title: Application of an integrated biomarker response index to assess ground water contamination in the vicinity of a rare earth mine tailings site.
abstract: We utilized a multi-biomarker approach (Integrated Biomarker Response version 2, IBRv2) to investigate the scope and dispersion of groundwater contamination surrounding a rare earth mine tailings impoundment. Parameters of SD rat included in our IBRv2 analyses were glutathione levels, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities, total anti-oxidative capacity, chromosome aberration, and micronucleus formation. The concentration of 20 pollutants including Cl(-), SO4 (2-), Na(+), K(+), Mg(2+), Ca(2+), TH, CODMn, As, Se, TDS, Be, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, Cd, and Pb in the groundwater were also analyzed. The results of this study indicated that groundwater polluted by tailings impoundment leakage exhibited significant ecotoxicological effects. The selected biomarkers responded sensitively to groundwater pollution. Analyses showed a significant relationship between IBRv2 values and the Nemerow composite index. IBRv2 could serve as a sensitive ecotoxicological diagnosis method for assessing groundwater contamination in the vicinity of rare earth mine tailings. According to the trend of IBRv2 value and Nemerow composite index, the maximum diffusion distance of groundwater pollutants from rare earth mine tailings was approximately 5.7 km.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia University of Scientific and Technical, Baotou, 014010, China.|Nanjing Institute of Environmental Science, MEP, Nanjing, 210042, China.
authors.forename: Wantong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Si
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia University of Scientific and Technical, Baotou, 014010, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoying
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45201, USA.
authors.forename: Ailing
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, Botou Teachers' College, Baotou, 014030, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China.
authors.forename: Jisheng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia University of Scientific and Technical, Baotou, 014010, China.
authors.forename: Donghui
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia University of Scientific and Technical, Baotou, 014010, China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia University of Scientific and Technical, Baotou, 014010, China.
authors.forename: Jumei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Nanjing Institute of Environmental Science, MEP, Nanjing, 210042, China. shenweishou@163.com.
authors.forename: Weishou
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia University of Scientific and Technical, Baotou, 014010, China. xuefeng056@163.com.
authors.forename: Xuefeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D060587:Groundwater / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis; D008674:Metals, Rare Earth / Q000032:analysis*; D008906:Mining; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D008674:Metals, Rare Earth; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Antioxidant enzyme; Biological monitoring; DNA damage; Groundwater pollution; Nemerow composite index