CONTAMINATION AND POLLUTANT ATTENUATION DOWNSTREAM OF THE KOLONTÁR RED MUD IMPOUNDMENT FAILURE, HUNGARY

2010年10月初，匈牙利Kolontár一座含有赤泥（氧化铝生产过程中铝土矿加工的副产品）的大坝决堤，造成重大污染事件，引起国际媒体的广泛关注。这是欧洲第一次举办这种类型和规模的活动。虽然也发生过类似的事件，即储存矿山废物的水坝倒塌，这些废物往往是酸性的或富含氰化物和生态毒性金属，但以前没有记录表明有大规模释放具有极碱性性质的废物材料，如在Kolontár释放的废物。现场的初步环境监测集中在超碱性（pH值高达13）水对接收流的直接影响上，这对50多英里的昆虫生物产生了重大影响。除了这种短期影响之外，由于缺乏此类事件的先例，我们对赤泥中释放的潜在污染物的长期行为知之甚少。在其他受来自红泥的超碱性沃茨影响的地点（尽管规模小得多），这种令人关切的污染物包括铝、砷、钼和钒。本研究旨在对泄漏下游的沉积物和沃茨进行详细分析，以评估这些物质和其他痕量污染物的性质和形式。这一信息对于以下方面至关重要：（a）查明污染区的空间范围和严重程度;（B）评估沃茨和沉积物中存在哪些具有环境意义的特定污染物;（c）了解科隆塔尔下游河流系统中微量元素的流动性和可获得性的长期前景。将对Marcal、Raba和Mosoni-Duna河受影响地区污染物的不同阶段（如悬浮在水中、溶解在水中、沉积在河床上）进行详细取样。现场取样将与对污泥中污染物流动性的实验室测试相结合。总之，这些数据将帮助我们了解污染物的性质和形式的空间趋势，以及pH值和释放材料的粒度分布等关键变量可能如何影响其在环境中的长期流动性。这项工作将与匈牙利的科学家联络进行，工作成果将直接为污染泄漏的长期管理提供信息。除了与匈牙利局势的管理直接相关之外，更好地了解腐蚀性废物材料中的痕量污染物在这种重大事件后如何在环境中表现，将有助于为其他污染场地的环境管理提供信息。

The major pollution event caused by the breach of a dam containing red mud (a by-product of bauxite ore processing for alumina manufacture) at Kolontár in Hungary received widespread international media attention in early October 2010. This is the first event of its type and scale in Europe. While there have been similar events where dams holding mine wastes have failed, which are often acidic or rich in cyanide and ecotoxic metals, there have not previously been documented large scale releases of waste material with the extremely alkaline nature such as that released at Kolontár. Initial environmental monitoring at the site was focussed on the immediate impacts of the hyperalkaline (pH up to 13) water on the receiving streams, which had a major effect on instream organisms for over 50 miles. Beyond this short-term impact and given the lack of precedent for such events, we know relatively little about the longer-term behaviour of the potential contaminants released in the red mud. At other sites affected by hyperalkaline waters from red mud (albeit on a far smaller scale), such contaminants of concern include aluminium, arsenic, molybdenum and vanadium. This study aims to undertake a detailed analysis of the sediments and waters downstream of the spill to assess the nature and form of these, and other trace contaminants. This information is crucial to (a) characterise the spatial extent and severity of the polluted area, (b) assess which specific contaminants are present in the waters and sediments at levels of environmental significance and (c) understand the long-term prospects for mobility and availability of trace elements in the river systems downstream of Kolontár. Detailed sampling of the different phases (e.g. suspended in water, dissolved in water, settled on streambed) of contaminants along the impacted areas of the Marcal, Raba and Mosoni-Duna rivers will be undertaken. The field sampling will be coupled with laboratory tests on the mobility of contaminants in the sludge. Together, these data will help us understand the spatial trends in nature and form of contaminants and how key variables such as pH and the particle size distribution of the released materials are likely to affect their long term mobility in the environment. The work will be undertaken in liaison with scientists in Hungary and the outputs of the work will directly inform long-term management of the pollution spill. Beyond the direct relevance to management of the situation in Hungary, the improved understanding on how trace contaminants from caustic waste materials behave in the environment after such a major event will be useful for informing environmental management at other polluted sites.