Mercury fractionation in stream sediments from the Quadrilátero Ferrífero gold mining region, Minas Gerais State, Brazil

Varejão, Eduardo Vinícius Vieira; Bellato, Carlos Roberto; Fontes, Maurício Paulo Ferreira

doi:10.1007/s10661-008-0522-0

Cited by 25 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…Sediment samples were dried at 60°C until constant weight [37] and sieved to obtain a particle size of <63 μ m (UNE Standard 7050), which retains trace metals [12–14, 37–41]. Dried samples were stored in polyethylene bottles.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trace Metal Content of Sediments Close to Mine Sites in the Andean Region

Yacoub

Foguet²,

Miralles

2012

The Scientific World Journal

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This study is a preliminary examination of heavy metal pollution in sediments close to two mine sites in the upper part of the Jequetepeque River Basin, Peru. Sediment concentrations of Al, As, Cd, Cu, Cr, Fe, Hg, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sn, and Zn were analyzed. A comparative study of the trace metal content of sediments shows that the highest concentrations are found at the closest points to the mine sites in both cases. The sediment quality analysis was performed using the threshold effect level of the Canadian guidelines (TEL). The sediment samples analyzed show that potential ecological risk is caused frequently at both sites by As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn. The long-term influence of sediment metals in the environment is also assessed by sequential extraction scheme analysis (SES). The availability of metals in sediments is assessed, and it is considered a significant threat to the environment for As, Cd, and Sb close to one mine site and Cr and Hg close to the other mine site. Statistical analysis of sediment samples provides a characterization of both subbasins, showing low concentrations of a specific set of metals and identifies the main characteristics of the different pollution sources. A tentative relationship between pollution sources and possible ecological risk is established.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trace Metal Content of Sediments Close to Mine Sites in the Andean Region

Yacoub

Foguet²,

Miralles

2012

The Scientific World Journal

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“…Such activities typically involve the use of Hg to improve gold recovery by amalgamation. Therefore, the presence of high amounts of Hg in sediment samples from this region has also been reported (Varejão et al 2009a). Despite previous reports concerning total arsenic contents in sediments from the southeast region of the IQ, none of them have dealt with the partitioning of arsenic and trace metals in sediments.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Arsenic and trace metals in river water and sediments from the southeast portion of the Iron Quadrangle, Brazil

Varejão

Bellato

Fontes

et al. 2010

Environ Monit Assess

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The Iron Quadrangle has been one of the most important gold production regions in Brazil since the end of the seventeenth century. There, arsenic occurs in close association with sulfide-rich auriferous rocks. The most abundant sulfide minerals are pyrite and arsenopyrite, yet trace metal sulfides occur in subordinate phases as well. Historical mining activities have been responsible for the release of As and trace metals to both aquatic and terrestrial environments close to mining sites in the region. Therefore, this study was aimed to evaluate the distribution and mobility of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in streams in the southeast portion of the Iron Quadrangle between the municipalities of Ouro Preto and Mariana, the oldest Brazilian Au mining province. Total concentrations of some trace metals and arsenic in water were determined. The four-stage sequential extraction procedure proposed by the commission of the European Communities Bureau of Reference (BCR) was used to investigate the distribution of these elements in stream sediments. Arsenic concentration in water was > 10 μg L⁻¹ (maximum limit permitted by Brazilian environmental regulations for water destined for human consumption) at all sampling sites, varying between 36.7 and 68.3 μg L⁻¹. Sequential extraction in sediments showed high concentrations of As and trace metals associated with easily mobilized fractions.

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“…Many studies conducted worldwide have shown that Hg is a highly hazardous pollutant, and it has been shown to exert a wide variety of adverse effects on human health and the environment [4,5]. Additionally, the fate, transport, and bioavailability of Hg in the environment is dependent on the species and concentration of Hg that is present [6,7]. Inorganic Hg emitted into the environment from natural or anthropogenic sources is transformed into organic Hg.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mobility and contamination assessment of mercury in coal fly ash, atmospheric deposition, and soil collected from Tianjin, China

Zheng

et al. 2011

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Samples of class F coal fly ash (levels I, II, and III), slag, coal, atmospheric deposition, and soils collected from Tianjin, China, were analyzed using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) Method 3052 and a sequential extraction procedure, to investigate the pollution status and mobility of Hg. The results showed that total mercury (HgT) concentrations were higher in level I fly ash (0.304 µg/g) than in level II and level III fly ash and slag (0.142, 0.147, and 0.052 µg/g, respectively). Total Hg in the atmospheric deposition was higher during the heating season (0.264 µg/g) than the nonheating season (0.135 µg/g). Total Hg contents were higher in suburban area soils than in rural and agricultural areas. High HgT concentrations in suburban area soils may be a result of the deposition of Hg associated with particles emitted from coal-fired power plants. Mercury in fly ash primarily existed as elemental Hg, which accounted for 90.1, 85.3, and 90.6% of HgT in levels I, II, and III fly ash, respectively. Mercury in the deposition existed primarily as sulfide Hg, which accounted for 73.8% (heating season) and 74.1% (nonheating season) of HgT. However, Hg in soils existed primarily as sulfide Hg, organo-chelated Hg and elemental Hg, which accounted for 37.8 to 50.0%, 31.7 to 41.8%, and 13.0 to 23.9% of HgT, respectively. The percentage of elemental Hg in HgT occurred in the order fly ash > atmospheric deposition > soils, whereas organo-chelated Hg and sulfide Hg occurred in the opposite order. The present approach can provide a window for understanding and tracing the source of Hg in the environment in Tianjin and the risk associated with Hg bioaccessibility.

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Mercury fractionation in stream sediments from the Quadrilátero Ferrífero gold mining region, Minas Gerais State, Brazil

Cited by 25 publications

References 58 publications

Trace Metal Content of Sediments Close to Mine Sites in the Andean Region

Trace Metal Content of Sediments Close to Mine Sites in the Andean Region

Arsenic and trace metals in river water and sediments from the southeast portion of the Iron Quadrangle, Brazil

Mobility and contamination assessment of mercury in coal fly ash, atmospheric deposition, and soil collected from Tianjin, China

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