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Published on: February 21, 2017
Heavy metal migration dynamics and solid-liquid distribution strategy in abandoned tailing soils
Bohan Wu1, Quan Wan1, Xiao Li1
1Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural & Rural Pollution Abatement and Environmental Safety, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
Heavy metals (HMs) in mine tailings migrate from larger soil particles to finer ones, increasing environmental risk. Increasing larger particle size fractions can reduce this heavy metal migration risk.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Soil Science
- Geochemistry
Background:
- Abandoned sulfur-iron mines release tailings with high heavy metal (HM) concentrations.
- Soil particle size fractions (PSFs) influence HM mobility, but research often overlooks scale-specific behavior.
- Understanding HM solid-liquid distribution across PSFs is crucial for risk assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the solid-liquid distribution of HMs in tailings across different PSFs and locations.
- To elucidate the role of PSFs and environmental factors in HM migration.
- To identify strategies for mitigating HM risks in contaminated mine soils.
Main Methods:
- Soil samples collected from upstream (XWA), migration path (XWB), and downstream (XWC) of an abandoned mine.
- Samples fractionated into sand, silt, clay, colloid, and dissolved fractions.
- Analysis of HM distribution and influence of inorganic elements, organic matter, and glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP).
Main Results:
- PSFs composition significantly controls HM solid-liquid distribution.
- In mining areas, larger particles are HM sinks; downstream, finer particles increase HM mobility.
- Inorganic elements (Mg, Al, Fe), organic matter, and GRSP regulate HM distribution within PSFs.
Conclusions:
- HM migration is linked to the shift from coarse to fine PSFs along the tailings pathway.
- Increasing the proportion of larger PSFs can effectively reduce HM migration risk.
- Tailings management strategies should consider PSFs to control heavy metal contamination.
