HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Schuwirth, N. Articles by Hofmann, T. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Schuwirth, N. Articles by Hofmann, T. GeoRef GeoRef Citation Agricola Articles by Schuwirth, N. Articles by Hofmann, T. Related Collections Mining Wastes Heavy Metals Soil Pollution

TECHNICAL REPORTS

Heavy Metals in the Environment

Vertical Distribution and Speciation of Trace Metals in Weathering Flotation Residues of a Zinc/Lead Sulfide Mine

^a Institute of Geosciences, Mainz Univ., Becherweg 21, D-55099, Mainz, Germany. Present address: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), CH-8600 Duebendorf, Switzerland
^b Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zurich, Universitätstrasse 16 CHN, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
^c Vienna Univ., Center of Earth Sciences, Dep. of Environmental Geoscience, Althanstraße 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria

^* Corresponding author (thilo.hofmann{at}univie.ac.at)

Received for publication April 13, 2006. Sulfide-bearing mine tailings are a serious environmental problem around the world. In this study, the vertical distribution and speciation of Zn and Pb in the fine-grained flotation residues of a former sulfide ore mine in Germany were investigated to assess the inorganic weathering processes that effect the environmental risk arising from this site. Total metal contents were determined by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF). Mobilizable fractions of Zn, Pb, Fe, and Mn were quantified by sequential chemical extractions (SCE). Furthermore, the speciation of Zn was analyzed by Zn K-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS) to identify the residual Zn species. The variations in pH and inorganic C content show an acidification of the topsoil to pH 5.5. EXAFS results confirm that Zn is mainly bound in sphalerite in the subsoil and weathering reactions lead to a redistribution of Zn in the topsoil. A loss of 35% Zn and S from the topsoil compared with the parent material with 10 g kg^–1 Zn and neutral pH has been observed. If acidification proceeds it will lead to a significant release of Zn, S, and Pb to the ground water. In contrast to Zn, Pb is enriched in the mobile fraction of the topsoil by more than a factor of two compared with the subsoil which contains a total of 2 g kg^–1 Pb. Thus, the high bioavailability of Pb and the potential for Pb uptake by plants and animals currently represent the most severe threat for environmental health.

Abbreviations: SCE, sequential chemical extractions • EXAFS, extended X-ray adsorption fine structure spectroscopy • LCF, linear combination fit • TOC, total organic carbon • TIC, total inorganic carbon