Speciated and Total Urinary Arsenic Levels in Belo Horizonte, the Largest Brazilian City within the Mineral-Rich Region “Iron Quadrangle” (original) (raw)
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Long-term environmental impact of arsenic-dispersion in Minas Gerais, Brazil
2007
To answer the question whether up to 250 years of continual gold mining, and related industrial activities in parts of the Iron (Fe) Quadrangle, Brazil, have lead to As-pollution problems, a comprehensive research project was launched in 1998. Within this project, air, soil, surface and groundwater, suspended particulates, and fresh unconsolidated sediments were sampled and investigated together with home-grown vegetables, home dust, human urine and hair, and private water supplies. All sampling, sample processing, and analytical work have been done by the same people using the same methods applying strict quality control measures.Elevated to very high soil As-concentrations (50–1000mg As/kg) in living quarters, and extremely high (percentage range) As-values on derelict industrial sites, including old tailings surfaces, characterize the areas. Soil dust, As-enriched vegetables, and partly As-contaminated water from private wells and unauthorized surface sources explained the partia...
ARSENIC IN WATER AND SEDIMENT IN THE IRON QUADRANGLE, STATE OF MINAS GERAIS, BRAZIL
Since the end of 17th century, the Iron Quadrangle in the State of Minas Gerais has been known as one of the most famous gold producing regions in Brazil. Gold was initially produced from alluvial placers and oxidation zones and, finally from primary ores in modern times. Total gold production must have exceeded 1300 t in all history. Only in the very famous Morro Velho mine around 600-t gold has been produced since 1834. The gold ore is rich in arsenic with the As/Au ratios ranging from 300 to 3000 among the several deposits deposits. The arsenic in rocks and ores (pyrite, pyrrhotite and arsenopyrite) undergo oxidation during the weathering processes and part of the arsenic is naturally liberated into the environment. Since the tailings produced in the past were discharged directly into drainage until 1980, the amount of arsenic that entered the drainage systems must have exceeded 390000 t in the whole region. In the Iron Quadrangle region, the highest arsenic concentrations in wat...
Rem: Revista Escola de Minas, 2015
A regional study on the arsenic concentration in surface waters and stream sediments, with a density of one sample every 13 km2, was carried out for the first time in the Quadrilátero Ferrífero (Brazil). The region was divided into 3rd order catchment basins, in which 512 areas were sampled. The arsenic concentration was determined in waters and stream sediments after partial digestion with the aid of ICP-OES. The arsenic values found in surface waters ranged from 57.70 to 414 µg.L-1, while for stream sediments, arsenic concentrations ranged from 0.63 to 1691 mg.kg-1, and from the 512 sampling points, 135 (26%) had arsenic concentrations above the limit of detection, which was 0.63 mg.kg-1. It was also found that 106 3rd order catchment basins had values above the third quartile, (5.09 mg.kg-1). The results show that high concentrations of this element are strongly related to the presence of Nova Lima rocks that contain minerals rich in arsenic. However, the anthropogenic influence ...
Arsenic occurrence in Brazil and human exposure
Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 2007
Environmental exposure to arsenic (As) in terms of public health is receiving increasing attention worldwide following cases of mass contamination in different parts of the world. However, there is a scarcity of data available on As geochemistry in Brazilian territory, despite the known occurrence of As in some of the more severely polluted areas of Brazil. The purpose of this paper is to discuss existing data on As distribution in Brazil based on recent investigations in three contaminated areas as well as results from the literature. To date, integrated studies on environmental and anthropogenic sources of As contamination have been carried out only in three areas in Brazil: (1) the Southeastern region, known as the Iron Quadrangle, where As was released into the drainage systems, soils and atmosphere as a result of gold mining; (2) the Ribeira Valley, where As occurs in Pb-Zn mine wastes and naturally in Asrich rocks and soils; (3) the Amazon region, including the Santana area, where As is associated with manganese ores mined over the last 50 years. Toxicological studies revealed that the populations were not exposed to elevated levels of As, with the As concentrations in surface water in these areas rarely exceeding 10 lg/L. Deep weathering of bedrocks along with formation of Fe/Al-enriched soils and sediments function as a chemical barrier that prevents the release of As into the water. In addition, the tropical climate results in high rates of precipitation in the northern and southeastern regions and, hence, the As contents of drinking water is diluted. Severe cases of human As exposure related to non-point pollution sources have not been reported in Brazil. However, increasing awareness of the adverse health effects of As will eventually lead to a more complete picture of the distribution of As in Brazil.
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 2011
The Iron Quadrangle has been one of the most important gold production regions in Brazil since the end of the seventeenth century. There, arsenic occurs in close association with sulfide-rich auriferous rocks. The most abundant sulfide minerals are pyrite and arsenopyrite, yet trace metal sulfides occur in subordinate phases as well. Historical mining activities have been responsible for the release of As and trace metals to both aquatic and terrestrial environments close to mining sites in the region. Therefore, this study was aimed to evaluate the distribution and mobility of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in streams in the southeast portion of the Iron Quadrangle between the municipalities of Ouro Preto and Mariana, the oldest Brazilian Au mining province. Total concentrations of some trace metals and arsenic in water were determined. The four-stage sequential extraction procedure proposed by the commission of the European Communities Bureau of Reference (BCR) was used to investigate the distribution of these elements in stream sediments. Arsenic concentration in water was >10 μg L −1 (maximum limit permitted by Brazilian environmental regulations for water destined for human consumption) at all sampling sites, varying between 36.7 and 68.3 μg L −1 . Sequential extraction in sediments showed high concentrations of As and trace metals associated with easily mobilized fractions.
Arsenic exposure assessment of children living in a lead mining area in Southeastern Brazil
Cadernos de Saúde Pública, 2010
Avaliação da exposição de crianças ao arsênio em área de mineração de chumbo na Região Sudeste do Brasil Abstract Environmental contamination by arsenic compounds in the Ribeira River Valley, São Paulo, Brazil has already been observed. Lead mining and refining activities had been carried on since late colonial times and finished recently, at the end of 1995. The source of As in the region is known to be mainly from arsenopirite geological presence in the lead ore. Chronic exposure to arsenic compounds may cause peripheral vascular disorders, hyperpigmentation, hiperkeratosis and cancer of the skin, bladder, lung, liver and other internal organs. The purpose of this study was to assess children exposure to arsenic from environmental sources in the region. Urine samples from children between 7 to 14 years old were collected at the following
Química Nova, 2018
River provides the public water supply for much of this region. The gold and iron mining activities in the Velhas River yield considerable amounts of suspended solids as well as metals to the hydrological system of the region. Thus, the present study sought to evaluate the concentrations of arsenic and trace metals in the waters and their distribution and mobility in sediment by BCR sequential extraction. Arsenic concentrations in the water samples were between 78.1 and 85.3 μg L-1 , which exceeded 10 μg L-1 (maximum limit permitted by Brazilian environmental regulations for water destined to human consumption, CONAMA Resolution 357/2005). The sequential extraction of the sediment showed considerable amounts of As (20%), Cd (55%), Co (56%), Cr (16%), Cu (23%), Ni (29%), Pb (47%) and Zn (71%) associated with the geochemical fractions considered potentially available for the remobilization to the aquatic environment. The presence of the elements in these fractions indicated high ecotoxicological risk and potential harm to the health of the local population.
Arsenic-Contaminated Soils in the Urban Area of Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Southeastern Brazil
Arsenic (As) is a toxic and carcinogenic element. Numerous As compounds are present in the environment and in biological systems. The most common exposure routes of humans to As are consumption of polluted water, gas inhalation or ingestion of soil dust, causing toxic and acute effects in tens of millions of victims all over the planet. In the Brazilian city of Ouro Preto, in the urban districts Piedade, Antônio Dias, Padre Faria, Taquaral and Alto da Cruz, 21 soil samples were collected at sites spaced about 200 m apart, in a 2 km2 area, to analyze the physical properties, chemical constitution, mineralogy and presence of As. Of all samples, 15 had a predominantly clayey texture, and in 12 of these, As levels of > 250 mg.kg-1 were detected. In general, the As levels ranged from 6 to 925 mg.kg-1. No primary or secondary As minerals were found, suggesting that As had been retained and adsorbed by Fe, Al and oxides and hydroxides and by clay minerals. The predominant minerals were quartz, muscovite, kaolinite, goethite, hematite, illite and gibbsite.
Arsenic in the Hair of the Individuals in Santana-AP-Brazil: Significance of Residence Location
Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 2010
The concentration of arsenic in the hair of the individuals living in Santana city was measured. 121 donors in urban and the periphery area were studied. The periphery of the city shows the highest levels of arsenic (5.94 ± 6.54 mg kg−1 – mean; 0.27–23.85 mg kg−1). 47.83% in the urban area showed arsenic concentrations of less than 1.00 mg kg−1, while in the periphery only 11.22% had results below this value. The results showing the influence of residence location. The Principal Component Analysis showed that the variable residence location were responsible for the correct formation of the periphery group.