Contenido de metales en sedimentos: una herramienta para evaluar pasivos ambientales mineros
Metal content in sediments: a tool to assess mining liabilities
Resumen
Los residuos minero-metalúrgicos que se encuentran expuestos a la intemperie son una fuente de contaminación que pueden afectar la salud de la población, deteriorar la calidad del hábitat y reducir la biodiversidad. Las situaciones donde estos residuos constituyen un riesgo potencial y permanente se denominan pasivos ambientales mineros. Las estrategias de remediación son más efectivas entre mejor se conozca la magnitud de la contaminación, su potencial de dispersión y su toxicidad potencial. En este artículo se mencionan las ventajas de usar sedimentos como medio de muestreo y algunas de las metodologías para su análisis que han sido utilizadas con éxito. Se concluye con las recomendaciones de: a) generar mapas donde se puedan visualizar fácilmente las áreas más contaminadas; b) complementar los mapas con información local sobre la movilidad de los elementos potencialmente tóxicos, su asociación con otros metales, así como las características del medio ambiente que podrían afectar su toxicidad, y; c) considerar aspectos políticos y sociales asociados con el pasivo ambiental minero.
Abstract
The mining-metallurgical wastes that lay exposed to the weather represent a source of contamination that can affect public health, deteriorate the quality of the habitat and reduce biodiversity. Cases where these wastes constitute a permanent and potential risk of contamination are known as mining environmental liability situations. Remediation strategies are more effective the better known the degree of contamination, its potential for dispersion and its potential toxicity. This article lists the advantages of using sediments as sampling medium and some methodologies of analysis that have been reported as successful. The author concludes with these recommendations, to (a) generate concentration maps where areas of highest contamination are visually identifiable, (b) provide complementary local information about mobility of potentially toxic elements, their association with other metals, and environmental characteristics that may influence their toxicity, and (c) consider political and social aspects associated with mining environmental liability .
Keywords: contamination, metal, mining environmental liability, sediment, toxicity.
Citas
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