Ecological Effects of Coal Combustion Products (CCPs): A Literature Review of Observed Effects and Considerations for Managing Risks

摘要

An extensive amount of research has been conducted to evaluate the potential adverse effects of coal combustion products (CCPs) on the health of ecosystems. This presentation provides an overview of the documented ecological effects of CCPs and the primary CCP-related factors that have the potential to pose the most substantial risk to ecological receptors. To meet this objective, we conducted a comprehensive review of the peer-reviewed chemical and toxicological literature on the ecosystem effects associated with exposure to CCPs. Our research demonstrates that the ecological effects associated with exposure to CCPs vary widely among sites and ecological receptors. Selenium (for aquatic organisms) and boron (for terrestrial plants) have been studied frequently and have been suggested as contributing factors to observed effects in several studies. Mortality of invertebrate and fish species has been reported to occur following releases of CCP-related wastes or effluents. Additional reported ecological effects include reduced growth, reduced reproductive capacity, altered development, reduced metabolic activity, and behavioral changes. In some cases, organism-level effects have also manifested at the population level. In most cases, however, clear and consistent correlations between exposure to CCPs, organism-level effects, and population-level effects could not be demonstrated. Future investigations of CCP impacted sites should evaluate multiple ecological health endpoints via an integrative approach that will allow site managers to focus on the most critical site-specific stressors and implement the most effective strategies for reducing potential ecological impacts.