. Mombasa, when grown on iron ore tailings. Additionally, it sought to establish a crop coefficient applicable to the edaphoclimatic conditions of Viçosa, MG, Brazil. The experiment was conducted throughout the summer, fall, and winter of 2022, employing 21 drainage lysimeters. A completely randomized experimental design was adopted, featuring six treatment groups (plants in Technosol receiving water depths ranging from 20 to 120% of the crop’s evapotranspiration, as derived from the control treatment), along with a control group (plants in Latosol with a depth of 100%), each with three repetitions. Our findings showed that irrigation must replace 40% of the crop evapotranspiration. Moreover, cultivating in Technosol resulted in a reduction of productive capacity by 37.39% during the summer/fall and fall seasons. For Mombasa grass grown in Oxisol, crop coefficients of 1.2 during the summer and 1.5 during the fall and winter are advised.

Water quality emergency monitoring networks: A method for identifying non-critical variables based on Shannon's entropy

Abstract In the occurrence of environmental disasters involving water resources, deploying an emergency monitoring network for assessing water quality is within the first measures to be taken. Emergency networks usually cover a large set of water quality variables and monitoring stations along the watershed. Focusing on variables that represent greater risk to the environment and have less predictable spatial and temporal distribution is a strategy to optimize efforts on monitoring. The goal of this study is to assess the use of Shannon's entropy to identify non-critical water quality variables in an emergency monitoring network implemented in a watershed impacted by the collapse of a mining iron tailing dam, the Doce River watershed (Brazil). Monitoring stations were grouped into water quality subregions through cluster analysis and Shannon's entropy was used to estimate information redundancy of monitored variables. From information redundancy and after checking for compliance with environment normative, non-critical water quality variables were identified. Results indicated that non-critical variables represent 32–50% of the variables monitored. Emergency network managers find in this method a robust tool to improve the network performance. However, special attention should be paid to outliers' presence that can bias analyses based on Shannon's entropy.

Food web structure of fish communities of Doce River, 5years after the Fundão dam failure.

The rupture of the Fundão dam is considered the largest mining failure in history, which had a particularly detrimental impact on fish populations, as the mud from the ore tailings significantly altered the water quality and habitat of Doce River basin. This study aimed to assess the trophic structure of fish communities in areas impacted and not impacted by the dam rupture in the Doce River basin. To evaluate the food web structure, community-wide trophic niche, and trophic positions of fish, stable isotopes of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) were utilized across ten sites (seven impacted and three control). In general, fish appeared to assimilate resources such as invertebrates, algae, and periphyton, although the importance of each resource varied among sites. The site closest to the dam rupture exhibited a more simplified trophic structure compared to the control sites and those nearer the river mouth. In this site, most fish species occupied a similar trophic position. Trophic niches also exhibited the greatest dissimilarity between the site closest to the dam failure and those farther away from it, with an expansion of trophic niche breadth observed with an increase in the distance from the dam rupture. Our study provided valuable insights into the trophic structure of fish communities within the Doce River basin, shedding light on the trophic ecology of the 59 fish species investigated. We also emphasize the importance of our study for future assessments of ore tailings dam failure disasters and evaluating the effectiveness of mitigation measures for Doce River basin recovery.