Arsenic in Mining Areas: Environmental Contamination Routes

Márcia Cristina da Silva Faria, Rodrigo de Carvalho Hott, Maicon Junior dos Santos, Mayra Soares Santos, Thainá Gusmão Andrade, Cleide Aparecida Bomfeti, Bruno Alves Rocha, Fernando Barbosa and Jairo Lisboa Rodrigues
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Márcia Cristina da Silva Faria: Instituto de Ciência, Engenharia e Tecnologia (ICET), Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri (UFVJM), Teófilo Otoni 39803-371, MG, Brazil
Rodrigo de Carvalho Hott: Instituto de Ciência, Engenharia e Tecnologia (ICET), Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri (UFVJM), Teófilo Otoni 39803-371, MG, Brazil
Maicon Junior dos Santos: Instituto de Ciência, Engenharia e Tecnologia (ICET), Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri (UFVJM), Teófilo Otoni 39803-371, MG, Brazil
Mayra Soares Santos: Instituto de Ciência, Engenharia e Tecnologia (ICET), Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri (UFVJM), Teófilo Otoni 39803-371, MG, Brazil
Thainá Gusmão Andrade: Instituto de Ciência, Engenharia e Tecnologia (ICET), Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri (UFVJM), Teófilo Otoni 39803-371, MG, Brazil
Cleide Aparecida Bomfeti: Instituto de Ciência, Engenharia e Tecnologia (ICET), Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri (UFVJM), Teófilo Otoni 39803-371, MG, Brazil
Bruno Alves Rocha: Analytical and System Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Clinical Analyses, Toxicology and Food Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto 14040-903, SP, Brazil
Fernando Barbosa: Analytical and System Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Clinical Analyses, Toxicology and Food Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto 14040-903, SP, Brazil
Jairo Lisboa Rodrigues: Instituto de Ciência, Engenharia e Tecnologia (ICET), Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri (UFVJM), Teófilo Otoni 39803-371, MG, Brazil

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 5, 1-17

Abstract: The emission and accumulation of toxic elements such as arsenic in various environmental compartments have become increasingly frequent primarily due to anthropogenic actions such as those observed in agricultural, industrial, and mining activities. An example of environmental arsenic contamination in Brazil exists in the city of Paracatu, MG, due to the operation of a gold mine. The aim of this work is to evaluate the routes and effects of arsenic contamination in environmental compartments (air, water, and soil) and environmental organisms (fish and vegetables) from mining regions as well as the trophic transfer of the element for a risk assessment of the population. In this study, high levels of arsenic were found in the waters of the Rico stream ranging from 4.05 µg/L during the summer season to 72.4 µg/L during the winter season. Moreover, the highest As concentration was 1.668 mg kg ?1 in soil samples, which are influenced by seasonal variation and by proximity to the gold mine. Inorganic and organic arsenic species were found above the allowed limit in biological samples, indicating the transfer of arsenic found in the environment and demonstrating a great risk to the population exposed to this area. This study demonstrates the importance of environmental monitoring to diagnose contamination and encourage the search for new interventions and risk assessments for the population.

Keywords: toxic metal; particulate matter; risk; environmental monitoring (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (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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