Evaluating climate-induced drivers of trace metal mobilization in environmental systems

Abstract

Background: Two major threats to the environment are intensification of anthropogenic activities and ongoing climate change. The anthropogenic activities for economic growth are releasing abundant quantity of trace metals into the environment and it is likely to increase leading to disaster in future. Co-currently frequent natural disasters such as floods, droughts, forest fires and rise in sea level due to climate change are resulting in loss of life and economic burden. Purpose and methodology: The extreme weather events influence the environmental redox conditions promoting the dissolution/mobility of trace metals from the waste dumps associated with urban, industrial and mining activities. Climate change is predicated to intensify in future. The main objective of the present study is to understand the role of environmental consequences caused by climate change in governing the mobility of trace metals. It is important to predicate future risk and consequences caused by trace metals to avoid the natural hazards by implementing the mitigation strategies. A total of 191 research and review articles were selected on the basis of their relevance with the objectives of the study. Observations: The climatic factors such as temperature and precipitation influence the geochemical processes and hydrodynamics governing the trace metal mobility in environmental systems. The increase in temperature significantly influences the microbial activities leading to impact on the geochemical properties of soil and sediment. Additionally, the threat of rising sea level and the growing incidents of forest fires are among the key consequences of climate change. The sea water intrusion into the coastal areas facilitates mineral dissolution and leaching of trace metals into the aquifers. The burning of urban infrastructures and elevated temperature during forest fires significantly contribute to trace metal contamination in affected ecosystems. Conclusions: The environmental consequences caused by trace metals are expected to increase under the influence of future climate change. The new guidelines for the permissible limits for trace metals released from anthropogenic activities is recommended to avoid the natural hazard in future under the influence of climate change.