Veado M A R V, Arantes I A, Oliveira A H, Almeida M R M G, Miguel R A, Severo M I, Cabaleiro H L
Nuclear Engineering Department of the Federal University of Minas Gerais State - UFMG, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Environ Monit Assess. 2006 Jun;117(1-3):157-72. doi: 10.1007/s10661-006-8716-9.
Intense mining activities in Minas Gerais State - Brazil brings out tons of waste to the environment. Considerable concentrations of toxic elements penetrate the soil, ground waters and rivers. This endangers the environment quality not only in the surrounding areas but also in ichthyofauna and in more distant areas of cattle raising and agricultural activities. After seasonal floods, veterinary clinic studies have shown that most animals raised in this region are affected by symptomatologic nervous diseases, still not clearly diagnosed, which suggests intoxication. These pathologies are mostly noted after floods. Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis was applied to determine Al, As, Au, Ba, Br, Ca, Cl, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, La, Mg, Mn, Na, Nd, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sm, Th and Zn in environmental samples. The obtained results show that the water and sediment contaminated with heavy metals and toxic elements from the Das Velhas River upstream basin, the mining region, carry contamination to the ichthyofauna and farming region within a distance of approximately 400 km.
巴西米纳斯吉拉斯州的高强度采矿活动向环境中排放了大量废物。大量有毒元素渗入土壤、地下水和河流。这不仅危及周边地区的环境质量，还危及鱼类种群以及更远地区的畜牧和农业活动。季节性洪水过后，兽医诊所的研究表明，该地区饲养的大多数动物都受到症状性神经疾病的影响，这些疾病仍未得到明确诊断，这表明存在中毒现象。这些病症大多在洪水过后出现。应用仪器中子活化分析法测定环境样品中的铝、砷、金、钡、溴、钙、氯、钴、铬、铯、铜、铁、汞、钾、镧、镁、锰、钠、钕、铷、锑、钪、钐、钍和锌。所得结果表明，来自矿区达斯韦利亚斯河上游流域的受重金属和有毒元素污染的水和沉积物，在大约400公里的距离内将污染物带到了鱼类种群和养殖区。
