Hazardous Elements in Sediments Detected in Former Decommissioned Coal Mining Areas in Colombia: A Need for Environmental Recovery

Marcos L. S. Oliveira (), Gabriela Oliveira Valença, Diana Pinto, Leila Dal Moro, Brian William Bodah, Giana de Vargas Mores, Julian Grub, Bashir Adelodun and Alcindo Neckel ()
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Marcos L. S. Oliveira: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universidad de la Costa, CUC, Calle 58 # 55–66, Barranquilla 080002, Colombia
Gabriela Oliveira Valença: Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, UFSC, Campus Universitário Trindade, Florianópolis 87504-200, Brazil
Diana Pinto: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universidad de la Costa, CUC, Calle 58 # 55–66, Barranquilla 080002, Colombia
Leila Dal Moro: ATITUS Educação, Passo Fundo 99070-220, Brazil
Brian William Bodah: ATITUS Educação, Passo Fundo 99070-220, Brazil
Giana de Vargas Mores: ATITUS Educação, Passo Fundo 99070-220, Brazil
Julian Grub: Department of Architecture and Urbanism, University of Vale do Rio dos Sinos, UNISINOS, São Leopoldo 93022-750, Brazil
Bashir Adelodun: Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, University of Ilorin, PMB 1515, Ilorin 240103, Nigeria
Alcindo Neckel: ATITUS Educação, Passo Fundo 99070-220, Brazil

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 10, 1-18

Abstract: This study demonstrates an investigation into nanomineralogical and geochemical evolution for the detection of hazardous elements from old, abandoned coal mining deposits capable of causing negative environmental impacts. The general objective of this study is to evaluate the number of nanoparticulate chemical elements in sediments collected during the years 2017 and 2022 from deactivated coal mining areas in the La Guajíra and Cesar regions of Colombia. Sediments were collected and analyzed from areas that experienced spontaneous coal combustion (SCC). The analysis consisted of traditional mineralogical analysis by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy, nanomineralogy by field emission scanning electron microscope-FE-SEM, and high-resolution transmission electron microscope-HR-TEM (energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis system-EDS). The analyzed sediment samples contained high proportions of amorphous materials containing the chemical elements As, Cl, Hg, Mo, Pb, Sb, and Se. This study emphasizes the need to implement environmental recovery projects at former, now abandoned coal extraction areas located in the investigated region, as they have negative effects on the environment and human health across large regions.

Keywords: rare carbon compounds; spontaneous coal combustion; multi-analytical approach; sustainable macroscale (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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