Anthropogenic impact of the use of Hg in mining activities in Cedral S.L.P. Mexico Article uri icon

abstract

  • This study focused on the evaluation of the environmental impact caused by mining and metallurgical activities by using mercury in extraction procedures of silver in Cedral S.L.P., Mexico Mercury concentration in the analyzed soils and mine tailing samples were compared with the recommended limit values of the [NOM-147-SEMARNAT/SSA1-2004 NORMA Oficial Mexicana (2004) Que establece criterios para determinar concentraciones de remediación de suelos contaminados por arsénico, bario, cadmio, cromo hexavalente, mercurio, níquel, plata, plomo, selenio, talio y/o vanadio. Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (2004)]. Only 11 %25 of the analyzed soil samples and 33 %25 of the analyzed mine tailing samples exceed this recommended limit. The obtained results of the analysis of the sequential extraction procedure shows that the highest proportion of residual mercury (from 85 to 97 %25) correspond to stable chemical species (HgO and/or HgS). Low mercury concentration (below 0.7 %25) of soluble fraction (Methyl-Hg and/or HgCl2) was identified. These results suggest a low bioavailability and possible uptake of mercury by biota. However, measured mercury levels in the population evaluated in the children’s blood that live in the study area is of great concern. The mercury concentration found in these samples reaches levels up to 76.8 µg L−1. These results indicate that the possible chemical transformations of mercury contained in soils and mine tailings and/or the presence of more soluble mercury species in environmental compartments not considered in the present study (water, air, farming) could represent important exposure routes in the studied area zone. © 2015, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

publication date

  • 2015-01-01