Design and Testing of a New Diatom-Based Index for Heavy Metal Pollution

Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
M R FernándezM Sousa

Abstract

The Tinto and Odiel river basins (SW Spain) are known worldwide for their unique water characteristics. Such uniqueness is a consequence of their flow through the Iberian Pyrite Belt (an area rich in metal sulphides) and the mining activities in the basins. A process of sulphide oxidation occurs in this region, which acidifies the water and increases the amount of heavy metals in it. As a result, the rivers suffer the so-called "acid mine drainage" (AMD). Traditional biotic diatom-based indexes (IPS, IBD, EPI-D, etc.) do not take into account the pollution caused by AMD. The purpose of this paper is to develop a new diatom-based index which can serve as a useful and quick monitoring tool. Such tool must reflect the level of AMD while being user friendly. We present the development and validation of the ICM (Índice de Contaminación por Metales or Metal Pollution Index). ICM demonstrated to meet successfully the above criteria and, therefore, can assess water quality in the Tinto and Odiel Rivers. In addition, ICM was applied with satisfactory results in the Guadiamar River (SW Spain), which was subjected to AMD too. Thus, we propose to make use of it in any other basin with the same type of pollution.

References

Feb 3, 2004·Analytical Sciences : the International Journal of the Japan Society for Analytical Chemistry·Yoshiaki NakanishiTakaharu Honjo
Jan 13, 2006·Chemosphere·Hugo Virgilio Perales-VelaRosa Olivia Cañizares-Villanueva
Jun 12, 1970·Science·W H Berger, F L Parker
Mar 31, 2012·The Science of the Total Environment·Isabelle LavoieClaude Fortin

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Citations

Apr 29, 2020·Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids·José Julio Gutiérrez MorenoWenjin Li

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