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Assessment to the potential mobility and toxicity of metals and metalloids in soils contaminated by old Sb–Au and As–Au mines (NW Portugal)

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Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to assess arsenic and antimony availability in soils, as well as Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn availability in soils derived from the schist–metagraywacke complex close to old Sb–Au mines and in soils developed from Ordovician slates and close to an old As–Au mine in Portugal. The availability was determined using a European certified sequential extraction procedure (BCR). The results demonstrated that metalloids are not readily bioavailable, because they are mainly associated with the residual fraction. Arsenic and antimony proportions in exchangeable fractions are up to 3 and 1%, respectively. However, arsenic is up to 24% in oxy-hydroxide fractions, while antimony is up to 4% in them, demonstrating the highest bioavailability of arsenic compared to that of antimony, as metalloids are weakly bound to the soils in that fraction. Therefore, arsenic tends to be more toxic than antimony in all soils studied. However, the pseudo-total contents show that both metalloids are above the Italian and Dutch guidelines. Therefore, if physico-chemical changes occur arsenic and antimony will show higher potential environmental risk than evidenced by Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn.

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Acknowledgments

This paper represents a part of the PhD thesis of P. C. S. Carvalho. Thanks are due to Prof. Andrew Parker, Dr. Martin Heaps and Dr. Anne Stephanie Dudley for facilities in Department of Soil Sciences of the University of Reading, UK, Dr. Dave Thornley for laser facilities and Dr. Michael Andrews for XRD facilities at the same University; Prof. A. C. Fernandèz and Engº Miguel Angel for the facilities at Laboratório de Geología e Geocronología for the use of the electron microprobe of the University of Oviedo, Spain. Funding was provided to P. C. S. Carvalho by the SFRH/BD/21373/2005 grant from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal. This research was carried out under the Geoscience Centre programme, University of Coimbra, Portugal. This paper benefited from comments of Prof. H. Chaminé. The helpful comments of an anonymous referee helped to improve this paper.

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  1. Geosciences Centre, University of Coimbra, 3000-272, Coimbra, Portugal

    P. C. S. Carvalho, A. M. R. Neiva & M. M. V. G. Silva

  2. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3000-272, Coimbra, Portugal

    P. C. S. Carvalho, A. M. R. Neiva & M. M. V. G. Silva

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  1. P. C. S. Carvalho
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Carvalho, P.C.S., Neiva, A.M.R. & Silva, M.M.V.G. Assessment to the potential mobility and toxicity of metals and metalloids in soils contaminated by old Sb–Au and As–Au mines (NW Portugal). Environ Earth Sci 65, 1215–1230 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-011-1370-8

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