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Mobility of Pb, Zn and Cd in a soil developed on a carbonated bedrock in a semi-arid climate and contaminated by Pb–Zn tailing, Jebel Ressas (NE Tunisia)

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Abstract

Pb-, Zn- and Cd-bearing particles from the flotation tailing heaps of Jebel Ressas mine are carried by wind and water toward the surrounding agricultural areas. These crop-producing areas are made of fersialitic soils and developed on carbonated bedrock. The risk of ecotoxicity depends on the bioavailability fraction of metals which is closely related to their physicochemical and biological environment. The objective of this study was to assess the contamination of the soils surrounding the waste dumps and to estimate the bioavailable fraction of metals present in these soils. The flotation tailings display big amounts of Zn, Pb and Cd, averaging 7.11 %, 2.30 % and 290 mg kg−1, respectively. The concentrations found in soils reach 6.3 % Zn, 2.3 % Pb and 290 mg kg−1 Cd. Analyses of the samples taken between surface and bedrock show that Pb and Zn may reach concentrations as high as 900 mg kg−1 2 m below surface. Simple extraction tests show that with deionized water only Zn is mobile, with 0.02–0.03 mmol l−1 released from soil. The mobilization of contaminants by organic acids, secreted by plants in the rhizosphere, is potentially higher than that achieved in the presence of percolating waters.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful for the support provided by the CMCU program (N-09G 1003). We are indebted to Professor Abdessattar Hatira from the Soil Science UR (Department of Geology at the Faculty of Sciences of Tunis), for his invaluable contribution to describe and achieve the soil profile. We also thank Faysal Souissi, English Department, College of Humanities of Tunis, University of Tunisia, for his kind and thorough reviews of the English language in this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. INRAP, Laboratoire Matériaux Utiles, Pôle Technologique, 2020, Sidi Thabet, Tunisia

    R. Souissi & F. Souissi

  2. Dépt de Géologie, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar-UTM, El Manar, 2092, Tunis, Tunisia

    F. Souissi

  3. Laboratoire RME, Dépt de Géologie, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar-UTM, El Manar, 2092, Tunis, Tunisia

    M. Ghorbel

  4. Laboratoire Géosciences Environnement Toulouse (GET), UMR 5563, 14 Avenue E. Belin, 31400, Toulouse, France

    M. Munoz & P. Courjault-Radé

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  1. R. Souissi
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  2. F. Souissi
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  3. M. Ghorbel
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  4. M. Munoz
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  5. P. Courjault-Radé
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Correspondence to R. Souissi.

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Souissi, R., Souissi, F., Ghorbel, M. et al. Mobility of Pb, Zn and Cd in a soil developed on a carbonated bedrock in a semi-arid climate and contaminated by Pb–Zn tailing, Jebel Ressas (NE Tunisia). Environ Earth Sci 73, 3501–3512 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-014-3634-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-014-3634-6

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