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- Title
The fate of metals near abandoned uranium mine wastes.
- Authors
DeVore, Cherie
- Abstract
The legacy of uranium mining activities in New Mexico has resulted in a number of abandoned mine sites that have not been adequately managed or remediated. An investigation of the chemical interactions and mobility of uranium (U) near abandoned mine wastes was performed at a site located in Laguna Pueblo, New Mexico. Compared to the U.S. EPA drinking water standard of 30 μg/L, elevated U concentrations (ranging from 65 to 710 μg/L) were observed in surface water below an abandoned uranium mine using inductively coupled mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). These U concentrations seasonally decrease (5.77-10 μg/L) downstream at a reservoir five kilometers below the mine. Our water data suggest that U forms aqueous complexes with carbonate and calcium which could contribute to U mobility. Although U concentrations in stream water are high, acid digestions (performed using hydrochloric and nitric acid) and X-Ray Fluorescence bulk analysis suggest that there is limited accumulation in stream bed and bank sediments. Additionally, individual samples show high U concentrations (20-55 mg/kg) in the roots of salt cedar plants near the mine site and translocation to the stems and leaves is minimal. Our results suggest that uptake by plants, and U sorption to wetland sediments are the dominant factors that help to decrease the U concentrations downstream of the mine. This study contributes to an understanding of the mobility of uranium in surface water and sediments close to the mine waste. This information is essential to determine human health implications resulting from exposure to these metals in neighboring communities.
- Subjects
NEW Mexico; URANIUM mine waste; URANIUM mining; TOXICOLOGICAL interactions; URANIUM in water; DRINKING water standards
- Publication
New Mexico Journal of Science, 2015, Vol 49, Issue 1, p19
- ISSN
0270-3017
- Publication type
Article