Heavy Metal Speciation, and the Evaluation and Remediation of Polluted Mine Wastes and Soils

  • Aguirre Gómez A
  • Eugenia Gutiérrez Ruiz M
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Abstract

The chapter exposes how a sound methodology can be instrumented to both, biogeochemically speciate heavy metal (HM) polluted mine wastes and soils, and to develop solid strategies to agriculturally stabilize and remediate HM-polluted terrestrial environments. Using single-and sequential extraction procedures, polluted environments can be chemically speciated to successfully remediate impacted sites. Once metal(loid) toxic levels are determined, common amendments (compost, P-fertilizers, lime, gypsum) can be added to abate HM levels, and to re-sustain vegetation, based on bioassay results of HM-sensitive plants. The approach addresses first: a) a discussion of concepts and relevant chemistry that apply to study mine tailing materials and soils, via single or multiple HM-fractionation schemes; b) characterizing chemically mine tailings and soils, in terms of the metal(loid)-sorption-complexing affinities, and c) creating a "fertile environment" by agriculturally reconditioning the HM-polluted acidic mine waste to allow the vegetation regrowth, based on bioassay test performance. Results of two successful cases of study are included; one showing the use of single extraction procedures to evaluate phytoavailable/toxic HM levels to agriculturally remediate polluted sites, and another showing the role of sequential extraction procedures to discriminate heavy metal (loid)s of a spill from other metal deposits of the same ore.

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APA

Aguirre Gómez, A., & Eugenia Gutiérrez Ruiz, M. (2023). Heavy Metal Speciation, and the Evaluation and Remediation of Polluted Mine Wastes and Soils. In Heavy Metals - Recent Advances. IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.110412

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