TY - JOUR
T1 - The Doñana ecological disaster
T2 - contamination of a world heritage estuarine marsh ecosystem with acidified pyrite mine waste
AU - Pain, D. J.
AU - Sánchez, A.
AU - Meharg, A. A.
PY - 1998/10/15
Y1 - 1998/10/15
N2 - One of the most important bird breeding and over wintering sites in the west of Europe, the Coto Doñana, was severely impacted by the release of 5 million cubic meters of acid waste from the processing of pyrite ore. The waste entered ecologically sensitive areas of the park (including breeding areas for internationally endangered bird species) causing sustained pH decreases from pH 8.5 to 4.5 and resulting in massive metal contamination of the impacted ecosystem. The contaminating sludge waste contained arsenic at 0.6%, lead at 1.2% and zinc at 0.8% on a dry weight basis. The acid conditions facilitated the solubilization of these metals, leading to water concentrations lethal for aquatic wildlife. The accident caused considerable fish and invertebrate kills and has severe consequences for the protected bird species dependent on the impacted habitats and adjacent areas.
AB - One of the most important bird breeding and over wintering sites in the west of Europe, the Coto Doñana, was severely impacted by the release of 5 million cubic meters of acid waste from the processing of pyrite ore. The waste entered ecologically sensitive areas of the park (including breeding areas for internationally endangered bird species) causing sustained pH decreases from pH 8.5 to 4.5 and resulting in massive metal contamination of the impacted ecosystem. The contaminating sludge waste contained arsenic at 0.6%, lead at 1.2% and zinc at 0.8% on a dry weight basis. The acid conditions facilitated the solubilization of these metals, leading to water concentrations lethal for aquatic wildlife. The accident caused considerable fish and invertebrate kills and has severe consequences for the protected bird species dependent on the impacted habitats and adjacent areas.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0031597379&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0048-9697(98)00290-3
DO - 10.1016/S0048-9697(98)00290-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 9842750
VL - 222
SP - 45
EP - 54
JO - The Science of the total environment
JF - The Science of the total environment
SN - 0048-9697
IS - 1-2
ER -