an integrated approach for the remediation of a catchment ... · milena horvat and co-workers....

Milena Horvat and co-workersDepartment of Environmental Sciences, Jožef Stefan

Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia

milena.horvat@ijs.si

AN INTEGRATED APPROACH FOR AN INTEGRATED APPROACH FOR THE REMEDIATION OF A THE REMEDIATION OF A CATCHMENT IMPACTED BY CATCHMENT IMPACTED BY FORMER MERCURY MININGFORMER MERCURY MINING

CoCo--workersworkers

Jože

Kotnik,

Darija, Gibičar, Vesna Fajon, Nives Ogrinc, Nataša Nolde, David Kocman,

Suzana Žižek, Branko

Kontić-

Department of Environmental Sciences, Jožef Stefan Institute, LjubljanaAlfred B. Kobal, Tatjana

Dizdarević

-

Mercury Mine, IdrijaJoško Osredkar -

ICCB, University

Medical

Center, LjubljanaJadran

Faganeli

-

Marine Biological Station, National Institute

of Biology, PiranRudolf Rajar, Dušan Žagar, Gregor Petkovšek -

Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geodesy, University of LjubljanaDamjana Drobne, Mihael Toman, Suzana Žižek -

Faculty

of

Biology, University

of

LjubljanaStefano

Covelli

– University of Trieste, ItalyFabio

Barbone

–

University

of

Udine, Italy

Institute Jožef Stefan

EU - Hg

strategy

January

2005, the

Commission

sent

to the

Council

and

to the

European

Parliament

a communication

on a Community

strategy

on mercury

(doc. 5999/05), adopted

on 24.June, 2005.

Institute Jožef Stefan

Reducing mercury emissionsCutting supply and demandLooking for long-term solutions for mercurysurpluses and reservoirsProtecting against mercury exposureImproving understanding of the mercury problemSupporting and promoting international action on mercury.

EU Hg

strategy International action

International initiative on production and supplyBilateral supportUNEP Mercury ProgrammeUNDP/GEF/UNIDO Global Mercury ProgrammeUNECE Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air PollutionEU Hg conference, Brussels, 26 – 27. October 2006

WhyWhy MediterraneanMediterranean??

LOCATIONS OF MERCURY MINES LOCATIONS OF MERCURY MINES IN THE MEDITERRANEANIN THE MEDITERRANEAN

MERCURY IN THE MEDITERRANEAN FISHMERCURY IN THE MEDITERRANEAN FISH

0

1,0

2,0

3,0

4,0

5,0

0 100 200 300 400Body weight (kg)

Atlantic

Mediterranean

Total Hg in Thunnus thynnus

Con

cent

ratio

n(m

g/kg

, FW

)0 20 40 60

Body weight (g)

0

0,1

0,2

0,3

0,4

0,5

Con

cent

ratio

n(m

g/kg

, FW

)

Total Hg in Sardina pilchardus

Mediterranean

Atlantic

Bernhard et al., 1990

StudyStudy

areaarea::interactioninteraction

betweenbetweenthethe

catchmentcatchment

andand

coastalcoastal

environmentsenvironments

Past:

- 500 years of Hg mining (1490-1990)

- 127.000 tons of Hg extracted

- >37.000 tons lost into the environment

- >12.000 tons entered the river system

Today:

- About 2500 kg/y enters the river system

- About 1500 kg/y transported to the Gulf of Trieste

Catchment

area: 3300 km2

Soča at the

mouth: 170 m3/s (extreme

3000–

4000 m3/s)

Precipitation: 1500 mm/y 0.3 Mio inhabitants

Institute Jožef Stefan

Mercury cycle in the wider Idrija region and the Gulf of Trieste

Hgo

Hg2+ CH Hgin CH

3+

3 CH Hg3

HgoHg2+ CH Hg3+

DAM

Contaminatedsediments

Hgo

Hg2+ CH Hgin CH

3+

3 CH Hg3

HgoHg2+ CH Hg3+

ADVECTION and DIFFUSION

CH Hg3 CH3

Hg2+ CH Hg3+

E s t u a r y

Industrialwastes

Estuarinecontaminated sediment

, , ,

I: ASSESMENT OF THE I: ASSESMENT OF THE CURRRENT SITUATIONCURRRENT SITUATION

Mercury in river waterMercury in river water

CZAAD6109876543210

100

200

300

400

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

Total HgMeHg

Sampling Site (not to scale)

Tota

l Hg

(ng/

L)

MeH

g (n

g/L)

Idrija River

MarineSoca River

109876543210

1

2

3

4

5

Perc

ent M

eHg

D6 AA CZ

Sampling Site (not to scale)

Idrija River

Soca River

Marine

Mercury in marine sedimentsMercury in marine sediments

< 0.50

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

6.00

8.00

10.00

12.00

> 14.00

13.35 13.40 13.45 13.50 13.55 13.60 13.65 13.70 13.75 13.80 13.8545.45

45.50

45.55

45.60

45.65

45.70

45.75

45.80Monfalcone

Sistiana

Trieste

Piran

Koper

SLOVENIA

Isonzo

Grado

ITALYHg (ppm)

Total

Hg MeHg

Mercury flux into the Gulf of TriesteMercury flux into the Gulf of Trieste

Mass balance of Hg in the Gulf of TriesteMass balance of Hg in the Gulf of Trieste

Occupational

mercury

intoxications

in

Idrija Mercury

Mine from

1946 to

1977

Occupational

mercury

intoxications

in

Idrija Mercury

Mine from

1946 to

1977

U.Erzen

Biological

monitoring

Idrija mercury

mine -

Department of Occupational Medicine, Alfred Bogomir

Kobal

Idrija: Mercury

in air

0

2.5

5

7.5

10

20

30

40

50

75

100

150

200

250

30. Oct. 200313:30 - 15:50

No wind, 6°C, slight rain

1264

Hgng/m3

IDRIJA

Spodnja Idrija

Idri

jca

K anomljica

Nikova

Smeltingplant

Antonov rov

Hg concentration in air

m0 500 1000

0

2.5

5

7.5

10

20

30

40

50

75

100

150

200

250

3. Nov. 20039:10 - 15:30

Slight S wind, 8°C, sunny

2367

Hgng/m3

IDRIJA

Spodnja IdrijaId

rijc

aKanomljica

Nikova

Smeltingplant

A ntonov rov

Hg concentration in air

m0 500 1000 0

2.5

5

7.5

10

20

30

40

50

75

100

150

200

250

3. Nov. 20039:10 - 15:30

Slight S wind, 8°C, sunny

2367

Hgng/m3

IDRIJA

Spodnja Idrija

Idri

jca

Kanomljica

Nikova

Smeltingplant

A ntonov rov

Hg concentration in air

m0 500 1000

14 2.050

100

200

300

400

0

600ng/g

Idrija

reference

T-Hg concentration

(mean, range) in selected

vegetables

CARROTS PARSLEY LEAVES CHICORY CABBAGE LlETTUCE

63.71.0

(13 -

103)

1.0

866(520 -

1500)

137

1.0

(22 -

386)

420

1.0

(57 -

782)

UrošEržen

Mean

(SD)

T-Hg concentrations

in river

fish

of

the

Idrijca river

(Salmo

sp.)

and

in marine fish

(Conger

conger)

of

the

Gulf

of

Trieste

200

400

600

800

Kozarska grapaabove Idrija in Idrija Gulf of Trieste

ng/g fresh

weight

610(870)

410(450)

680(230)

100(80)

Contaminated

food

and

fish

is the

main

source

of

exposure

Estimated daily intakes of Hg in Estimated daily intakes of Hg in humans expressehumans expressedd

in in µµgHg/day/kggHg/day/kgbwbw

Idrija Coastal

areaT-Hg MeHg T-Hg MeHg

Air 0.05-

0.10 - 0.001 -

.005 -

Fish(50/100g/day) 0.20 -

3.33 0.09

–

1.60 0.18 -

1.35 0.17 -

1.33

Other

food0.66 0.132 0.05 0.01

60 kg body

weight

US EPA recommended

RfD:

0.1 µgHg/day/kgbw

WHO/JECFA recommended

RfD:

0.23 µgHg/day/kgbw

LocationHg intake into roe deer

Inhalation Ingestion Inhalation:ingestion

Hg(µg/kg/day)

Hg(µg/kg/day)

Ratio(%)

Idrija – Zone AZone BNearsmelter

0.10 109 0.09

0.30 435 0.07

4.0 2520 0.16

Podljubelj 0.07 36.5 0.19

Controls 0.007 4.2 0.17

Mercury

mine Idrija, SloveniaInhaled

vs. ingested

Hg in roe

deer

Gnamus and Horvat, 2001

II. Modelling tools

Interaction

between

the

models

Local scale models

Meso-scale aquatic models•Mediterranean

-

Regional scale aquatic models• Idrijca and

Soča River• Gulf

of

Trieste

Input

data

Boundary

conditions

• sources• erosion

Institute Jožef Stefan

ModelsErosion

model

(Idrija region): Hg release

2.500

kg/year

River

model(Idrijca and

Soča):

transport and transformations

Marine model(Gulf of Trieste): Hg input

1500 kg/year

Institute Jožef Stefan

EROSION MODEL and

Hg release

Results:input data for theriver modelpossible remediationmeasures

A i

junction(J)

Idrijc

a Rive

r

GIS-layer

based

modelData

–

layers: topography, geology, pedology, land

cover, land

use, slope, precipitation, runoff.

Measurements:

Hg

Institute Jožef Stefan

Modelling

results

for

PT scenario

Institute Jožef Stefan

Results

and

findings

from EROSION MODEL

Present situation:annual Hg release to Idrijca River: 2500 kg

PT scenario:change in land use and elimination of hot spots: decrease of annual Hg release to 1445 kg

Possible

reduction: 42 %Cost: 28 mil. €

•ELOISE 2004Institute Jožef Stefan

1-D model MeRiMod

structure

already used for the Carson River (NV, USA)adapted for Idrijca and Soča Rivers (parameters –measurements)real time unsteady-state simulations

WASP5

RIVMOD MERC4- hydrodynamics- sediment transport

- velocities- depth- shear stress

- mass balance equations(advective and diffusive

transport)

- concentrations of various pollutants- bed load concentrations- suspended load conc.

- mercury speciation andkinetic transformation

- concentrations of inorganic mercury (HgII)- concentrations of mono- methyl mercury (MMHg)

•ELOISE 2004Institute Jožef Stefan

CONCEPT OF THE 3D WATER MODELING SYSTEM (MARINE ENVIRONMENT)

thermohaline forcingwindtidal forcingriver inflow momentum

HYDRODYNAMIC MODEL

PCFLOW3D-HD

river loadssea currents

sea bottom processesPCFLOW3D-ST

SEDIMENTATION MODEL

• air-water exchange• methylation

demethylation• reduction• oxydation• exchange with the

bottom sedimentADVECTION-DISPERSION MODEL FOR

MERCURY with transformations

Hg MODULEPCFLOW3D

Institute Jožef Stefan

To the Gulf2160 t

Evasion30 t

Sedimentation1830 t

15.000 tons

Institute Jožef Stefan

III. WHAT WE CAN DO

The reduction of MeHg in seafood can

therefore be defined as the priority objective with regard to the mercury contamination problem in the wider Idrija area and in the Gulf of Trieste.

It is generally

accepted that the formation and bioaccumulation of MeHg

is the most

critical point of environmental quality in mercury contaminated sites.

Institute Jožef Stefan

POSSIBLE MEASURES to reduce

toxic effect

of

MeHg in the

area

Reducing Hg transport within the river system:diminish erosion near Idrija (forestation, elimination of hotspots)dredging of sediments along both riversconstruction of new reservoirs (?) – or elimination (?)

Reducing methylation (conditions):to improve water quality in the river sytem and the Gulf –WW treatment, reducing mariculture, aeration (?)dredging of bottom sediment to reduce the source of MMHg -technically possible, very expensive, where to put Hg contaminated sediment (?)

Administrative measures – prohibition of fishing, mariculture…

Institute Jožef Stefan

A conceptual

Drivers-Pressure-State-Impact-Response model (DPSIR)

DRIVERSIncreasing demand of energy, transport,

agriculture and fisheries, waste.Fossil fuels consumption, Manufacturing industry

Waste production, Mining, Agriculture

PRESSURESEmissions of Hg to the atmosphere, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems

STATEHg concentrations in air, water, biota

elevated MeHg in Gulf of Triesteand in the reservoirs

IMPACTSEffects on ecosystem and man

effects on human health, change in species abundence and distribution

POLI

CY

RES

PON

SER

educ

tion

of e

mis

sion

s, re

duce

ero

sion

, co

ntro

l MeH

g pr

oduc

tion

Ener

gy e

ffici

ency

, tax

es,s

avin

g pr

ogra

mm

es,

Was

te m

anag

emen

t, ag

ricul

ture

, fis

herie

s, e

tc.

Gains & losses

SCEN

AR

IOS

MA

NA

GEM

ENT

OPT

ION

S(B

AU

, PO

T, D

G)

Institute Jožef Stefan

DefinitionDefinition

ofof

IDRICAT IDRICAT scenariosscenarios

Business

as usual

-

no additional

measures

to physical

closing

of

the

mine envisaged, “leave

it as it is”

Policy

targets

–

collection

of

measures

aimed

at reducing

introduction

of

Hg into

the

catchment: elimination

of

the

hot

spots, reduction

of

erosion

potential, construction

of

WWTPs

Deep

Green

–

reducing

potentials

formation

of

MeHg and

exposure

of

population

to Hg

CURRENT STATUS CURRENT STATUS ––

SCENARIOS:SCENARIOS:

Business

as Usual

-

not acceptable,

not further explored

in any

specific

detail, except

for

modelling

fluxes

Policy

Targets

-

preferred,

explored

in detail

in

terms

of

mass

balance

modelling

and

institutional

assessment

(questionaire

based

survey) –

efficiency needs

to be

determined

based

on monitoring

Deep

Green

–

considered

on the

level

of

the

mass balance

modelling

only; still

under

develop-

ment/verification, results

not yet

available

EU EU MercuryMercury

StrategyStrategy

–– Hg Hg contaminatedcontaminated//pollutedpolluted

sitessites

(I)(I)

Reducing emissions:Polluted sites as important source categoryInventory of Hg polluted sitesComparability of data on emissions (standardizedprotocols)

Reducing supply:Hg mining: historical, economic and societal significanceand reponsability for environmental degradation

Protecting against exposure:mixed exposure to inorganic and organic Hg

Improved understanding:Integrated tools for the remediation of Hg polluted sites(including modeling)Integrated measurement tools (chemical, physical andbiological) – early warning systems

Institute Jožef Stefan

EU EU MercuryMercury

StrategyStrategy

–– Hg Hg contaminatedcontaminated//pollutedpolluted

sitessites

(II)(II)

Societal and economic implications ofemission reduction measures

Benefits: environmental and health & economicand societalSelection of alternatives: Strategic environmentalassessment (SEA)

Reduction of global pool of Hg in longer time perspectiveIncrease of quality of life (social&security, employment, education, etc..)Economy (generator of further local/regionaldevelopoment, transition from production to service, transition to higher education jobs, etc..)

Institute Jožef Stefan

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Ministry

of

Education, Science

and

Sports

of

RS

Idrija Mercury

Mine

European

Union, 5th

Framework

Programme

National

Science

Foundation, USA

International

Atomic

Energy

Agency

(CRP)