Origin, distribution, and geochemistry of arsenic in the Altiplano-Puna plateau of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Perú

Tapia, Joseline; Murray, Jésica; Ormachea, Mauricio; Tirado, Noemí; Nordstrom, D. Kirk

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.04.084

Cited by 81 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 82 publications

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“…The arsenic (As) geogenic background of surface and ground-water is naturally high in South America, predominantly originating from young volcanic rocks and their weathering products in arid oxidizing conditions 1–4 . As a result, about 4.5 million people in South America are chronically exposed to high levels of As (>50 µg L −1 ) 5 , and certain Andean populations have developed a unique capacity to adapt to As toxicity 6,7 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Extreme Arsenic Bioaccumulation Factor Variability in Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Sarret

Guédron

Achá

et al. 2019

Sci Rep

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Latin America, like other areas in the world, is faced with the problem of high arsenic (As) background in surface and groundwater, with impacts on human health. We studied As biogeochemical cycling by periphyton in Lake Titicaca and the mine-impacted Lake Uru Uru. As concentration was measured in water, sediment, totora plants ( Schoenoplectus californicus ) and periphyton growing on stems, and As speciation was determined by X-ray absorption spectroscopy in bulk and EDTA-extracted periphyton. Dissolved arsenic was between 5.0 and 15 μg L −1 in Lake Titicaca and reached 78.5 μg L −1 in Lake Uru Uru. As accumulation in periphyton was highly variable. We report the highest As bioaccumulation factors ever measured (BAFs periphyton up to 245,000) in one zone of Lake Titicaca, with As present as As(V) and monomethyl-As (MMA(V)). Non-accumulating periphyton found in the other sites presented BAFs periphyton between 1281 and 11,962, with As present as As(III), As(V) and arsenosugars. DNA analysis evidenced several taxa possibly related to this phenomenon. Further screening of bacterial and algal isolates would be necessary to identify the organism(s) responsible for As hyperaccumulation. Impacts on the ecosystem and human health appear limited, but such organisms or consortia would be of great interest for the treatment of As contaminated water.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Extreme Arsenic Bioaccumulation Factor Variability in Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Sarret

Guédron

Achá

et al. 2019

Sci Rep

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“…; Jordan et al, 2010), extreme solar radiation (Hernández et al, 2016), various types of ore deposits and historical mining activities (Arce-Burgoa and Goldfarb, 2009; Tapia et al, 2012), and high metal(loid) contents in water, soil, and sediments (e.g. Sb and As in soil and sediment, Tapia et al, 2012; As in water, soil, and sediment, Tapia et al, 2019). In particular, mining has been an important activity in the region due to the unique metallogenic conditions present such as the Bolivian Sn belt, which extends for more than 1000 km (Lehmann et al, 2000), and the Cerro Rico Ag deposit in Potosí, which has been exploited for more than 400 years (Serrano, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural and anthropogenic controls on particulate metal(loid) deposition in Bolivian highland sediments, Lake Uru Uru (Bolivia)

2019

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Mining in the Bolivian Altiplano is important and has historically provided much of the world’s Ag, Sn, and Sb. This study aims to better understand the effects of important recent increases in Bolivian mining on the deposition of metals and metalloids in sediment near Oruro, Bolivia’s fifth largest city, with special attention to natural and anthropogenic factors as well as early diagenesis, which could have broader implications in other high-elevation environments that have or will be affected by increased mining activities. To better assess the depositional trends of elements in sediments, five sedimentary cores collected in Lake Uru Uru and the Cala Cala Lagoon (nearby Oruro) were studied and analysis of the physicochemical variables coupled with radiometric dating indicate that (a) sediment deposited in Lake Uru Uru was likely sourced from local outcrops of Tertiary volcanics, Paleozoic shales, and ore and waste piles from mining activities material; (b) sedimentation rates in Lake Uru Uru were close to 3 mm·year−1, 1 mm higher than the ancient Tauca paleolake (~11,000–30,000 years ago); (c) early diagenetic effects have affected the distribution of Mn, As, and Cd in the sedimentary archive; and (d) the deposition of Ag, Sb, and Pb in the studied sediment has largely been related to historical trends in Bolivian Sn mining methods and production.

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“…Additional scarcity comes from local sources of water contamination that can limit public and agricultural water use. As with many parts of the world, Arequipa suffers from anthropogenic sources of water contaminants related to the lack of sewage treatment (Alarcón 2019), unregulated dumps (Magaña and García 2016), indiscriminate use of agrochemicals (Carreño‐Meléndez et al 2019), and mining activities (Bottaro and Sola Álvarez 2018; Delgado et al 2019), as well as natural sources of arsenic, boron, and chromium (Lopez Arisaca 2018; Pinto Paredes 2018; Tapia et al 2019). This highly managed landscape is also one of the most affected by climate change in the world (Urrutia and Vuille 2009; Salzmann et al 2013).…”

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confidence: 99%

Assessment of Arequipa's Hydrometeorological Monitoring Infrastructure to Support Water Management Decisions

Moraes

Bocardo-Delgado

Bowling

et al. 2020

Contemporary Water Research

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Hydrometeorological monitoring of weather, streamflow, and water quality is essential for understanding available water resources, protecting populations from hazard, and identifying changes in environmental conditions over time. To meet such competing goals, monitoring networks require representative parameters, uniform sampling protocols, and stable locations, selected to reliably measure the phenomenon of interest. However, budgets are always limited, and immediate operational needs and short‐term decisions often influence monitoring decisions. Here, the hydrometeorological monitoring systems in Arequipa, Peru, are examined with respect to established criteria for their ability to support these competing goals. The Arequipa Department in Peru has a well‐established, stable, weather monitoring program, although reliance on manual observers results in variable data quality. The lack of observations in high altitude areas limits estimation of water availability, and high temporal resolution, automatic stations are needed to improve flash flood warnings. The streamflow monitoring system is designed to quantify water transfers throughout this heavily managed system. Twenty‐one discharge monitoring stations were identified to serve as Historic Hydrologic Reference Stations, but many were only operational in the 1960s and 1970s and cannot be used to evaluate environmental trends. Twelve stations are identified that should be maintained for establishment of a future reference network. State sponsored water quality monitoring in the Department is fairly new, and a stratified sampling method has been used to maximize sample locations. Uniform sampling in fewer locations along intermediate sized tributaries, at least two times per year, would improve the reliability of the system and allow better detection of change over time.

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Origin, distribution, and geochemistry of arsenic in the Altiplano-Puna plateau of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Perú

Cited by 81 publications

References 82 publications

Extreme Arsenic Bioaccumulation Factor Variability in Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Extreme Arsenic Bioaccumulation Factor Variability in Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Natural and anthropogenic controls on particulate metal(loid) deposition in Bolivian highland sediments, Lake Uru Uru (Bolivia)

Assessment of Arequipa's Hydrometeorological Monitoring Infrastructure to Support Water Management Decisions

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