Characteristics of arsenic leached from sediments: Agricultural implications of abandoned mines

Abstract

Heavy metals, including arsenic from abandoned mines, are easily transported with sediment and deposited in waterbodies such as reservoirs and lakes, creating critical water quality issues when they are released. Understanding the leaching of heavy metals is necessary for developing efficient water quality improvement plans. This study investigated how arsenic leaches from different soil and sediment types and responds to hydrologic conditions to identify areas susceptible to arsenic contamination. In this study, batch-and column-leaching tests and sequential extraction procedures were used to examine arsenic leaching processes in detail. The results showed that most arsenic-loaded sediments accumulated in the vicinity of a reservoir inlet, and arsenic in reservoir beds have a higher leaching potential than those from agricultural land and stream beds. Arsenic deposited at the bottom of reservoirs had higher mobility than that in the other soils and sediments, and arsenic leaching was closely associated with the acidity of water. In addition, arsenic leaching was found to be responsive to seasons (wet or dry) as its mobilization is controlled by organic compounds that vary over time. The results suggested that temporal variations in the hydrochemical composition of reservoir water should be considered when defining a management plan for reservoir water quality.