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Silver at an old mining camp, Cobalt, Ontario, Canada
Author(s) -
Kramer James R.,
Adams Nicholas W. H.,
Manolopoulos Helen,
Collins Pamela V.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.5620180104
Subject(s) - chemistry , environmental chemistry , tailings , aqueous solution , carbonate , sulfide , sediment , colloid , cobalt , remineralisation , total organic carbon , dissolved organic carbon , sulfide minerals , nuclear chemistry , inorganic chemistry , geology , organic chemistry , paleontology , fluoride
Aueous Ag(I) in different sze f actions, <5 μm, <0.2 μm, and <10 kDa, was analyzed in a low dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and a high DOC environment. The sediment and tailings, contacting the water, were elevated in silver (10–100 mg/kg) from mining. The area is buffered at pH 6 to 8 by carbonate mineral gangue. Aqueous Ag(I) is present at nanogram per liter levels. Significant amounts of Ag are found in the colloidal (0.2 μm to 10 kDa) and are nondetectable (<0.3 ng/L) or a few nanograms per liter in the <10‐kDa fraction. Acid‐volatile sulfide (AVS) was found in most (oxic) water samples at the nanomolar level. Ag(I) does not accumulate in plants probably due to the strong binding of Ag(I–) with S(II–). One exception occurs for cattails, when the aqueous AVS concentration is less than the colloidal Ag(I) concentration.