Microcosm studies on the transfer of Hg, Cd and Se from terrestrial to aquatic ecosystems

Conference · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1974 · Trace Subst. Environ. Health; (United States)

OSTI ID:5874194

Huckabee, J W; Blaylock, B G

Microcosm experiments with trace elements including heavy metals provide information on transfer rates between compartments of the model ecosystem and identify target organisms and sinks. Studies at Oak Ridge National Laboratory on the behavior of Hg, Cd and Se in microcosms were performed with excised stream bank sections, stream sediments and biota. Sections of stream bank were placed in one end of the microcosm tanks and stream sediments and approx. 60 1 of spring water in the other half. Fish (Gambusia affinis) and snails (Goniobasis clavaeformis) were placed in the aquatic portion. A radioactive isotope of the element under consideration was applied to the terrestrial portion via simulated rainfall. The terrestrial and aquatic portions of the microcosms were sampled at various intervals after the radioactive tracer was applied. At the termination of the experiments a materials balance was performed on each of the systems. Results from these microcosm studies show that Hg/sup II/ from coal fly ash was leachable and thus available to biota. About 50% of the total /sup 203/Hg reached the aquatic system and > 99% of this was in the sediments. Fish accumulated more /sup 203/Hg than did snails. Ninety-four to 96% of the /sup 115m/Cd applied was retained in the terrestrial portion of the system, and in the aquatic portion fish accumulated less Cd than did snails. Similar to Cd, 75% of the total Se added was retained in the soil. Nine percent of the initial input was found in the sediments and fish accumulated about 10 times less /sup 75/Se than did snails. 6 references, 3 tables.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN
• OSTI ID: 5874194
• Report Number(s): CONF-740696-
• Journal Information: Trace Subst. Environ. Health; (United States), Vol. 8; Conference: 8. annual conference on trace substances in environmental health, Columbia, MO, USA, 11 Jun 1974
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CADMIUM
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
MERCURY
SELENIUM
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
CADMIUM 115
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
FLY ASH
LEACHING
MASS TRANSFER
MERCURY 203
MICROCOSMS
SELENIUM 75
STREAMS
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
AEROSOL WASTES
ASHES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CADMIUM ISOTOPES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DISSOLUTION
ECOSYSTEMS
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
ELEMENTS
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
HEAVY NUCLEI
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
MERCURY ISOTOPES
METALS
NUCLEI
RADIOISOTOPES
RESIDUES
SELENIUM ISOTOPES
SEMIMETALS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SURFACE WATERS
WASTES
510200* - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
520200 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)