Centro Experimental de Ingeniería, Technological University of Panama, Vía Tocumen, Panama City 0819-07289, Panama.
Instituto de Geología Aplicada, Castilla-La Mancha University, EIMI Almadén, Plaza Manuel Meca 1, Almadén, 13400 Ciudad Real, Spain.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Sep 5;18(17):9369. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18179369.
The derelict Remance gold mine is a possible source of pollution with potentially toxic elements (PTEs). In the study area, diverse mine waste has been left behind and exposed to weather conditions, and poses risks for soil, plants and water bodies, and also for the health of local inhabitants. This study sought to perform an ecological and health risk assessment of derelict gold mining areas with incomplete remediation, including: (i) characterizing the geochemical distribution of PTEs; (ii) assessing ecological risk by estimating the pollution load index (PLI) and potential ecological risk index (RI); (iii) assessing soil health by dehydrogenase activity; and iv) establishing non-carcinogenic (HI) and carcinogenic risks (CR) for local inhabitants. Soil health seems to depend on not only PTE concentrations, but also on organic matter (OM). Both indexes (PLI and RI) ranged from high to extreme near mining and waste accumulation sites. As indicated by both the HI and CR results, the mining area poses a health risk for local inhabitants and particularly for children. For this reason, it will be necessary to set up environmental management programs in the areas that are most affected (tailings and surrounding areas) and accordingly establish the best remediation strategies to minimize risks for the local population.
废弃的 Remance 金矿是潜在有毒元素 (PTE) 污染的可能来源。在研究区域内，留下了各种矿渣并暴露于天气条件下，对土壤、植物和水体构成了风险，也对当地居民的健康构成了威胁。本研究旨在对未完全修复的废弃金矿进行生态和健康风险评估，包括：(i) 描述 PTE 地球化学分布特征；(ii) 通过估计污染负荷指数 (PLI) 和潜在生态风险指数 (RI) 评估生态风险；(iii) 通过脱氢酶活性评估土壤健康；(iv) 为当地居民建立非致癌 (HI) 和致癌风险 (CR)。土壤健康似乎不仅取决于 PTE 浓度，还取决于有机质 (OM)。这两个指数（PLI 和 RI）在靠近采矿和废物堆积处从高到极高。根据 HI 和 CR 的结果，矿区对当地居民，特别是儿童构成健康风险。因此，有必要在受影响最大的地区（尾矿和周边地区）制定环境管理计划，并相应地制定最佳的修复策略，以最大程度地降低当地居民的风险。
