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Environmental risk increase due to heavy metal contamination caused by a copper mining activity in Southern Brazil

Overview of attention for article published in Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências, June 2001
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Title
Environmental risk increase due to heavy metal contamination caused by a copper mining activity in Southern Brazil
Published in
Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências, June 2001
DOI 10.1590/s0001-37652001000200011
Pubmed ID
Authors

EDISON D. BIDONE, LUCIANO LAYBAUER, ZULEICA C. CASTILHOS, JOHN L. MADDOCK

Abstract

The Camaquã Copper Mines (CCM) were the main sulphide deposit in Southern Brazil and have been in operation from last century to 1996. To evaluate water contamination and environmental risk increase by heavy metals from mining operations, two points on the João Dias Creek were sampled (Station 1, background area and Station 2, contaminated area). Mining activity increased the natural weakly heavy metal fluxes by approximately 5424 kg. (approximately 60%) of the total metal flux, 1542 kg. (approximately 49%) of dissolved and 3881 kg (approximately 66%) of particulate metal flux. Total metal flux of anthropic origin was mostly due to Fe followed by Cu > Zn > Mn whereas Cd, As and Pb fluxes were negligible. The potential human health hazards and risk assessment related to daily intake of water from João Dias Creek are mostly due to Mn and should be of concern for the contaminated area. The ingestion of water from station 2 represents incremental risks of 130% and 59% respectively, considering the non-carcinogenic and the carcinogenic effects. The real increase of human health hazards may be greater than those related to the total concentrations since Mn and As dissolved concentrations were 5.5 and 2.0 higher than acceptable, respectively.

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Mendeley readers

The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 60 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Brazil 3 5%
United States 1 2%
Unknown 56 93%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Master 10 17%
Researcher 10 17%
Student > Bachelor 8 13%
Student > Postgraduate 8 13%
Student > Ph. D. Student 4 7%
Other 11 18%
Unknown 9 15%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Agricultural and Biological Sciences 12 20%
Environmental Science 9 15%
Medicine and Dentistry 9 15%
Earth and Planetary Sciences 5 8%
Engineering 4 7%
Other 11 18%
Unknown 10 17%