Abstract
The concentrations of As and Zn in 100 georeferenced soils uniformly distributed throughout the area affected by the spill from the Aznalcóllar mine (April 1998) were analysed at three depths (0–10, 10–30, and 30–50 cm) and on four dates (autumn–winter 1998, 1999, 2001, and 2004). For an estimate of the geochemical background, 30 unaffected soils near the edge of the spill were also analysed at the same depths. The soils were contaminated before the spill and, the accident seriously increased the concentration of As and Zn in the first 10 cm of almost all the affected soils. After the enormous efforts of cleaning up the tailings, around 45% of the soils had a concentration higher than 100 mg As kg−1 dry soil, and some 35% had a concentration higher than 1,000 mg Zn kg−1 dry soil. Both As and Zn penetrated between 10 and 30 cm in 25% and 45% of the soils, respectively, but reached 30 cm in only 12% of the soils. The remediation actions, especially the tilling and homogenisation of the uppermost 25 cm of the all soils, caused the As and Zn concentrations to decline in the soils, but this change was not very effective from the standpoint of pollution. Thus, 6 years after the spill, the uppermost 10 cm of 30% of the soils continued to have an As concentration higher than 100 mg As kg−1, while the Zn concentration diminished considerably on the surface due to its greater mobility, accumulating between 10 and 30 cm in depth, where 20% of the soils continued to register more than 1,000 mg Zn kg−1 dry soil.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles and news from researchers in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.References
Aguilar, J., Dorronsoro, C., Fernández, E., Fernández, J., García, I., Martín, F., & Simón, M. (2004). Soil pollution by a pyrite mine spill in Spain: evolution in time. Environmental Pollution, 132, 395–401.
Almodovar, G. R., Saez, R., Pons, J. M., & Maestre, A. (1998). Geology and genesis of the Aznalcollar massive sulphide deposits, Iberian Pyrite Belt, Spain. Mineralium Deposita, 33, 111–136.
Alastuey, A., García-Sánchez, A., López, F., & Querol, X. (1999). Evolution of pyrite mud weathering and mobility of heavy metals in the Guadiamar valley after the Aznalcóllar spill, south-west Spain. The Science of the Total Environment, 242, 41–55. doi:10.1016/S0048-9697(99)00375-7.
Bauer, I., & Bor, J. (1995). Lithogene, geogene, und anthropogene Schwermetallgehalte von Lößböden an den Beispielen von Cu, Zn, Ni, Pb, Hg und Cd. Mainzer Geowiss Mitt, 24, 47–70.
Cabrera, F., Toca, C., Díaz, E., & Arambarri, P. (1984). Acid mine-water and agricultural pollution in a river skirting the Doñana National Park (Guadiamar river, south west Spain). Water Research, 18, 1469–1482. doi:10.1016/0043-1354(84)90120-9.
Cabrera, F., Soldevilla, M., Cordón, R., & Arambarri, P. (1987). Heavy metal pollution in the Guadiamar river and the Guadalquivir estuary (south west Spain). Chemosphere, 16, 463–468. doi:10.1016/0045-6535(87)90254-2.
Cabrera, F., Clemente, L., Díaz Barrientos, E., López, R., & Murillo, J. M. (1999). Heavy metals pollution of soils affected by the Guadiamar toxic flood. The Science of the Total Environment, 242, 117–129. doi:10.1016/S0048-9697(99)00379-4.
Dorronsoro, C., Martín, F., Ortiz, I., García, I., Simón, M., Fernández, E., et al. (2002). Migration of trace elements from pyrite tailings in carbonate soils. Journal of Environmental Quality, 31, 829–835.
Fleischhauer, H. L., & Korte, N. (1990). Formulation of cleanup standards for trace elements with probability plots. Environmental Management (New York), 14, 95–105. doi:10.1007/BF02394023.
Förstner, U., & Wittmann, G. T. W. (1983). Metal pollution in the aquatic environment. Berlin: Springer.
Galán, E., González, I., & Fernández-Caliani, J. C. (2002). Residual pollution load of soils impacted by the Aznalcóllar (Spain) mining spill after clean-up operations. The Science of the Total Environment, 286, 167–179. doi:10.1016/S0048-9697(01)00974-3.
Gills, T. E., & Kane, J. S. (1993). Certificate of analysis, standard reference material 2711. National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD.
Kraus, U., & Wiegand, J. (2006). Long-term effects of the Aznalcóllar mine spill—heavy metal content and mobility in soils and sediment of the Guadiamar river valley (SW Spain). The Science of the Total Environment, 367, 855–871.
Lepeltier, C. (1969). A simplified treatment of geochemical data by graphical representation. Economic Geology and the Bulletin of the Society of Economic Geologists, 64, 538–550.
López-Pamo, E., Barettino, D., Antón-Pacheco, C., Ortiz, G., Arranz, J. C., Gumiel, J. C., et al. (1999). The extent of the Aznalcóllar pyritic spill and its effects on soils. The Science of the Total Environment, 242, 57–88. doi:10.1016/S0048-9697(99)00376-9.
Nordstrom, D. K. (1982). Aqueous pyrite oxidation and consequent formation of secondary iron minerals. In J. A Kitrick, D. S. Fanning, & L. R. Hossner (Eds.), Acid sulfate weathering (pp. 37–56). Madison: WI: Soil Sci. Soc. Am.
Ramos, L., Hernández, M., & González, M. J. (1994). Sequential fractionation of copper, lead, cadmium and zinc in soils from or near Doñana National Park. Journal of Environmental Quality, 23, 50–57.
Reimann, C., Filzmoser, P., & Garret, R. G. (2004). Background and threshold: critical comparison of methods of determination. The Science of the Total Environment, 346, 1–16. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2004.11.023.
Schermerhorn, L. J. G. (1982). Framework and evolution of hercynian mineralization in the Iberian Meseta. Comun. Serv. Geol. Portugal, 68, 91–140.
Simón, M., Ortiz, I., García, I., Fernández, J., Fernández, E., Dorronsoro, C., et al. (1999). Pollution of soils by the toxic spill of a pyrite mine (Aznalcollar, Spain). The Science of the Total Environment, 242, 105–105. doi:10.1016/S0048-9697(99)00378-2.
Simón, M., Martín, F., Ortiz, I., García, I., Fernández, J., Fernández, E., et al. (2001). Soil pollution by oxidation of tailings from toxic spill of a pyrite mine. The Science of the Total Environment, 279, 63–64. doi:10.1016/S0048-9697(01)00726-4.
Simón, M., Dorronsoro, C., Ortiz, I., Martín, F., & Aguilar, J. (2002). Pollution of carbonate soils in a Mediterranean climate due to a tailings spill. European Journal of Soil Science, 53, 321–330. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2389.2002.00435.x.
Simón, M., Iriarte, A., García, I., Martín, F., Aguilar, J., & Dorronsoro, C. (2005). Mobility of heavy metals in pyritic mine spills from an accident in Aznalcóllar, SW Spain. In A. Faz Cano, R. Ortíz Silla, & A. R. Mermut (Eds.), Advances in Geoecology (vol. 36, (pp. 467–476)). Germany: Catena Verlag.
Stumm, W. Y., & Morgan, J. J. (1981). Aquatic Chemistry: An introduction emphasizing chemical equilibria in natural waters. New York: Wiley.
Tukey, J. W. (1977). Exploratory data analysis. Reading: Addison-Wesley.
Vidal, M., López-Sánchez, J. F., Sastre, J., Jiménez, G., Dagnac, T., Rubio, R., et al. (1999). Prediction of the impact of the Aznalcóllar toxic spill on the trace element contamination of agricultural soils. The Science of the Total Environment, 242, 131–148. doi:10.1016/S0048-9697(99)00380-0.
Acknowledgments
We express our gratitude to the Science and Innovation Ministry of Spain for supporting this study (Project REN2003-03268). Furthermore, we thank David Nesbitt and Ana Palomares for correcting the English version of the manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Simón, M., Díez, M., García, I. et al. Distribution of As and Zn in Soils Affected by the Spill of a Pyrite Mine and Effectiveness of the Remediation Measures. Water Air Soil Pollut 198, 77–85 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-008-9827-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-008-9827-4