Effect of weathering product assemblages on Pb bioaccessibility in mine waste: implications for risk management

Palumbo-Roe, Barbara; Wragg, Joanna; Cave, Mark; Wagner, D.

doi:10.1007/s11356-013-1515-2

Cited by 18 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…At site H12, an extended area covered by spoil wastes from Yarnbury mines, moderate correlations were identified between Zn D with SO4 2-(R 2 = 0.37), and Pb D with DIC (R = 0.45) reflecting the Zn D contribution from the oxidation of sphalerite and Pb D contribution from the dissolution of cerussite ( Figure 6). These correlations revealed the type and grade of ores mined during the eighteen and nineteenth centuries, producing spoils with different particle sizes and permeabilities, influencing their capacity to form secondary minerals 58 . At site H7, a mine channel from Bolton Haw, strong correlations were observed between Zn and SO4 2-(R 2 = 0.93) and Zn and DIC (R 2 = 0.95) ( Figure 5 In Hebden Beck, flow events can alter the river water chemistry and metal concentrations 14 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the mobilisation of metal pollution associated with historical mining in a carboniferous upland catchment

Valencia-Avellan

Slack

Stockdale

et al. 2017

Environ. Sci.: Processes Impacts

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Point and diffuse pollution from metal mining has led to severe environmental damage worldwide. Mine drainage is a significant problem for riverine ecosystems, it is commonly acidic (AMD), but neutral mine drainage (NMD) can also occur. A representative environment for studying metal pollution from NMD is provided by carboniferous catchments characterised by a circumneutral pH and high concentrations of carbonates, supporting the formation of secondary metal-minerals as potential sinks of metals. The present study focuses on understanding the mobility of metal pollution associated with historical mining in a carboniferous upland catchment. In the uplands of the UK, river water, sediments and spoil wastes were collected over a period of fourteen months, samples were chemically analysed to identify the main metal sources and their relationships with geological and hydrological factors. Correlation tests and principal component analysis suggest that the underlying limestone bedrock controls pH and weathering reactions. Significant metal concentrations from mining activities were measured for zinc (4.3 mg l), and lead (0.3 mg l), attributed to processes such as oxidation of mined ores (e.g. sphalerite, galena) or dissolution of precipitated secondary metal-minerals (e.g. cerussite, smithsonite). Zinc and lead mobility indicated strong dependence on biogeochemistry and hydrological conditions (e.g. pH and flow) at specific locations in the catchment. Annual loads of zinc and lead (2.9 and 0.2 tonnes per year) demonstrate a significant source of both metals to downstream river reaches. Metal pollution results in a large area of catchment having a depleted chemical status with likely effects on the aquatic ecology. This study provides an improved understanding of geological and hydrological processes controlling water chemistry, which is critical to assessing metal sources and mobilization, especially in neutral mine drainage areas.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the mobilisation of metal pollution associated with historical mining in a carboniferous upland catchment

Valencia-Avellan

Slack

Stockdale

et al. 2017

Environ. Sci.: Processes Impacts

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“…However, the fate of these dissolved elements is poorly understood. The formation of metal sulphate complexes could serve to keep metals dissolved and mobile under hydrologically saturated conditions [87], although not all metal sulphate complexes are highly soluble and in high sulphur systems the formation of anglesite (PbSO 4 ) could provide a solubility control for lead under oxidising conditions [34,92].…”

Section: Changes In Mineral Form and The Release Of Trace Metal Contamentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental Risk of Metal Mining Contaminated River Bank Sediment at Redox-Transitional Zones

2014

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Diffuse metal pollution from mining impacted sediment is widely recognised as a potential source of contamination to river systems and may significantly hinder the achievement of European Union Water Framework Directive objectives. Redox-transitional zones that form along metal contaminated river banks as a result of flood and drought cycles could cause biogeochemical changes that alter the behaviour of polyvalent metals iron and manganese and anions such as sulphur. Trace metals are often partitioned with iron, manganese and sulphur minerals in mining-contaminated sediment, therefore the dissolution and precipitation of these minerals may influence the mobility of potentially toxic trace metals. Research indicates that freshly precipitated metal oxides and sulphides may be more "reactive" (more adsorbent and prone to dissolution when conditions change) than older crystalline forms. Fluctuations at the oxic-anoxic interface brought about through changes in the frequency and duration of flood and drought episodes may therefore influence the reactivity of secondary minerals that form in the sediment and the flux of dissolved trace metal release. UK climate change models predict longer dry periods for some regions, interspersed with higher magnitude flood events. If we are to fully comprehend the future environmental risk these climate change events pose to mining impacted river systems it is recommended that research efforts focus on identifying the primary controls on trace metal release at the oxic-anoxic interface for flood and drought cycles of different duration and frequency. This paper critically reviews the literature regarding biogeochemical processes that occur at different temporal scales during oxic, OPEN ACCESSMinerals 2014, 4 53 reducing and dry periods and focuses on how iron and sulphur based minerals may alter in form and reactivity and influence the mobility of trace metal contaminants. It is clear that changes in redox potential can alter the composition of secondary iron and sulphur minerals and influence the sorption of toxic trace metals and susceptibility to dissolution when further redox potential changes occur. However further work is needed to determine: (i) The extent to which different duration and frequency of wet and dry cycles influences the dissolution and precipitation of iron and sulphur minerals in mining contaminated river bank sediment; (ii) The temporal effects on mineral reactivity (sorption capacity and susceptibility to dissolution); (iii) The key biogeochemical processes that control the mobility of contaminant trace metals under these dynamic redox potential conditions.

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“…A number of techniques have been developed over the past two decades, and are still used to estimate HMs bioavailability in soil; including diffusive gradient in thin films (Agbenin and Welp, 2012;Menegário et al, 2017;Parker et al, 2016;Ren et al, 2015), ion exchange (Ge et al, 2005;Qian and Schoenau, 2002), single-step extractions (R. Y. Pinto et al, 2015;Sakan et al, 2016), and sequential extractions (Cox et al, 2013;Fernández-Ondoño et al, 2017;Palumbo-Roe et al, 2013;Reis et al, 2014;Sungur et al, 2014). Sequential extractions, in particular, are simple low cost methods, that can be applied to different soil types (Rosado et al, 2016), and can help understanding HMs and metalloids leachability, solubility, and mobility (Kaakinen et al, 2015), providing the most information about the fate, transport, and behaviour of HMs in soil.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Insights into mixed contaminants interactions and its implication for heavy metals and metalloids mobility, bioavailability and risk assessment

Cipullo

Snapir

Tardif

et al. 2018

Science of The Total Environment

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Mobility of heavy metals at contaminated sites is mainly influenced by the soil physicochemical properties and environmental conditions, therefore assessing heavy metals (HMs) and metalloids fractionation can provide insights into their potential risk and the mechanisms that regulate bioavailability. A 12-months mesocosms experiment was setup to investigate the effect of physicochemical factors (pH, moisture, and temperature) and weathering (time) on HMs and metalloids fractionation in three different multi-contaminated soil matrices (low, medium, and high contamination) collected from a soil treatment facility located in the United Kingdom, and two rural contaminated soil samples. The study demonstrates that even though Pb and Zn were found associated with the exchangeable fraction in the soil with the highest contamination (total average Pb 3400 mg/kg, and total average Zn 2100 mg/kg in Soil C), neither the condition applied nor the weathering caused an increase in their mobility. Although it was expected that lower pH (4.5) would favours the dissociation of HMs and metalloids, no significant differences were observed, potentially due to the initial alkaline pH of the genuine-contaminated soil samples. The results show that even though total concentration of Pb, Cu, and Zn exceed the soil standards and guideline values, HMs were predominantly associated with the non-exchangeable fraction, while only 5% were dissolved in the pore water fraction (potentially bioavailable). In addition, the mobility and bioavailability of HMs remained constant over the 12 months monitoring, suggesting that these soils pose negligible risk to the environment.

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Effect of weathering product assemblages on Pb bioaccessibility in mine waste: implications for risk management

Cited by 18 publications

References 27 publications

Understanding the mobilisation of metal pollution associated with historical mining in a carboniferous upland catchment

Understanding the mobilisation of metal pollution associated with historical mining in a carboniferous upland catchment

Environmental Risk of Metal Mining Contaminated River Bank Sediment at Redox-Transitional Zones

Insights into mixed contaminants interactions and its implication for heavy metals and metalloids mobility, bioavailability and risk assessment

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