Selenium bioaccumulation in fish exposed to coal ash at the Tennessee Valley Authority Kingston spill site

Teresa J. Mathews, Allison M. Fortner, R. Trent Jett, Jesse Morris, Jennifer Gable, Mark J. Peterson, Neil Carriker

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

In December 2008, 4.1 million cubic meters of coal ash were released into the Emory and Clinch Rivers by the Tennessee Valley Authority Kingston Fossil Plant. Coal ash contains several contaminants, including the bioaccumulative metalloid selenium (Se). Because Se is predominantly accumulated in aquatic organisms through dietary rather than aqueous exposure, tissue-based toxicity thresholds for Se are currently being considered. The proposed threshold concentrations range between 4μg/g and 9μg/g Se (dry wt.) in whole body fish, with a proposed fillet threshold of 11.8μg/g. In the present study, the authors examined the spatial and temporal trends in Se bioaccumulation and examined the relationship between the Se content in fillets and in whole bodies of fish collected around the Kingston spill site to determine whether Se bioaccumulation was a significant concern at the ash spill site. Whereas Se concentrations in fish (whole bodies and fillets) were elevated at sampling locations affected by the Kingston ash spill relative to reference locations, concentrations do not appear to be above risk thresholds and have not been increasing over the 5-yr period since the spill. These findings are not only relevant to guiding the human health and ecological risk assessments at the Kingston ash spill site, but because of current national discussions on appropriate guidelines for Se in fish as well for the disposal of coal combustion wastes, the results are also relevant to the general understanding of Se bioaccumulation in contaminated water bodies.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2273-2279
Number of pages7
JournalEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry
Volume33
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 1 2014

Keywords

  • Bioaccumulation
  • Coal ash
  • Fish
  • Selenium

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