Characterization of Mining-Related Aromatic Contaminants in Active and Abandoned Metal(loid) Tailings Ponds

Abstract

This study reports on the compositional diversity of organic compounds in metal(loid)-bearing tailings samples from both active and abandoned tailings ponds. Tailings samples were qualitatively analyzed by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC-TOFMS). In addition, the priority PAHs ( 16), PAEs (6), and phenols (2) were quantitatively analyzed using gas chromatography−mass spectrometry (GC-MS). We attribute the presence of some of aromatic organics in studied tailings ponds to particular sources. Mineral floatation reagents are likely the major sources of small-ring aromatics in tailings ponds, and products from metallurgical processing and burning of fossil fuels in the mining area or further afield are also possible contributors and might be the main source of large-ring aromatics. We found that tailings ponds abandoned for decades can still have organics concentrations at levels of concern. Large-ring aromatics are generally more toxic than other contaminants, and these were more abundant in abandoned tailings ponds. This suggests that these large-ring organics do not readily decompose or biodegrade into less toxic byproducts, as do volatiles and many other organic compounds. Our aromatic contaminants database provides an important starting point for researchers to investigate and compare similar contaminants that might be also present in other tailings ponds and emphasizes the necessity of considering their transformations over time.

Potentially Toxic Element Contaminations and Lead Isotopic Fingerprinting in Soils and Sediments from a Historical Gold Mining Site

“…In the past few decades, potentially toxic element (PTE) contaminations from mining activities have become a serious global environmental problem [1][2][3][4]. Mining activity constitutes prominent sources of toxic, corrosive, radioactive, or nonradioactive metal contaminants from ore, smelting, mineral dressing, and the erosion of mine tailings [5]. Both historical and ongoing mining activities have a nonnegligible impact on the surrounding environment, resulting in significant increases in PTE loads in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems [6].…”

Humic Substance Photosensitized Degradation of Phthalate Esters Characterized by 2H and 13C Isotope Fractionation

“…Photosensitization Experiments with Rose Bengal, 3-MAP, and 4-MBA as Models for Exited-State Reactions. Rose Bengal, 3-MAP, and 4-MBA were used to produce triplet states ( 3 RB 2− , 3 3-MAP 2− , 3 4-MBA 2− ) that can either react with the phthalate esters or undergo an energy transfer with H 2 O or to ground-state molecular oxygen (O 2 ) to form a singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) during irradiation with UV light. The irradiation of RB 2− was performed in the presence or absence of O 2 ; thus, the latter prevents the production of 1 O 2 as a reactive species.…”

“…Dissolved organic matter (DOM), which are ubiquitous in diverse aquatic environments, can be an important source of photochemically generated oxidants. 12 Among others, humic substances (HS) are the main fractions of DOM, which can strongly absorb light and, upon excitation, can lead to the formation of free radical species 3…”

Accurately quantifying the detoxication of solid waste and its scientific insights: The case of typical industrial waste

“…以工业 废物为例, 其中的有害物质可引起无机污染、有机污 染和复合污染三类. 无机污染主要是工业废物中的重 金属、硫化物以及加工过程中使用的酸、碱、氰化物 药剂等造成的污染 [6,7] ; 有机污染主要是矿山浮选药剂 (离子型有机化合物)、机械加工、运输过程中燃料油 的不完全燃烧引入的多环芳烃以及含油污泥中残留的 油污等, 这些有机物难以被生物降解, 成为持久性有机 污染物(persistent organic pollutants, POPs) [8] ; 有机有害 物质与重金属形成胶体或络合物, 即复合污染, 加剧污 染程度 [9] . 工业废物中有害物质的种类、含量和赋存状 态是决定其固有环境属性的主要因素, 从"量"的角度 难以清晰直观地评价固体废物的危害性, 因此, 须通过 统计学与物理学的方式, 建立一种综合核算方法以表 征固体废物固有环境属性.…”

“…POPs种类及含量数据来源于Zhang等人 [8] 和李强 [23] 的 研究, 主要有害物质类别包括多环芳烃(polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs)、邻苯二甲酸酯(phthalic acid esters, PAEs)和酚类. 针对结果的敏感性分析, 本研究对可去除性方程 进行蒙特卡洛模拟, 模拟次数为10000次, 所得结果为 方差贡献的敏感性 [15] .…”