Smelters nickel

Nickel concentrations are comparatively elevated in aquatic plants and animals in the vicinity of nickel smelters, nickel-cadmium battery plants, electroplating plants, sewage outfalls, coal ash disposal basins, and heavily populated areas. For example, at Sudbury, Ontario, mean nickel concentrations, in mg/kg DW, were 22.0 in larvae of aquatic insects, 25.0 in zooplankton, and 290.0 in aquatic weeds maximum concentrations reported were 921.0 mg/kg DW in gut of crayfish (Cambarus bartoni) and... 

Nickel. Around 56,000 t of nickel were recycled from scrap in 1994. This is just over one-third of the consumption of the metal. The only mining and smelter in the United States was idle in 1994, although INMETCO (EUwood City, Peimsylvania) was a primary consumer of recyclable metal in the production of stainless steel. Almost one-half of all nickel went into the production of stainless steels with an additional 29% in superaHoys and... 

Special Industries Certain industrial units, such as secondary lead and nickel-chromium smelters and mercury recovery furnaces, and other units that process wastes from metals recovery normally do not meet the conditions required for being considered as legitimately burned for metals recovery. U.S. EPA revised the BIF standards to conditionally exclude those wastes that are processed for metals recovery, but do not meet the criteria. Waste streams in these units must contain recoverable levels of metals and the waste must not contain more than 500 mg/L of the toxic organics listed in Part 261 to be considered for this conditional exemption. 

Freedman B, Hutchinson TC (1980) Effects of smelter pollutants on forest litter decomposition near a nickel copper smelter at Sudbury, Ontario. Can J Bot 58 1722-1736... 

Kataev, G.D., J. Suomela, and P. Palokangas. 1994. Densities of microtine rodents along a pollution gradient from a copper-nickel smelter. Oecologia 97 491-498. 

Sediment nickel concentrations are grossly elevated near the nickel-copper smelter at Sudbury, Ontario, and downstream from steel manufacturing plants. Sediments from nickel-contaminated sites have between 20 and 5000 mg Ni/kg DW these values are at least 100 times lower at comparable uncontaminated sites (Chau and Kulikovsky-Cordeiro 1995). A decrease in the pH of water caused by acid rain may release some of the nickel in sediments to the water column (NRCC 1981). Transfer of nickel from water column to sediments is greatest when sediment particle size is comparatively small and sediments contain high concentrations of clays or organics (Bubb and Lester 1996). 

Near nickel smelter Near nickel smelter, top 5 cm 80-5100 Max. 9372 4, 14... 

Data are limited on nickel concentrations in terrestrial invertebrates. Earthworms from uncontaminated soils may contain as much as 38 mg Ni/kg DW, and workers of certain termite species may normally contain as much as 5000 mg Ni/kg DW (Table 6.6). Larvae of the gypsy moth (Porthetria dispar) near a nickel smelter had 20.4 mg Ni/kg DW concentrations in pupae and adults were lower because these stages have higher nickel elimination rates than larvae (Bagatto et al. 1996). 

Waterfowl feeding in areas subjected to extensive nickel pollution — such as smelters and nickel-cadmium battery plants — are at special risk because waterfowl food plants in those areas contain 500 to 690 mg Ni/kg DW (Eastin and O Shea 1981). Dietary items of the ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) near Sudbury, Ontario, had 32 to 95 mg Ni/kg DW, whereas nickel concentrations in grouse body tissues usually contain less than 10% of the dietary level. Nickel concentrations in aspen (Populus tremula) from the crop of ruffed grouse near Sudbury ranged from 62 mg/kg DW in May to 136 mg/kg DW in September (Chau and Kulikovsky-Cordeiro 1995), which shows the role of season in dietary nickel composition. 

Red maple, Acer rubrurrr, leaf various distances from nickel smelter... 

Macrophytes, 4 species 1.6 km from nickel smelter (soil 109-902 DW 5 ... 

Moss, Pleurozium schreberi Near nickel smelter Rural sites Urban sites... 

Lichen, Umbilicaria sp. whole 16 km vs. 90 km from nickel smelter Terrestrial vegetation Hyperaccumulator plants Most species Vegetables... 

Near nickel smelter vs. reference site edible portions Cabbage, Brassica oleracea capitata Lettuce, Lactuca sativa Corn, Zea mays... 

Wheat, Triticum aestivum from sludge-amended soil (19.4 mg Ni/kg DW soil) vs. nonsludge amended soil Lowbush blueberry, Vaccinium angustifolium leaf various distances from nickel smelter... 

Common beaver, Castor canadensis Ontario, Canada 1986-87 adults near nickel smelter vs. reference site ... 

Canada Wanapitei River (near nickel smelter) vs. Pickerel River (reference site) Ontario 1974 ... 

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