Naturally occurring thallium: a hidden geoenvironmental health hazard?

Xiao, Tangfu; Guha, Jayanta; Boyle, Dan; Liu, Cong‐Qiang; Zheng, Bo; Wilson, Graham C.; Rouleau, Alain; Chen, Jingan

doi:10.1016/j.envint.2003.10.004

Cited by 154 publications

(69 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Moreover, naturally occurring Tl in soils and water has been considered a hidden geoenvironmental health hazard (Xiao et al, 2004) and the combined use of X-ray energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS) and cathodoluminescence (CL) probes in the environmental scanning electron (ESEM) microscope allow for thallium elemental detection on thallium-bearing rocks (Gomez-Gonzalez et al, 2015). Also, a crucial factor of the potential toxic effect of Tl in the investigated soils is Tl mobility and this can be determined by a sequential extraction of soil (Lis et al, 2003).…”

Section: G R a P H I C A L Abstractmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thallium occurrence and partitioning in soils and sediments affected by mining activities in Madrid province (Spain)

Gomez-Gonzalez

García-Guinea

Laborda

et al. 2015

Science of The Total Environment

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Thallium (Tl) and its compounds are toxic to biota even at low concentrations but little is known about Tl concentration and speciation in soils. An understanding of the source, mobility, and dispersion of Tl is necessary to evaluate the environmental impact of Tl pollution cases. In this paper, we examine the Tl source and dispersion in two areas affected by abandoned mine facilities whose residues remain dumped on-site affecting to soils and sediments of natural water courses near Madrid city (Spain). Total Tl contents and partitioning in soil solid phases as determined by means of a sequential extraction procedure were also examined in soils along the riverbeds of an ephemeral and a permanent streams collecting water runoff and drainage from the mines wastes. Lastly, electronic microscopy and cathodoluminescence probe are used as a suitable technique for Tl elemental detection on thallium-bearing phases. Tl was found mainly bound to quartz and alumino-phyllosilicates in both rocks and examined soils. Besides, Tl was also frequently found associated to organic particles and diatom frustules in all samples from both mine scenarios. These biogenic silicates may regulate the transfer of Tl into the soil-water system.

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Section: G R a P H I C A L Abstractmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thallium occurrence and partitioning in soils and sediments affected by mining activities in Madrid province (Spain)

Gomez-Gonzalez

García-Guinea

Laborda

et al. 2015

Science of The Total Environment

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“…Consequently, the principal anthropogenic sources of Tl are metal mining, coal combustion, ferrous-and non-ferrous metal smelting and cement production. Concentrations of dissolved Tl in unpolluted surface waters are typically on the order of a few ng L À1 (Lin and Nriagu, 1999a;Cheam, 2001;Nielsen et al, 2005;Altundag and Dundar, 2009), but concentrations up to about 30 lg L À1 have been documented in heavily mined areas (Xiao et al, 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Sediment–water interactions of thallium under simulated estuarine conditions

Turner

Cabon

Glegg

et al. 2010

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta

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“…Because of these lithophile-chalcophile properties Tl has been likened to the mammal-bird like platypus (Weeks, 1968). Even though Tl is potentially both more toxic (Peter and Viraraghavan, 2005) and more mobile (Xiao et al, 2004) than its neighbours there are significant uncertainties about thallium's aquatic chemistry and solubility controls.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%