Abstract
Lichen biomonitoring and air mass trajectories were used to study the influence of mining activities in the atmospheric dispersion of metallic elements to assess the exposure of the population to dust emitted by mining activities. A map of forward trajectory densities from open mine surfaces throughout New Caledonia was computed and allowed to identify three preferred wind directions (trade wind, bent trade winds and oceanic winds) that could arise in mining particles dispersion all over New Caledonia. Areas where an air quality monitoring would be advisable to evaluate the exposure of the population to the Nickel dusts have been identified. Lichens collected around the industrial mining site KNS and in North Provence of New Caledonia were analysed for their Ni, Co, Cr, Zn and Ti contents. Backward trajectories were simulated from the lichen sampling point using FLEXTRA fed with ECMWF meteorological data, and densities of trajectories having overflown a mine were calculated. Ratio metal/Ti was then plotted as a function of air mass trajectory densities having overflown open pits. A positive correlation between trajectory densities and titanium-normalized metal in lichen for Ni, Co, Cr was highlighted, indicating that mining is a source of dispersion of these metals. For Zn, which is a tracer of fossil fuel or biomass (wood) combustion activity, no correlation was found.
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The authors thank the CNRT Nickel and its environment for founding the project “Dispersion des métaux de la mine au lagon”.
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All authors contributed to the study. Funding acquisition was performed by Peggy Gunkel-Grillon, Estelle Roth and Emmanuel Rivière. Sampling and chemical analysis were performed by Estelle Roth, Peggy Gunkel-Grillon and Camille Pasquet. Software development was achieved by Jérémie Burgalat. Modelling was performed by Emmanuel Rivière and Mariam Zaiter. Results were analysed by Estelle Roth, Emmanuel Rivière, Mariam Zaiter, Peggy Gunkel-Grillon and Abdel Chakir. Original draft was written by Estelle Roth, Peggy Gunkel-Grillon and Emmanuel Rivière. Review and editing were performed by Estelle Roth, Peggy Gunkel-Grillon, Emmanuel Rivière and Abdel Chakir.
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Highlights
• The nickel content of lichen is linked to the air mass density having overflown an open pit mine.
• Co and Cr, metals associated to nickel in nickel ore, follow same trends than Ni.
• Zn content in lichen is not related to air mass history having overflown an open pit mine.
• West coast of New Caledonia could be more impacted by mining activities.
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Roth, E., Burgalat, J., Rivière, E. et al. Nickel spreading assessment in New Caledonia by lichen biomonitoring coupled to air mass history. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 6058–6067 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-10873-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-10873-2