title: Bioaccumulation of metals in three freshwater mussel species exposed in situ during and after dredging at a coal ash spill site (Tennessee Valley Authority Kingston Fossil Plant).
abstract: On December 22, 2008, a dike containing coal fly ash at the Tennessee Valley Authority Kingston Fossil Plant (TN, USA) failed, and within months, dredging operations began to remove ash-contaminated sediments. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in the bioaccumulation of metals in three mussel species during and after dredging operations. Mussels were caged for approximately 1 year during dredging and after, and then mussel condition index values and As, Cd, Cr, Pb, Ni, Se, Hg, U, Fe, Mg, Al, Sb, Ba, Be, Co, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ag, Sr, Tl, V, and Zn concentrations in soft tissue were determined via inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometery. Overall, the differences observed in metal bioaccumulation and mussel health suggest that mussels in the immediate downstream area of the dredging site may have been impacted, as evidenced by a significant decrease in mussel condition index values, but that this impact did not result in increased tissue concentrations of metals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Box 60, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA, Ryan.Otter@mtsu.edu.
authors.forename: Ryan R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Otter
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McKinney
authors.forename: Bobby
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lainer
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Monroe
authors.forename: Don
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hubbs
authors.forename: Bob
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Read
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000378:metabolism*; D055884:Chemical Hazard Release; D003031:Coal; D060729:Coal Ash; D004777:Environment; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation; D005579:Fossil Fuels; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D003031:Coal; D060729:Coal Ash; D005579:Fossil Fuels; D008670:Metals; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury