Characterization and assessment of potential environmental risk of tailings stored in seven impoundments in the Aries river basin, Western Romania

Chemistry Central Journal

Gheorghe Borodi¹  Claudiu Tanaselia³  Michaela Ponta²  Tiberiu Frentiu²  Erika Levei³ 

[1]National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, 65-103 Donath, 400293, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

[2]Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Babes-Bolyai University, 11 Arany Janos, 400028, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

[3]INCDO-INOE 2000, Research Institute for Analytical Instrumentation, 67 Donath, 400293, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

关键词: Multivariate statistics;    Environmental risk;    Acid rock drainage;    Hazardous/priority hazardous metal;    Tailings;   

Others  :  787987
DOI  :  10.1186/1752-153X-7-5

 received in 2012-10-30, accepted in 2013-01-08,  发布年份 2013

【 摘 要 】

Background

The objective of this study was to examine the potential environmental risk of tailings resulted after precious and base metal ores processing, stored in seven impoundments located in the Aries river basin, Romania. The tailings were characterized by mineralogical and elemental composition, contamination indices, acid rock drainage generation potential and water leachability of hazardous/priority hazardous metals and ions. Multivariate statistical methods were used for data interpretation.

Results

Tailings were found to be highly contaminated with several hazardous/priority hazardous metals (As, Cu, Cd, Pb), and pose potential contamination risk for soil, sediments, surface and groundwater. Two out of the seven studied impoundments does not satisfy the criteria required for inert wastes, shows acid rock drainage potential and thus can contaminate the surface and groundwater. Three impoundments were found to be highly contaminated with As, Pb and Cd, two with As and other two with Cu. The tailings impoundments were grouped based on the enrichment factor, geoaccumulation index, contamination factor and contamination degree of 7 hazardous/priority hazardous metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) considered typical for the studied tailings. Principal component analysis showed that 47% of the elemental variability was attributable to alkaline silicate rocks, 31% to acidic S-containing minerals, 12% to carbonate minerals and 5% to biogenic elements. Leachability of metals and ions was ascribed in proportion of 61% to silicates, 11% to acidic minerals and 6% to the organic matter. A variability of 18% was attributed to leachability of biogenic elements (Na, K, Cl^-, NO₃^-) with no potential environmental risk. Pattern recognition by agglomerative hierarchical clustering emphasized the grouping of impoundments in agreement with their contamination degree and acid rock drainage generation potential.

Conclusions

Tailings stored in the studied impoundments were found to be contaminated with some hazardous/ priority hazardous metals, fluoride and sulphate and thus presents different contamination risk for the environment. A long term monitoring program of these tailings impoundments and the expansion of the ecologization measures in the area is required.

【 授权许可】

   
2013 Levei et al.; licensee Chemistry Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

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