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Evaluation of Environmental Risk of Metal Contaminated Soils and Sediments Near Mining Sites in Aguascalientes, Mexico

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Abstract

A total of sixteen composite soil and sediment samples were collected during the rainy and dry season in Asientos, Aguascalientes, Mexico, an area recently affected by increased mining operations. Physicochemical characterization showed that substrates were moderately to strongly calcareous with predominantly neutral to slightly alkaline pH, moderate to high cation-exchange capacity and high organic matter content. Due to these conditions, Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn were not water leachable despite high concentrations; up to 105.3, 7052.8, 414.7 and 12,263.2 mg kg−1 respectively. However, Cd and Pb were considered to be easily mobilizable as they were found predominantly associated with exchangeable and carbonate fractions, whereas Cu and Zn were found associated with Fe/Mn oxide and organic matter fractions. The results highlighted the influence of physicochemical substrate properties on the mobility of metals and its importance during the evaluation of the potential current and future risk metal contamination presents in affected areas.

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Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge the support of the National Council of Science and Technology (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología), Mexico by means of the research scholarship used for the completion this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Avenida Universidad #940, Aguascalientes, 20231, Aguascalientes, Mexico

    Kerry Nigel Mitchell, Magdalena Samanta Ramos Gómez, Alma Lilian Guerrero Barrera, Laura Yamamoto Flores, Juan Armando Flores de la Torre & Francisco Javier Avelar González

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  1. Kerry Nigel Mitchell
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  2. Magdalena Samanta Ramos Gómez
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  3. Alma Lilian Guerrero Barrera
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  4. Laura Yamamoto Flores
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  5. Juan Armando Flores de la Torre
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  6. Francisco Javier Avelar González
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Correspondence to Francisco Javier Avelar González.

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Mitchell, K.N., Ramos Gómez, M.S., Guerrero Barrera, A.L. et al. Evaluation of Environmental Risk of Metal Contaminated Soils and Sediments Near Mining Sites in Aguascalientes, Mexico. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 97, 216–224 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-016-1820-9

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