Review
Environmental Sciences
Zhaoliang Wang, Yongxin Xu, Zhixiang Zhang, Yongbo Zhang
Summary: Excessive exploitation and massive coal mine closures have led to extensive goafs in Shanxi, with 8780 coal mines being abandoned in the past 20 years. Acid mine drainage (AMD) has become a severe environmental problem in abandoned coal mine areas in Shanxi, exacerbating water shortages and threatening local drinking water safety. Strengthening systematic research on the geological and hydrogeological conditions of abandoned coal mines, exploring efficient, cheap, and environmentally friendly technologies, and constructing a pollution risk assessment model for AMD treatment are necessary.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yongzhen Chai, Fei Guo
Summary: This study assesses the ecological and health risks in Longnan, Northwest China, caused by an antimony mine spill. The study reveals high contamination of arsenic, mercury, and antimony in the area. The sources of these elements are found to be tailings leakage, natural sources, and agricultural activities. The study also highlights the high health risk posed by arsenic and antimony, especially for children.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jingyun Wang, Jun Yang, Tongbin Chen
Summary: Identifying pollution sources and quantifying their contributions are crucial for managing and controlling potentially toxic elements in soil. This study used multivariate statistical analysis and receptor models to identify potential pollution sources and allocate their contributions at an abandoned realgar mine. The study found that applying multiple receptor models can lead to more reliable and objective conclusions of source appointment.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Albert Kobina Mensah, Bernd Marschner, Vasileios Antoniadis, Eric Stemn, Sabry M. Shaheen, Joerg Rinklebe
Summary: The study revealed that elements such as arsenic and titanium exceeded the world soil average in soils near an abandoned gold mine in Ghana, indicating high soil contamination levels. Adults and children faced significant human health risks from consuming soil, especially children and women. Some native plants like Chromolaena odorata and ferns may have the potential to reduce soil contamination and associated human health risks by accumulating elements like arsenic, copper, titanium, and zinc into their shoots.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Water Resources
Fredy Guzman-Martinez, Julio C. Arranz-Gonzalez, Maria J. Garcia-Martinez, Marcelo F. Ortega, Virginia Rodriguez-Gomez, Samantha Jimenez-Oyola
Summary: The study compares the widely used leaching tests from the United States, Mexico, and Spain for evaluating potentially toxic elements released from abandoned mining waste. Results show slight differences in leaching behavior assessment, but the conclusions regarding potential hazard based on solubility of elements are consistent among these methods.
MINE WATER AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Annie Stephanie Nana, Timo Falkenberg, Andrea Rechenburg, Joshua Ntajal, Juliet Wanjiku Kamau, Anne Ayo, Christian Borgemeister
Summary: Intensive urban agriculture in Cameroon increases the risk of environmental pollution in lowlands. This study evaluated the seasonal characteristics of toxic elements in urban agricultural soils and found that copper, lead, zinc, cadmium, chromium, and nickel showed area effects, and the concentration of these elements exceeded threshold values in some areas. The pollution level of the studied elements was generally slight, but chromium had the highest pollution index. The potential ecological risk of the soil was low in all areas. Preventive actions are needed to limit heavy metal contamination, such as promoting sustainable use of agrochemicals.
ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH
(2023)
Review
Plant Sciences
Zishan Ahmad Wani, Zeeshan Ahmad, Mohd Asgher, Jahangeer A. A. Bhat, Manju Sharma, Ashish Kumar, Virbala Sharma, Amit Kumar, Shreekar Pant, Alexander S. S. Lukatkin, Naser A. A. Anjum
Summary: This comprehensive review discusses the sources and impacts of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) on the environment and human health. It introduces various methods for tackling PTE-caused pollution, highlights the role of microbes and genetic engineering in phytoremediation, and emphasizes the importance of addressing biosafety issues and fostering collaboration among stakeholders.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ronggen Jiang, Cai Lin, Kaiwen Zhou, Yang Liu, Jinmin Chen, Sumin Wang, Zhong Pan, Xiuwu Sun, Weili Wang, Hui Lin
Summary: The study evaluated the sources and pollution levels of PTEs in Yundang lagoon, China, finding widespread contamination with high ecological risks and toxicity mainly attributed to Hg and Cd. Organic carbon was found to play a critical role in PTEs, and the limited environmental carrying capacity of the lagoon may lead to progressive pollution accumulation.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kunshan Bao, Kewei Zhao, Rongqin Liu, Wei Xing, Ying Yan, Bigyan Neupane
Summary: This study characterizes the pollution level, possible sources, and potential ecological risk of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in the mountain regions of northeast (NE) China. The results indicate that different PTEs have different forms of existence and spatial distribution in the soil environment. The main sources of PTEs pollution include natural lithogenic sources, agricultural fertilizer, anthropogenic mining, and leaching migration.
JOURNAL OF SOILS AND SEDIMENTS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hongzhen Ran, Xingang Deng, Zhaohui Guo, Zhihao Hu, Yanan An, Xiyuan Xiao, Liwen Yi, Rui Xu
Summary: Understanding the pollution characteristics and assessing the ecological risk of toxic metals in mine soil are crucial in managing risks in abandoned mine areas. This study found heavy pollution of As, Cd, Hg, Sb, and Tl in the soil of both mining and downstream sites. The accumulation and distribution of these metals varied, with different metals showing different patterns. The pollution mainly occurred in the residual fraction, but potential mobility of certain metals was also observed.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Veronika Mihaylova, Galina Yotova, Kristina Marinova, Aleksey Benderev, Valentina Lyubomirova, Stefan Tsakovski
Summary: Mining is an important industrial and economic activity, but it can result in the accumulation of potentially toxic elements in ore waste. This study found that the concentrations of these elements in soil and plant samples exceeded background levels. Statistical analysis also revealed the importance of soil characteristics in the transfer and accumulation of these elements.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Li Wenbo, Feng Qiyan, Liang Haoqian, Chen Di, Li Xiangdong
Summary: The mixture ratio of small-sized limestone and shavings, as well as the minimum HRT, play crucial roles in the removal of metal ions by DAS in treating AMD. The main reaction zone is within the first 20-30 cm of the reaction column, and the removal process of metal ions and sulfate is accompanied by bio-mineralization reaction.
WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Luis F. O. Silva, Diana Pinto, Guilherme L. Dotto, James C. Hower
Summary: The study investigates the distribution of potentially hazardous elements (PHEs) with efflorescent nanophases (NPs) in coal-mine drainages, particularly in the context of the largest coal-fired power plant in South America. A novel methodology for analyzing PHEs in CMD precipitates is proposed, using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and advanced electron microscopies. The importance of nanomineralogy in understanding coal contamination and the role of ultrafine nanoparticles (UNPs) in reducing PHEs are highlighted, with further investigations needed on the mobility of PHEs in various environments.
GEOSCIENCE FRONTIERS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nicolo Barago, Cristiano Mastroianni, Elena Pavoni, Federico Floreani, Filippo Parisi, Davide Lenaz, Stefano Covelli
Summary: The decommissioned fahlore Cu-Sb(-Ag) mine at Mt. Avanza in Italy, characterized by the presence of tetrahedrite as the main ore mineral, was investigated to better understand the geochemical behavior of various elements associated with the mining activity. Elevated concentrations of Cu, Sb, As, Pb, Zn, and Hg were observed in mine wastes, soils, and stream sediments, with the highest contamination levels found within the mine area. Thallium and Ge were associated with lithogenic components rather than sulfosalt/sulfide minerals. Although Sb and As slightly exceeded the national regulatory limits in mine drainage water, the relatively low dissolved concentrations indicate a moderate stability of tetrahedrite. The fate of Hg in the fahlore mining district resembled that of cinnabar mining sites worldwide, with weak solubility and potential evasion of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) into the atmosphere.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jin Wang, Siyu Liu, Xudong Wei, Jingzi Beiyuan, Lulu Wang, Juan Liu, Hui Sun, Gaosheng Zhang, Tangfu Xiao
Summary: This study examined the content, transfer pathways, and potential risks of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in common crops from different farmlands surrounding an indigenous Zn-smelting area in Guizhou, China. The results showed that cabbage and radish at some sites had thallium (Tl) levels exceeding the maximum permissible level for food, while the edible portion of maize was not prone to Tl risk.
