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Soil pollution by a pyrite mine spill in Spain: evolution in time
J Aguilar1, C Dorronsoro, E Fernández
1Soil Science Department, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Campus Fuentenueva s/n, 18002 Granada, Spain. aguilar@ugr.es
Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)
|August 25, 2004
Summary
Soil pollution from the Aznalcóllar pyrite mine spill persisted for years. Remediation efforts showed that soil homogenization is the most effective method for reducing arsenic contamination.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Soil Science
- Geochemistry
Background:
- The Aznalcóllar pyrite mine spill (1998-2001) caused significant soil pollution.
- Heavy metals including arsenic (As), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), and lead (Pb) were analyzed.
- Pollution assessment included total, soluble, and bioavailable metal concentrations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate soil pollution levels post-Aznalcóllar mine spill.
- To assess the effectiveness of remediation measures, including clean-up and liming.
- To identify optimal strategies for reducing soil contamination.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of total, water-soluble, and EDTA-extractable (bioavailable) arsenic, zinc, cadmium, copper, and lead.
- Application of remediation techniques: soil clean-up and amendment with liming.
- Monitoring of pollution levels in acidic and basic soil sectors over three years.
Main Results:
- Significant levels of total arsenic remained in 50-70% of acidic soils and 25-30% of basic soils after three years.
- Water-soluble arsenic exceeded the limit in 15-20% of all soils.
- Bioavailable arsenic (EDTA-extractable) exceeded limits only in acidic soil sectors.
Conclusions:
- Remediation efforts, including clean-up and liming, did not fully resolve arsenic soil pollution.
- Homogenization of the upper 20-25 cm of soil is identified as the most effective measure for pollution reduction.
- Continued monitoring and targeted remediation are crucial for mitigating long-term environmental impacts.
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