Assessing the impact of Serwis mine tailings site on farmers’ wells using element and isotope signatures (Holy Cross Mountains, south-central Poland)

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a geochemical and isotopic study of technogenic soils and acid pool waters in the abandoned mine tailings pile and its potential impact on the adjacent farmers' wells at the village of Serwis (south-central Poland). The acid tailings pools showed strong trace element and REE signals. These acid pools were featured by the predominance of medium rare earth elements (MREE) with a strong positive Gd anomaly. The technogenic soils also revealed a MREE roof-shaped pattern, but with distinct positive excursions in Gd, Sm, Eu and Ce. The d 34 S-SO 4 2signatures of acid pool waters (mean of 1.3 %) were close to those of soils and pyrite (means of 2.3 and 3.2 %, respectively). The waters of four farmers' wells exhibited nearly the same d 34 S-SO 4 2values (0.7-4.0 %) as the nearby acid pool waters (0.3-3.1 %). The similar d 34 S isotope signatures combined with the highest contents of dissolved SO 4 2-(181-577 mg/L) in these wells suggest that the tailings pile is a potential source of SO 4 2derived from pyrite weathering. This relationship may also be evidenced by a spatial (site) variable dendrogram that groups these four wells into one cluster at the linkage distance (D link /D max 9 100) \ 53. Keywords Mine tailings Á Acid mine drainage Á Farmer's wells Á Trace elements Á REE Á Stable isotopes Á Geochemical interactions Á Environmental impact

Geochemical background of potentially toxic trace elements in reclaimed soils of the abandoned pyrite–uranium mine (south-central Poland)

“…However, the typical pH values in most samples are circumneutral. Acidification of soils results from oxidation of iron sulphides (Jennings et al 2000;Migaszewski et al 2015).…”

Rare earth and trace element signatures for assessing an impact of rock mining and processing on the environment: Wiśniówka case study, south-central Poland

“…These complex processes induced primarily by anthropogenic activity are termed acid mine drainage. Because AMD waters jeopardize health of abiotic and biotic systems, the studies have also encompassed specific geochemical signatures to assess a metal(loid) pollution extent (Migaszewski et al 2015). …”

“…The mobile REE fractions are very sensitive to small variations in the pH, redox potential, salinity, and concentrations of chelating agents, and participate in water-solid sorption-desorption, solution, and surface complexation involving inorganic and organic ligands (e.g., CO 3 2− , PO 4 3− , humic and fulvic acids), and coprecipitation with colloids and suspended matter. Of particular interest are acid AMD streams, ponds, and lakes that provide a direct insight into local and regional geologic sources highlighted by a number of specific REE profiles (e.g., Bozau et al 2004; Verplanck et al 2004; Grawunder et al 2014; Migaszewski et al 2015). The AMD waters commonly exhibit high concentrations of REE in the range of tens to hundreds micrograms per liter (Verplanck et al 2001; Protano and Riccobono 2002; Gammons et al 2005; Borrego et al 2012), and different metal(loid)s, especially Fe and As.…”

Tracing the sources of sulfur in Beijing soils with stable sulfur isotopes

“…The release of sulfur dioxide and particles by coal combustion especially in industrial areas, constitutes a serious perturbation to the pre-existent environmental geochemical sulfur cycle, and contributes to atmospheric pollution and acid rain deposition. Usually, there are six main inputs of sulfur (S) into soil: (i) atmospheric deposition (Legge and Krouse, 1992), (ii) weathering of parent material (Knöller et al, 2004;Migazewski et al, 2013Migazewski et al, , 2015, (iii) application of S-containing fertilizers, manure and sewage (Otero and Soler, 2002;Szynkiewicz et al, 2011), (iv) plant and animal residues (Legge and Krouse, 1992), (v) CS (carbon, sulfur)-mineralization in humic-mixed soils and debris covers under aerated conditions (e.g. Novák et al, 2001Novák et al, , 2004Knöller et al, 2005;Shanley et al, 2005), and (vi) anaerobic bacterial (dissimilatory) reduction (BSR) of sulfates derived from different sources (e.g.…”

“…The application of stable isotope analyses on S compounds in different environments for tracing the source of sulfur is a growing field (Legge and Krouse, 1992;Thompson and Bottrell, 1998;Chu, 2000;Xiao and Liu, 2002;Novák et al, 2001Novák et al, , 2004Knöller et al, 2004;Liu et al, 2008;Migazewski et al, 2013Migazewski et al, , 2015. The δ 34 S variations among different S compounds can be attributed to isotopic selectivity in biochemical transformations or to different S sources.…”