title: Abandoned coal mining sites: using ecotoxicological tests to support an industrial organic sludge amendment.
abstract: The different stages involved in coal mining-related activities result in a degraded landscape and sites associated with large amounts of dumped waste material. Remediation of these contaminated soils can be carried out by application of industrial organic sludge if the concerns regarding the potential negative environmental impacts of this experimental practice are properly addressed. In this context, the objective of this study was to use ecotoxicological tests to determine the quantity of organic industrial sludge that is required as a soil amendment to restore soil production while avoiding environmental impact. Chemical analysis of the solids (industrial sludge and soil) and their leachates was carried out as well as a battery of ecotoxicity tests on enzymes (hydrolytic activity), bacteria, algae, daphnids, earthworms, and higher plants, according to standardized methodologies. Solid and leachate samples of coal-contaminated soil were more toxic than those of industrial sludge towards enzyme activity, bacteria, algae, daphnids, and earthworms. In the case of the higher plants (lettuce, corn, wild cabbage, and Surinam cherry) the industrial sludge was more toxic than the coal-contaminated soil, and a soil/sludge mixture (66:34% dry weight basis) had a stimulatory effect on the Surinam cherry biomass. The ecotoxicological assessment of the coal-contaminated soil remediation using sludge as an amendment is very important to determine application rates that could promote a stimulatory effect on agronomic species without negatively affecting the environment.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Remediação Ambiental, UNIVALI - Universidade do Vale do Itajaí, Rua Uruguai, 458, Itajaí, SC, 88302-202, Brazil.
authors.forename: Claudete G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Chiochetta
authors.forename: Marilice R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Radetski
authors.forename: Albertina X R
authors.initials: AX
authors.lastname: Corrêa
authors.forename: Vinícius
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tischer
authors.forename: Erasmo N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Tiepo
authors.forename: Claudemir M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Radetski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003032:Coal Mining; D054750:Ecotoxicology; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004787:Environmental Pollution; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012722:Sewage / Q000032:analysis*; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D018675:Toxicity Tests; D064091:Waste Disposal Facilities
chemical_list: D007220:Industrial Waste; D012722:Sewage; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants