Assessment of groundwater quality and contamination problems ascribed to an abandoned uranium mine (Cunha Baixa region, Central Portugal)

Neves, Orquídia; Matias, M.J.

doi:10.1007/s00254-007-0785-8

Cited by 49 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Well sample sites were chosen in order to collect samples with both low and high uranium contents, according to the knowledge acquired from an earlier study (Neves and Matias 2008). Water samples were filtered (0.45 lm) after temperature, pH and water electrical conductivity (EC w ) measurements were made in situ.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The study area was selected because local uranium contamination of shallow groundwater near the former Cunha Baixa uranium mine (Central Northern Portugal) (Neves and Matias 2008) may present health risks to the residents when uranium-bearing groundwater is used to irrigate home-grown vegetable and fruit trees. The plants may absorb high amounts of uranium from the soil-water system and translocate it to the edible parts.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Uranium in vegetable foodstuffs: should residents near the Cunha Baixa uranium mine site (Central Northern Portugal) be concerned?

Neves¹,

Abreu²,

Figueirêdo

2011

Environ Geochem Health

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Large uranium accumulations in vegetable foodstuffs may present risks of human health if they are consumed. The objective of this study was to evaluate the uranium concentrations in different vegetable foodstuffs and grown in agricultural soils, which are then consumed by the residents of the village of Cunha Baixa (Portugal),--located in an former uranium mining area. This study was conducted to address concerns expressed by the local farmers as well as to provide data for uranium-related health risk assessments for the area. Soils, irrigation water and edible tissues of lettuce, potato, green bean, carrot, cabbage, apple and maize (Latuca sativa L., Solanum tuberosum L., Phaseolus vulgaris L., Daucus carota L., Brassica oleracea L., Malus domestica Borkh, Zea mays L., respectively) were sampled and uranium determined. High uranium concentrations were found in some soils (U(total) > 50 mg/kg), in irrigation waters (218 to 1,035 μg/l) and in some vegetable foodstuffs (up to 234, 110, 30, 26, 22, 16 and 1.6 μg/kg fresh weight for lettuce, potato with peel, green bean pods, cabbage, corn, carrot and apple, respectively). However, the results of the toxicity hazard analysis were reassuring the estimated level of uranium exposure through the ingestion of these vegetable foodstuffs was low, suggesting no chemical health risk (hazard quotient <1) to this uranium exposure pathway for a local residents during their lifetime, even for the most sensitive part of the population (child).

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Uranium in vegetable foodstuffs: should residents near the Cunha Baixa uranium mine site (Central Northern Portugal) be concerned?

Neves¹,

Abreu²,

Figueirêdo

2011

Environ Geochem Health

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“…For example, Neves and Matias (2008) and Zhou et al (2008), among others, have considered the environmental geochemistry of one specific metal on mining sites, thallium and uranium, respectively; whereas some other authors work on the environmental geochemistry of several common AMD metals (Carrillo-Chávez et al 2003;Ramos-Arroyo and Siebe-Grabach 2006). Authors, like Moon et al (2008) and Salomons (1995), have focused on the potential acid-producing capacity of tailings; while others (Ghose and Majee 2007) have studied the hazardous airborne dust around coal mining areas.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Geochemical behavior of heavy metals in a Zn–Pb–Cu mining area in the State of Mexico (central Mexico)

Lizárraga-Mendiola

González-Sandoval

Durán-Domínguez

et al. 2008

Environ Monit Assess

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The geochemical behavior of zinc, lead and copper from sulfidic tailings in a mine site with potential to generate acidic drainage (pyrite (55%) and sphalerite (2%)) is reported in this paper. The mining area is divided in two zones, considering the topographic location of sampling points with respect to the tailings pile: (a) outer zone, out of the probable influence of acid mine drainage (AMD) pollution, and (b) inner zone, probably influenced by AMD pollution. Maximum total ions concentrations (mg/L) measured in superficial waters found were, in the outer zone: As (0.2), Cd (0.9), Fe (19), Mn (39), Pb (5.02), SO4(2-) (4650), Zn (107.67), and in the inner zone are As (0.1), Cd (0.2), Fe (88), Mn (13), Pb (6), SO4(2-) (4,880), Zn (46). The presence of these ions that exceeding the permissible maximum limits for human consume, could be associated to tailings mineralogy and acid leachates generated in tailings pile.

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“…In an assessment of ground water quality and its environmental implications in a region of an abandoned uranium mine in central Portugal, Neves and Matias (2008) reported concentrations of uranium in mine water of up to 6,000 g/L, in contaminated wells of up to 2,000 g/L, whereas in uncontaminated wells they reported concentrations below 39 g/L.…”

Section: Literature Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Uranium in foodstuffs, in particular mineral water

2009

EFS2

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Assessment of groundwater quality and contamination problems ascribed to an abandoned uranium mine (Cunha Baixa region, Central Portugal)

Cited by 49 publications

References 7 publications

Uranium in vegetable foodstuffs: should residents near the Cunha Baixa uranium mine site (Central Northern Portugal) be concerned?

Uranium in vegetable foodstuffs: should residents near the Cunha Baixa uranium mine site (Central Northern Portugal) be concerned?

Geochemical behavior of heavy metals in a Zn–Pb–Cu mining area in the State of Mexico (central Mexico)

Uranium in foodstuffs, in particular mineral water

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