Arsenic pollution in Quaternary sediments and water near a former gold mine

Abstract

Contamination of water and sediments with arsenic and heavy metals is a global issue affecting human health. Regions covered with Quaternary deposits have received little attention from the point of view of the flux of arsenic and heavy metals from sediments to surface water. This study aims to determine the flux of arsenic and other heavy metals from Quaternary sediments to surface waters in an area affected by the former Złoty Stok gold and arsenic mine. Contamination in surface waters and sediments was caused by arsenic, whereas concentrations of metals were usually within water quality standards. Arsenic contamination of surface water increased in the lower part of the basin covered by Quaternary sediments, and exceeded water quality standards by 2 orders of magnitude. Arsenic mass flux exceeded 8 kg/day near the confluence of the Trująca River with the Nysa Kłodzka, a main tributary of the Oder River. An increase in arsenic concentration in the lower part of the basin is related to mine tailings and preferential flow of groundwater through Quaternary sediments. In future, water resources scarcity may lead to an increase in arsenic contamination in surface and groundwater.

Arsenic Forms in Soils of Various Settings in the Historical Ore Mining and Processing Site of Radzimowice, Western Sudetes

“…Most likely, As was present there in the forms absorbed on Fe compounds, not converted into secondary crystalline minerals. The presence of sulfur in various proportions in relation to Fe was probably associated with the admixtures of fine crystalline grains of schwertamannite and amorphous minerals from the group of hydrous ferric arsenate sulfate [36,[40][41][42]. Soil sample No.…”

Arsenic uptake by Agrostis capillaris, as related to its genotypic diversity in the area of historical ore mining and processing

“…Arsenic (As) is a highly toxic element to biota 1 – 3 . Significant soil contamination with arsenic is primarily associated with former ore mining and processing areas, such as Złoty Stok in Poland, where arsenic concentrations in soils and mine dump materials can reach thousands of mg kg −1 4 – 6 . Such soil contamination poses serious environmental risks, including those caused by possible uptake of this element by plants that constitute food for humans and both wild and farmed animal consumers.…”

Status of Ecosystem Services in Abandoned Mining Areas in the Iberian Peninsula: Management Proposal

“…Some are biologically essential (manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr) or copper (Cu)), and both a deficiency and excess of these can lead to physiological alterations [ 10 , 11 ]. Others such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), antimony (Sb) have no known biological function and can be highly toxic to ecosystems and human health [ 12 , 13 ] even at low concentrations [ 14 , 15 ] ( Supplementary Material: Table S1 [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ]), with the main routes of exposure being inhalation, ingestion and dermal absorption [ 27 ].…”