Platinum-mining in South Africa: Impact on aquatic environments
Platinum belongs to the technology critical elements and is mostly used in automobile catalytic converters. South Africa is the worldwide largest producer of Platinum. The increasing demand of this noble metal is accompanied by intense mining and production activities. However, there is a great lack of knowledge about the impact of such mining activities on the adjacent aquatic ecosystems.
After a brief introduction to the South African study area, I will present recent results from the following work packages of our German-South African project “PGEAquaTox”:
- Passive biomonitoring with macroinvertebrates and fish
- Active biomonitoring with transplanted clams and an “artificial” monitoring device
- Toxicity testing with different aquatic organisms
- Risk assessment, e.g. of the health risk for humans consuming the local fish
IGB Colloquia open up!
IGB strives to facilitate and accelerate the exchange of knowledge and ideas within and also outside of IGB. One element contributing to inter- and transdisciplinary exchange, and more (scientific) cooperation and innovation, is to open up IGB Colloquia to an interested external audience from science (other research institutes, universities, laboratories) as well as practice (i.e. conservationists, freshwater/land-use managers, authorities, associations). If you would like to join this IGB Colloquium as a guest, we ask you to register until the morning of the colloquium 10 o'clock the latest. After we have checked your registration, you will receive the participation link.
