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- Title
The environmental quality of sediments of rivers near prospection areas of semiprecious rocks.
- Authors
da Silva, Paulo Roberto Bairros; Nora, Francisco Ernesto Dalla; de Castro, Rodrigo José; Wastowski, Arci Dirceu; Mauad, Frederico Fabio
- Abstract
Mineral exploration areas are recognized for negatively affecting site environmental quality. The recent contaminations in the cities of Brumadinho, Mariana, Santo Antônio do Grama (Minas Gerais), and Barcarena (Pará) point to the seriousness of this issue in Brazil. However, studies on the influence of mining tailings from the extraction of semiprecious rocks on the quality of the sediments of water systems are rare. The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of mining activities (amethyst, quartz, agate, calcite, and gypsum) on the quality of the sediments of Rio de Várzea, southern Brazil, the biggest region of amethyst rock extraction in the world. The concentrations of the chemical species Al2O3, SiO2, P2O5, K2O, CaO, TiO2, Fe2O3, Cr, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, Zr, Ba, Cd, and Pb were determined by the technique energy-dispersive X-ray emission spectrometry (EDXRF). In the study, moderate contamination of the sediments of the Várzea River was demonstrated by means of background strategies (contamination factor, enrichment factor, and geoaccumulation index). Statistical analysis with the use of ANOVA, Tukey test, and principal component analysis revealed significant differences of concentrations of the chemical species of the sediments at the exit of the mining zone in relation to the other study areas.
- Subjects
BRAZIL; RIVER sediment quality; ENVIRONMENTAL quality; TRACE elements; LEAD oxides; PROSPECTING; RIVER sediments; MULTIPLE correspondence analysis (Statistics)
- Publication
Environmental Monitoring & Assessment, 2019, Vol 191, Issue 6, pN.PAG
- ISSN
0167-6369
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s10661-019-7456-6