Open AccessMetal(loid) bioaccessibility of atmospheric particulate matter from mine tailings at Zimapan, Mexico
Author(s) -
Jesús Eulises Corona Sánchez,
Ma. del Carmen A. González-Chávez,
Rogelio Carrillo-González,
Kirk G. Scheckel,
Daniel TapiaMaruri,
José Luis García Cúe
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
environmental science and pollution research international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.845
H-Index - 113
eISSN - 1614-7499
pISSN - 0944-1344
DOI - 10.1007/s11356-020-11887-6
Subject(s) - environmental chemistry , particulates , tailings , metal , chemistry , pollutant , genetic algorithm , environmental science , ecology , organic chemistry , biology
Metal(loid)s are contaminants of concern emitted as particulate matter (PM) from several pollution sources. The objective was to characterize potential exposure from local airborne metal(loid)s in a community in proximity to mine tailings. Air samples were collected weekly at five sites around the municipal mine tailings using two Hi-volume samplers for simultaneously collecting PM 10 and PM 2.5 . Total suspended particulates (TSP), concentrations, speciation, and bioaccessibility of metal(loid)s were quantified. The size and form of particles were determined by scanning electron microscopy. The concentration of TSP (μg m -3 ) in the airborne samples ranged from 21.2 to 64.6 for PM 2.5 and 23.6 to 80.1 for PM 10 . The profiles of analyzed quasi-total metal(loid) concentration from all sampling sites were similar between these aerosols PM sizes except at site 2 for Cd, at site 3 for Cu, and site 4 for Zn. The order of quasi-total metal(loid) concentration, in the airborne samples for both PM sizes, was As > Zn > Fe > Pb > Cu > Mn > Cd. As speciation included As-sulfite, As(III)-O, and As(V)-O with less concentration of As(III)-O in both PM sizes. Bioaccessible metal(loid) concentrations were very high and represented a great percentage from the quasi-total airborne concentrations, for instance, 10% and 37% for Pb and 8% and 6% for As in pulmonary and gastric bioaccessible concentrations, respectively. Knowing the toxic effects of these pollutants, there is an urgent need to establish environmental regulation of bioaccessible pollutant concentrations from PM dislodged from uncovered metal(loid) mine tailings affecting not only nearby human populations but also possible long-distance ecosystem transport.