Impacts on effluent contaminants from mine sites: risk assessment, fate, and distribution of pollution at basin scale

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 21; no. 9; pp. 5960 - 5971
• Main Authors: Yacoub, Cristina, Pérez-Foguet, Agustí, Valderrama, César, Miralles, Nuria
• Format: Journal Article Publication
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01-05-2014; Springer Berlin Heidelberg; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aquatic Pollution; arsenic; Aspectes ambientals; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Basins; Cadmium; Cajamarca (Perú); Cajmarca (Perú); Chemical contaminants; Cluster analysis; Contaminants; Desenvolupament humà i sostenible; digestion; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Enginyeria ambiental; Enginyeria química; Enrichment; Enrichment factor; Environment; Environmental aspects; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental impact; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental pollution; Environmental quality; Geologic Sediments - chemistry; Indústria minera; Lead; Lead (metal); Matemàtica aplicada a les ciències; Matemàtiques i estadística; Mercury; Mercury (metal); Mine wastes; Mineral industries; Mines; Mining; Mobility; Pollutants; Pollution; principal component analysis; Principal components analysis; Quality management; Química del medi ambient; Rainy season; Research Article; Risk Assessment; runoff; Seasons; Sediments; Sequential extraction; Spatio-temporal distribution; Statistical analysis; Temporal distribution; Trace element; Trace elements; Trace Elements - analysis; Tractament de l'aigua; Waste Water Technology; Water column; Water Management; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water pollution; Water Pollution Control; Water Quality; Water quality management; wet season; Zinc; Àrees temàtiques de la UPC; Peru; Europe; Conca del Jequetepeque, Perú; Trace element; Sequential extraction; Enrichment factor; Environmental pollution; Spatio-temporal distribution; Risk assessment
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-014-2559-7

The environmental implications of mining activities are of worldwide concern. An environmental evaluation at the basin level was conducted because of widespread mining in Cajamarca in Northern Peru. A sediment monitoring program was developed at the Jequetepeque basin, located in Cajamarca. A total of 16 sites were monitored at three different times between June 2009 and July 2010, and a total of 42 samples were collected. All samples were analyzed by microwave digestion and by a sequential extraction scheme following the three-stage European Community Bureau of Reference (three-stage BCR) protocol. Trace element mobilization from the sediments to the water column was assessed by the risk assessment code (RAC). Spatial and temporal distribution of trace elements was evaluated by principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis. Cd, Zn, As, and Pb showed the highest concentrations independent of season. Notably, Cu concentration and mobility increased during the wet season for all samples. Additionally, Hg concentration and mobility increased during the wet season near the mine sites. According to the enrichment factor, the highest enrichments of Cd, Zn, Pb, and As were related to mine runoff. The effect of trace elements near the mine sites at the Jequetepeque basin was considered a significant threat to the environment due to Cd, Zn, Pb, and As, and the concentrations of Cu and Hg were also considered a concern. This work establishes a baseline for the environmental quality status of the Jequetepeque basin that may support water quality management in Peru.