Assessment of impacts of coal mining in the region of Sydney, Australia on the aquatic environment using macroinvertebrates and chlorophyll as indicators

Aal-e Ali, Daniel R. Sloane, Vladimir Strezov*

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    10 Citations (Scopus)
    61 Downloads (Pure)

    Abstract

    Coal and coal seam gas mining have impacts on the water and sediment quality in the proximity of the mining areas, increasing the concentrations of heavy metals downstream of the mine discharge points. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of coal mining on the environment in the Sydney region, by investigating macroinvertebrates and chlorophyll as indicators of industrial pollution and environmental impairment. The study revealed changes in abundance, taxonomic richness, and pollution sensitive macroinvertebrate groups. A statistical evaluation of the aquatic life was performed and a correlation of the contaminants with the presence of a community in the ecosystem were studied. The environmental sustainability of the investigated rivers and streams with water chemistry affecting the biological system was assessed. A non-uniformity in the changes were observed, indicating a difference in the tolerance level of different invertebrates.

    Original languageEnglish
    Article number1556
    Pages (from-to)1-15
    Number of pages15
    JournalInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
    Volume15
    Issue number7
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 23 Jul 2018

    Bibliographical note

    Copyright the Author(s) 2018. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

    Keywords

    • Aquatic life
    • Coal mine
    • Ecosystem
    • Environmental impairment
    • Industrial pollution
    • Macroinvertebrate
    • Stream invertebrate grade number-average level (SIGNAL)

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