Acid spill impact on Sonora River basin. Part I. sediments: Affected area, pollutant geochemistry and health aspects
Por:
Gutierrez-Ruiz, Margarita, Muro-Puente, Alejandra, Ceniceros-Gomez, Agueda E., Amaro-Ramirez, Daniel, Perez-Manzanera, Leticia, Martinez-Jardines, L. Gerardo, Romero, Francisco
Publicada:
15 jul 2022
Resumen:
The Sonora River and its tributary streams (Tinajas, Bacanuchi) were
impacted in 2014 by an acid solution spill (approximately 40,000 m(3)).
This study aims to presents a clear and supported overview to
determining the spill's consequences on the environment and the people
inhabiting the area. The elements quantified were those found in the
spilled solution: Al, As, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn. Potential Toxic
Element (PTE) concentration means from 187 sediment samples were, in
mg.kg(-1): Al = 7,307, As = 16.6, Ba = 128 Cu = 106 Fe = 15,764, Mn =
566, Pb = 46 and Zn = 99. Differences between PTE concentrations in the
most impacted sediments and those of the local baseline, sampled in
streams not affected by the spill and regional baseline values, were not
statistically sig-nificant. The similarity of PTE concentrations among
sediments may be explained by natural geological enrichment, historical
mining impacts, and a low increase of PTE in sediments after the acid
spill because of natural and anthropogenic attenuation. Mainly heavy
rains, natural pedogenic carbonates, and remedial work done by the
mining company (retaining dam, adding lime; precipitation, collecting
formed solids, and transport to the mine). The Contamination Factor
(C.F.), Enrichment Factor (E.F.), and Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo) were
determined. The C.F. indicated low and moderate contamination in all
elements. Cu exhibited the highest E. F., from moderate to significant
enrichment. The Igeo generally ranged from-0.02 to 0.15. Cu and Zn were
classified as moderately to heavily contaminated. In local baseline
sediments, the Cu C.F. varied from moderate to very high contamination,
the Cu E.F. from moderate to significant enrichment, while the As, and
Pb Igeo ranged from uncontaminated to moderately contaminated. In
general, normalization demonstrated a high degree of Cu enrichment at
sites 1-14. Sequential extractions indicated that only Cu was found in
all fractions, including a significant exchangeable fraction in the very
impacted sediments (1-14). The other PTEs were distributed between the
Fe/Mn oxide fraction and the residual phase. Principal Components
Analysis for PTE concentrations indicated three different groups with
similar geochemical patterns and allowing to identify the PTE
potentially sources: the first sediments from sites 1-14 were the
impacted sediments in accordance with pH and electrical conductivity
results, the second group from sites 15-20 showed characteristics of the
mineralized environment, and the third from sites 21-30 were unrelated
to the spillage. The area impacted by the acid solution spill reached
approximately 30 km downstream, just roughly 15% of the initially
considered area.
Filiaciones:
Gutierrez-Ruiz, Margarita:
Environmental Biogeochemistry Laboratory (LABQA). Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México, 04510, Mexico
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Fac Quim, Environm Biogeochem Lab LABQA, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
Muro-Puente, Alejandra:
Environmental Biogeochemistry Laboratory (LABQA). Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México, 04510, Mexico
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Fac Quim, Environm Biogeochem Lab LABQA, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
Ceniceros-Gomez, Agueda E.:
Environmental Biogeochemistry Laboratory (LABQA). Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México, 04510, Mexico
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Fac Quim, Environm Biogeochem Lab LABQA, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
Amaro-Ramirez, Daniel:
Environmental Biogeochemistry Laboratory (LABQA). Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México, 04510, Mexico
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Fac Quim, Environm Biogeochem Lab LABQA, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
Perez-Manzanera, Leticia:
Environmental Biogeochemistry Laboratory (LABQA). Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México, 04510, Mexico
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Fac Quim, Environm Biogeochem Lab LABQA, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
Martinez-Jardines, L. Gerardo:
Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México, 04510, Mexico
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Inst Geol, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
Romero, Francisco:
Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México, 04510, Mexico
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Inst Geol, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
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