Evaluation of Metal Attenuation from Mine Tailings in SE Spain (Sierra Almagrera): A Soil-Leaching Column Study

Flores, Andrés Navarro; Sola, Fernando

doi:10.1007/s10230-010-0099-z

Cited by 24 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…However, the Salafossa drainage waters are very rich in Tl but, at the same time, they exhibit alkaline values of pH (up to 8.21). In these environmental conditions, water alkalinity is mainly due to the buffering effect supplied by carbonates (HCO 3 -, CO 3 2-) deriving from the dissolution of calcareous and dolomitic host rocks (Banks et al, 2002;Navarro-Flores and Sola, 2010;Navarro et al, 2015). In addition, the absence of acid drainage waters can also be due to the prevalence of sphalerite and galena, whose oxidation does not imply a pH decrease.…”

Section: Chemical Characterisation: Major Ions and Phesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mobility and fate of Thallium and other potentially harmful elements in drainage waters from a decommissioned Zn-Pb mine (North-Eastern Italian Alps)

Pavoni

Covelli

Adami

et al. 2018

Journal of Geochemical Exploration

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Section: Chemical Characterisation: Major Ions and Phesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mobility and fate of Thallium and other potentially harmful elements in drainage waters from a decommissioned Zn-Pb mine (North-Eastern Italian Alps)

Pavoni

Covelli

Adami

et al. 2018

Journal of Geochemical Exploration

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“…Although mine water treatment is often focused on acid drainage, metals such as arsenic, cobalt, molybdenum, nickel, antimony, and zinc are soluble at near-neutral pH and can contaminate soil, surface waters, and groundwater even under non-acidic conditions [1][2][3][4][5]. Neutral mine drainage occurs when sufficient neutralization potential of rocks and/or tailings reacts and consumes acid in the waters that have been in contact with the sulfides or when sulfide oxidation is weak due to the low sulfide content in ore and/or mine waste [6][7][8][9]. The main hydrochemical reactions for circum-neutral mine water (CNMW) occurrence are shown in Equations ( 1)-( 6) and are associated with sulfide oxidation and carbonate dissolution [5,10,11]:…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of Magnesium Oxide for Metal Removal in Mine Water Treatment

Navarro

Matta

2022

Sustainability

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In this study low-grade magnesium oxide (MgO) produced by calcinations of natural magnesite was used in mine water treatment using a laboratory-column device. The treatment of mine water from the abandoned Osor mine (NE Spain) with MgO showed the removal of metals from both mine water and tailing leachates. The PHREEQC numerical code and the Geochemist’s Workbench code (GWB) were used to evaluate the speciation of dissolved constituents and calculate the saturation state of the effluents. The analysis of the treated mine water showed the removal of As (from 1.59 to 0.31 μg/L), Cd (from 1.98 to <0.05 μg/L), Co (from 19.1 to <0.03 μg/L), F (from 2730 to 200 μg/L), Mn (from 841 to 0.6 μg/L), Ni (from 17.9 to <2 μg/L, U (from 9.16 to 0.08 μg/L), and Zn (from 2900 to 68.5 μg/L). Pb was also removed (from 98 to 35.2 μg/L) in the treatment of contaminated leachates from the mine waste. The mixing of MgO and water at room temperature may promote the formation of a stabilizing agent composed of hydroxides, carbonates, and magnesium-silicate-hydrates (MSH), which may remove Cd, Zn, and similar metals by sorption on MSH, substitution on the MSH lattice, and precipitation or co-precipitation with some of the hydrated phases.

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“…The low pH of soils A2 and A4 was explained by pyrite oxidation and could explain their high Zn contents, which showed a negative significant correlation with soil pH (r = -0.96, P < 0.01). Thus, the possible main hydrogeochemical reactions associated to sulphide oxidation are pyrite and sphalerite oxidation: Such low pH represented one of the main threats of the area since it can lead to the solubilization of metals and consequently to the spread of contamination towards the water compartment (Navarro Flores and Martínez Sola 2010). The samples with lower pH (A2 and A4) showed high S contents, possibly associated with arsenian pyrite, whereas samples with the highest pH value (A3 and A5) showed high Ca contents that could be associated with significant amounts of calcite in the soil.…”

Section: Physicochemical Parameters and Geochemistry Of Soils And Min...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In contrast, the highest Pb and Zn concentrations (326 µg L -1 and 901 µg L -1 respectively) were detected in the extract from the alluvial soil (OS-6), suggesting a higher risk of metal leaching from this site. Such risk was associated to the higher acidity and sand content of the site, which can facilitate metal solubilization and leaching (Navarro Flores and Martínez Sola 2010). The sample collected from the mine dewatering system (CA) presented metal contents that fell within the range quantified in water extracts.…”

Section: Physicochemical Characteristics and Hydrochemistry Of Aquati...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecotoxicological bioassays as complementary tools for the risk assessment of contaminated soils

Bori Dols

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Environmental impacts associated to the unstoppable growth of human population are threatening ecosystems worldwide. Among them, soil ecosystems are becoming increasingly degraded due to their unsustainable use and management, which is leading to the loss of a key resource that is fundamental to life on the planet. As the interface between land, air and water, soil ecosystems perform many cultural, economic, environmental, and social functions that are worthy of protection. During the last decades, several legislative tools have been created with varying success aiming to ensure soil protection. Even so, soils are major sinks of anthropogenic pollutants and, in consequence, human-induced contamination still represents a serious threat for soil ecosystems due to the massive release of metals, hydrocarbons and pesticides (among others). In this context, the application of methodologies for the proper assessment and remediation of contaminated soils has become mandatory if their ability to perform their functions is to be preserved. The risks associated to soil contamination have been traditionally evaluated through chemical quantification of pollutants. Unfortunately, such techniques have proven insufficient to properly assess soil pollution because they can only focus on concentrations of specific contaminants and they obviate the interactions between pollutants, soil matrix and soil inhabiting organisms. Ecotoxicity bioassays, on the other hand, do integrate all these interactions and can become very valuable tools for a better and more realistic assessment of the effects of contaminants in soil ecosystems. In this work, chemical analysis together with terrestrial and aquatic ecotoxicity bioassays are applied to samples from contaminated sites and to artificially-contaminated soils in order to evaluate their associated ecological risks. The suitability of different ecotoxicity tests is assessed according to the nature of the soil contaminant, and the parameters responsible of the toxicity to organisms are analyzed. The selected bioassays include measurements on different endpoints (mortality, reduced growth, etc.), exposure times (acute or chronic), effective responses (lethal or sublethal), and organisms (earthworms, collembolans, plants, bacteria, algae, daphnids and fishes). This study proves that the application of ecotoxicity bioassays is not only useful but also desirable as a complementary tool for a reliable assessment of contaminated soils. In Chapter 1, the problem of soil contamination, the main soil pollutants and the available tools for soil risk assessment are briefly introduced. The hypothesis of this work and its main objectives are also presented. Finally, the methodology applied during the performance of this work is summarized. In Chapter 2, the environmental threats of soils surrounding and abandoned mercury mine in Valle del Azogue (Almería, Spain) are studied. Chapter 3 assesses the risks associated to an abandoned F-Ba-Pb-Zn mining area in Osor (Girona, Spain). Chapter 4 evaluates the ecological impacts of soils from the abandoned mercury mining district of Almadén (Ciudad Real, Spain). In Chapter 5, the remediation procedure of a hydrocarbon-contaminated soil is assessed through ecotoxicity tests and chemical analysis and their suitability as monitoring tools of hydrocarbon degradation is studied. In Chapter 6, the risks that field doses of the (until recently) massively-applied insecticide imidacloprid (commercial formulation Confidor®) pose for the terrestrial and aquatic compartments are studied. Chapter 7 presents an alternative procedure to test the behavioral response of collembolans Folsomia candida in avoidance tests. Chapter 8 includes the most relevant information and presents the main conclusions. Els impactes ambientals associats a l’imparable creixement de la població humana estan amenaçant els ecosistemes de tot el món. D’entre ells, els ecosistemes terrestres es veuen cada vegada més degradats degut a un ús i administració insostenibles, els quals estan conduint a la pèrdua d’un recurs fonamental per a la vida al planeta. Com a interfase entre la terra, l’aire i l’aigua, els ecosistemes terrestres realitzen multitud de funcions culturals, econòmiques, ambientals i socials que cal protegir. A tal efecte, durant les últimes dècades s’han creat diverses eines legislatives enfocades a assegurar la protecció dels sòls, les quals han tingut un èxit variable. No obstant això, els sòls són un dels principals destins dels contaminants antropogènics i, en conseqüència, la contaminació induïda per l'home encara representa una seriosa amenaça per als ecosistemes terrestres a causa de l'alliberament massiu de metalls, hidrocarburs i plaguicides (entre d'altres). En aquest context, l’aplicació de metodologies adequades per a l’avaluació i remediació de sòls contaminats ha esdevingut obligatòria si es vol preservar la seva capacitat per a desenvolupar les seves funcions. Tradicionalment els riscs associats a la contaminació del sòl han estat avaluats a través de quantificacions químiques de contaminants. Malauradament, aquestes tècniques han demostrat ser insuficients per a una adequada valoració de la contaminació del sòl ja que només poden centrar-se en les concentracions de contaminants específics i obvien les interaccions entre contaminants, la matriu del sòl i els organismes que l’habiten. D’altra banda, els bioassajos d’ecotoxicitat integren totes aquestes interaccions i poden esdevenir eines valuoses per a una avaluació millor i més realista dels efectes dels contaminants en els ecosistemes terrestres. En aquest treball s’han aplicat anàlisis químics conjuntament amb bioassajos d’ecotoxicitat terrestre i aquàtica a fi d’avaluar els riscs ecològics associats a mostres d’emplaçaments contaminats i a sòls contaminats artificialment. La idoneïtat dels diferents tests d’ecotoxicitat s’ha avaluat d’acord a la naturalesa del contaminant del sòl i s’han analitzat els paràmetres responsables de la toxicitat vers els organismes. Els bioassajos seleccionats inclouen mesures de diferents paràmetres (mortalitat, creixement reduït, etc.), temps d’exposició (aguda o crònica), respostes efectives (letal o subletal), i organismes (cucs de terra, col·lèmbols, plantes, bacteris, algues, dàfnids i peixos). Aquest estudi demostra que l’aplicació de bioassajos d’ecotoxicitat no només és útil sinó desitjable com a eina complementaria per a una avaluació fidedigna dels sòls contaminats. En el Capítol 1 s’introdueix breument la problemàtica de la contaminació del sòl, els seus principals contaminants i els mètodes disponibles per a l’avaluació del risc associats als sòls. També es presenten la hipòtesi d’aquest treball i els seus principals objectius. Finalment es resumeix la metodologia aplicada durant la realització d’aquesta tesi. En el Capítol 2 s’estudia l’amenaça ambiental que representen els sòls situats al voltant d’una mina de mercuri abandonada a la Vall del Azogue (Almeria, Espanya). Al Capítol 3 s’avaluen els riscs associats a una zona minera de F-Ba-Pb-Zn abandonada a l’àrea d’Osor (Girona, Espanya). Al Capítol 4 s’avaluen els impactes ecològics dels sòls del districte miner de mercuri abandonat a Almadén (Ciudad Real, Espanya). En el Capítol 5 s’avalua el procés de remediació d’un sòl contaminat amb hidrocarburs a través d’assajos d’ecotoxicitat i anàlisis químics i se n’estudia la seva idoneïtat com a eines de monitoratge de la degradació d’hidrocarburs. En el Capítol 6 s’estudien els riscs que representen per als ambients terrestres i aquàtics les dosis d’aplicació d’imidacloprid (formulació comercial Confidor®), un insecticida fins fa poc aplicat massivament. El Capítol 7 presenta un procediment alternatiu per a testejar la resposta conductual dels col·lèmbols Folsomia candida en assajos d’allunyament. El Capítol 8 inclou la informació més rellevant i presenta les principals conclusions d’aquesta tesi.

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Evaluation of Metal Attenuation from Mine Tailings in SE Spain (Sierra Almagrera): A Soil-Leaching Column Study

Cited by 24 publications

References 48 publications

Mobility and fate of Thallium and other potentially harmful elements in drainage waters from a decommissioned Zn-Pb mine (North-Eastern Italian Alps)

Mobility and fate of Thallium and other potentially harmful elements in drainage waters from a decommissioned Zn-Pb mine (North-Eastern Italian Alps)

Application of Magnesium Oxide for Metal Removal in Mine Water Treatment

Ecotoxicological bioassays as complementary tools for the risk assessment of contaminated soils

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