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An openly accessible cellular automaton has been developed to predict the preferential migration pathways of contaminants by surface runoff in abandoned mining areas. The site where the validation of the results of the Contaminant Mass Transfer Cellular Automaton (CMTCA) has been carried out is situated on the steep flank of a valley in the Spanish northwestern region of Asturias, at the foot of which there is a village with 400 inhabitants, bordered by a stream that flows into a larger river just outside the village. Soil samples were collected from the steep valley flank where the mine adits and spoil heaps are situated, at the foot of the valley, and in the village, including private orchards. Water and sediment samples were also collected from both surface water courses. The concentration of 12 elements, including those associated with the Cu-Co-Ni ore, were analyzed by ICP-OES (Perkin Elmer Optima 3300DV, Waltham, MA, USA) and ICP-MS (Perkin Elmer NexION 2000, Waltham, MA, USA). The spatial representation of the model’s results revealed that those areas most likely to be crossed by soil material coming from source zones according to the CMTCA exhibited higher pollution indexes than the rest. The model also predicted where the probabilities of soil mass transfer into the stream were highest. The accuracy of this prediction was corroborated by the results of trace element concentrations in stream sediments, which, for elements associated with the mineral paragenesis (i.e., Cu, Co, Ni, and also As), increased between five- and nine-fold downstream from the predicted main transfer point. Lastly, the river into which the stream discharges is also affected by the mobilization of mined materials, as evidenced by an increase of up to 700% (in the case of Cu), between dissolved concentrations of those same elements upstream and downstream of the confluence of the river and the stream.
Fernando Barrio-Parra; Miguel Izquierdo-Díaz; Luis Jesús Fernández-Gutiérrez Del Álamo; Bárbara Biosca; Eduardo De Miguel. Modelling the Transference of Trace Elements between Environmental Compartments in Abandoned Mining Areas. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2020, 17, 5117 .
AMA StyleFernando Barrio-Parra, Miguel Izquierdo-Díaz, Luis Jesús Fernández-Gutiérrez Del Álamo, Bárbara Biosca, Eduardo De Miguel. Modelling the Transference of Trace Elements between Environmental Compartments in Abandoned Mining Areas. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020; 17 (14):5117.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFernando Barrio-Parra; Miguel Izquierdo-Díaz; Luis Jesús Fernández-Gutiérrez Del Álamo; Bárbara Biosca; Eduardo De Miguel. 2020. "Modelling the Transference of Trace Elements between Environmental Compartments in Abandoned Mining Areas." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 14: 5117.
A blind field test with 136 independent measurements of radon (222Rn) in soil air retrieved from a depth of 0.8 m in a decommissioned lindane (γ-hexachlorocyclohexane) production plant was undertaken to evaluate the performance of the 222Rn-deficit technique as a screening methodology for the location and delineation of subsurface accumulations of complex mixtures of organic contaminants. Maps of 222Rn iso-concentrations were drawn and interpreted before direct analytical information regarding concentrations of hexachlorocyclohexanes, chlorobenzenes and BTEX compounds in soil, groundwater and soil air were disclosed to the authors. The location and extension of pollution hot spots inferred from the 222Rn campaigns agrees remarkably well with the analytical data obtained from the intrusive sampling campaigns and with the location of contaminant source zones (chemical reactor and waste-storage area) and geological sinks of those contaminants (paleochannel). Two main limitations to the applicability of the 222Rn-deficit technique were identified and assessed: The statistically significant variation of 222Rn concentrations with diurnal changes of ground-level air temperature and the maximum depth of investigation in the absence of significant advective and co-advective transport of radon. If the influence of those two factors is accounted for and/or minimized (by averaging replicated measurements during the workday and in different days), the 222Rn-deficit technique has the potential to be an efficient technique which delivers information in quasi-real time, with a much higher spatial density than that of intrusive techniques, at a much faster rate and at a significantly lower cost. The 222Rn-deficit technique is an effective tool for real-time site characterization only limited by diffusion length of radon and diurnal temperature variations.
Eduardo De Miguel; F. Barrio-Parra; Miguel Izquierdo Díaz; J. Fernández; J.E. García-González; R. Álvarez. Applicability and limitations of the radon-deficit technique for the preliminary assessment of sites contaminated with complex mixtures of organic chemicals: A blind field-test. Environment International 2020, 138, 105591 .
AMA StyleEduardo De Miguel, F. Barrio-Parra, Miguel Izquierdo Díaz, J. Fernández, J.E. García-González, R. Álvarez. Applicability and limitations of the radon-deficit technique for the preliminary assessment of sites contaminated with complex mixtures of organic chemicals: A blind field-test. Environment International. 2020; 138 ():105591.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEduardo De Miguel; F. Barrio-Parra; Miguel Izquierdo Díaz; J. Fernández; J.E. García-González; R. Álvarez. 2020. "Applicability and limitations of the radon-deficit technique for the preliminary assessment of sites contaminated with complex mixtures of organic chemicals: A blind field-test." Environment International 138, no. : 105591.
This study evaluates the results of the characterization of air pollution in urban green areas using edible plants. To this purpose, we examined the effect of location (i.e., three different levels of pollution), substrate (peat moss and vermiculite), and plant species (oilseed rape [ L.] and kale [ L.]) on the accumulation of trace elements on leaves. A total of 36 samples of unwashed leaves were digested with HNO-HO and analyzed for 27 elements by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Considering the location, plants exposed next to the road showed higher contents of traffic-related elements, and additionally, outdoors samples were enriched in marine aerosol ions. Cadmium and Pb concentrations did not exceed the European legal maximum levels for vegetables, so their consumption would be safe for human health. Results support the hypothesis that edible plants such as kale and rapeseed could be used as bioindicators of atmospheric pollution.
Miguel Izquierdo Díaz; Peter E. Holm; Fernando Barrio-Parra; Eduardo De Miguel; Jonas Duus Stevens Lekfeldt; Jakob Magid. Urban Allotment Gardens for the Biomonitoring of Atmospheric Trace Element Pollution. Journal of Environmental Quality 2019, 48, 518 -525.
AMA StyleMiguel Izquierdo Díaz, Peter E. Holm, Fernando Barrio-Parra, Eduardo De Miguel, Jonas Duus Stevens Lekfeldt, Jakob Magid. Urban Allotment Gardens for the Biomonitoring of Atmospheric Trace Element Pollution. Journal of Environmental Quality. 2019; 48 (2):518-525.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMiguel Izquierdo Díaz; Peter E. Holm; Fernando Barrio-Parra; Eduardo De Miguel; Jonas Duus Stevens Lekfeldt; Jakob Magid. 2019. "Urban Allotment Gardens for the Biomonitoring of Atmospheric Trace Element Pollution." Journal of Environmental Quality 48, no. 2: 518-525.
Despite the environmental, economic and social benefits of urban gardening, there are also potential threats to human health due to the possible enrichment of urban soils in anthropic contaminants. As of today, our knowledge about the influence of population characteristics and local habits of garden use on risk estimates is incomplete. This work studies the effect of the variability of local exposure factors on the output of a risk assessment in an urban garden scenario through a probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) and an uncertainty analysis. A total of 24 soil samples and 23 samples of lettuce were collected in six urban gardens. Trace element concentration were analysed in both matrices with an atomic absorption spectrometer. Relevant exposure factors were characterized by onsite and online surveys. The results showed that the use of widely accepted, default exposure values overestimate the risk when compared with the result of an assessment with local information. In this study, the 95th percentile of the risk distribution did not exceed human health unacceptability thresholds. Exposure frequency and vegetable consumption rates were the variables to which the risk outcome was most sensitive. This study highlights the importance of characterizing urban gardeners’ local activity patterns when assessing the acceptability of urban agriculture in terms of human health.
F. Barrio-Parra; Miguel Izquierdo Díaz; A. Dominguez-Castillo; R. Medina; E. De Miguel. Human-health probabilistic risk assessment: the role of exposure factors in an urban garden scenario. Landscape and Urban Planning 2019, 185, 191 -199.
AMA StyleF. Barrio-Parra, Miguel Izquierdo Díaz, A. Dominguez-Castillo, R. Medina, E. De Miguel. Human-health probabilistic risk assessment: the role of exposure factors in an urban garden scenario. Landscape and Urban Planning. 2019; 185 ():191-199.
Chicago/Turabian StyleF. Barrio-Parra; Miguel Izquierdo Díaz; A. Dominguez-Castillo; R. Medina; E. De Miguel. 2019. "Human-health probabilistic risk assessment: the role of exposure factors in an urban garden scenario." Landscape and Urban Planning 185, no. : 191-199.
This chapter discusses the analytical protocols that have been developed to assess the bioaccessibility of contaminants potentially able to impact human health. In order to evaluate a contaminant's bioaccessibility, the physiological conditions of the gastrointestinal tract or lung environment must be reproduced in the laboratory. Most research efforts in the bioaccessibility of trace elements have taken place in the context of urban environments. Urban soil is the most thoroughly studied solid matrix in urban environments as regards the bioaccessibility of trace elements in its composition. Harmonisation of gastrointestinal and lung bioaccessibility analytical protocols should be followed by unification of criteria for how their results are used and interpreted in human health risk assessments. Failure to consider this bioaccessibility in a risk assessment leads to numerical outcomes of risk that may overestimate the real value by more than one order of magnitude.
Eduardo De Miguel; Almudena Ordóñez; Fernando Barrio-Parra; Miguel Izquierdo Díaz; Rodrigo Álvarez; Juan Mingot; Susanne M. Charlesworth. Bioaccessibility of Trace Elements in Urban Environments. Urban Pollution 2018, 107 -118.
AMA StyleEduardo De Miguel, Almudena Ordóñez, Fernando Barrio-Parra, Miguel Izquierdo Díaz, Rodrigo Álvarez, Juan Mingot, Susanne M. Charlesworth. Bioaccessibility of Trace Elements in Urban Environments. Urban Pollution. 2018; ():107-118.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEduardo De Miguel; Almudena Ordóñez; Fernando Barrio-Parra; Miguel Izquierdo Díaz; Rodrigo Álvarez; Juan Mingot; Susanne M. Charlesworth. 2018. "Bioaccessibility of Trace Elements in Urban Environments." Urban Pollution , no. : 107-118.
Street and road dusts can accumulate in road gutters and gullypots (or catchpits), as well as adhering to road and pavement surfaces. This chapter considers the sources, pathways, deposits, and hazards associated with street and road dusts, and evaluates various management strategies to reduce their impacts in urban settings. Sources of particulates can be classified into point sources and diffuse sources. As with street dust, there have been concerns with the potential of inhalation, ingestion, and dermal exposure to house dust. Urban soils can be both a source and a sink of polluted particulates. Urban soil is also disturbed regularly by processes including landscaping, construction, irrigation, and partial or complete replacement. Knowledge of the pathways and processes leading to the accumulation of such pollutants in the urban environment is vital if they are to be managed, benefiting both environmental and human health.
Susanne M. Charlesworth; Eduardo De Miguel; Almudena Ordóñez; Colin A. Booth. Insights and Issues of Trace Elements Found in Street and Road Dusts. Urban Pollution 2018, 91 -105.
AMA StyleSusanne M. Charlesworth, Eduardo De Miguel, Almudena Ordóñez, Colin A. Booth. Insights and Issues of Trace Elements Found in Street and Road Dusts. Urban Pollution. 2018; ():91-105.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSusanne M. Charlesworth; Eduardo De Miguel; Almudena Ordóñez; Colin A. Booth. 2018. "Insights and Issues of Trace Elements Found in Street and Road Dusts." Urban Pollution , no. : 91-105.
With the aim of acquiring a better knowledge of the potential for unconventional gas resources in Spain, 134 rock samples were taken from 12 lithostratigraphic units in the Cantabrian Zone (north‐west Spain) and studied for a 3‐year period. The selected units gather, a priori, the basic conditions to constitute potential source rocks for unconventional hydrocarbons. Petrographic studies and total organic carbon analyses were carried out for all samples, whereas Rock‐Eval pyrolysis and vitrinite reflectance measurements with kerogen visual analysis were performed on selected samples. Lutites, litharenites, limestones, and slates are the predominant petrographic types. In most cases, the mean total organic carbon content is below the 2% limit for good quality potential source rocks. Only the Jurassic Rodiles and Tereñes limestones show total organic carbon values above this threshold. Rock‐Eval data reveal very low potential for hydrocarbon generation in almost all cases, with the exception of the dark mudstones of the Carboniferous Barcaliente Formation and the Rodiles Formation (fair and good potential for hydrocarbon generation, respectively). As regards thermal maturation, only the Ordovician formations are located in the peak of the gas generation interval. The Barcaliente and Rodiles formations are near the frontier oil/wet gas maturation areas, and the rest of the units are immature for gas generation.
Rodrigo Álvarez; Almudena Ordóñez; Paula Canteli; Eduardo De Miguel. Unconventional gas resources in the Cantabrian Zone (NW Spain): A comprehensive preliminary assessment. Geological Journal 2018, 54, 2608 -2620.
AMA StyleRodrigo Álvarez, Almudena Ordóñez, Paula Canteli, Eduardo De Miguel. Unconventional gas resources in the Cantabrian Zone (NW Spain): A comprehensive preliminary assessment. Geological Journal. 2018; 54 (4):2608-2620.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRodrigo Álvarez; Almudena Ordóñez; Paula Canteli; Eduardo De Miguel. 2018. "Unconventional gas resources in the Cantabrian Zone (NW Spain): A comprehensive preliminary assessment." Geological Journal 54, no. 4: 2608-2620.
Persistence and bioavailability of heavy metals in soils adjacent to ancient Cu mines continues to be a possible threat to human health. However, there have been very few studies to determine this risk. Asturias (Northwest of Spain) is a Cu metallogenic province with abundant epithermal-type deposits, whose paragenetic sequences also include As, Co, Ni, Sb and Hg minerals. Several Cu mines have been worked in this region since prehistoric times and the six most significant ones are studied in this work to provide new insights into the potential for both contemporary and past contamination due to Cu mining to impact human health. The main characteristics of each deposit were defined by means of optical and scanning-electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Electron Probe Micro Analysis. These characteristics were used to better interpret the environmental results, obtained from samples of mining wastes, soils and waters, which were analyzed by means of X-ray fluorescence and ICP-MS. Many of these mines are almost forgotten, but their negative effects will endure over time, since they were abandoned long before the introduction of environmental regulations to control metal release. An inheritance of derelict mine facilities and spoil heaps still remains in the sites of this district. The spoil heaps are the main pollution sources and concentrations of up to 2.1% Cu and 0.4% As, among others, were found in the surrounding soils. The potential adverse health effects of the exposure to these elements have been assessed, finding significant risks for potential receptors, such as farmers or local residents.
R. Álvarez; A. Ordóñez; A. Pérez; E. De Miguel; S. Charlesworth. Mineralogical and environmental features of the asturian copper mining district (Spain): A review. Engineering Geology 2018, 243, 206 -217.
AMA StyleR. Álvarez, A. Ordóñez, A. Pérez, E. De Miguel, S. Charlesworth. Mineralogical and environmental features of the asturian copper mining district (Spain): A review. Engineering Geology. 2018; 243 ():206-217.
Chicago/Turabian StyleR. Álvarez; A. Ordóñez; A. Pérez; E. De Miguel; S. Charlesworth. 2018. "Mineralogical and environmental features of the asturian copper mining district (Spain): A review." Engineering Geology 243, no. : 206-217.
The applicability of radon (222Rn) measurements to delineate non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPL) contamination in subsoil is discussed at a site with lithological discontinuities through a blind test. Three alpha spectroscopy monitors were used to measure radon in soil air in a 25,000-m2 area, following a regular sampling design with a 20-m2 grid. Repeatability and reproducibility of the results were assessed by means of duplicate measurements in six sampling positions. Furthermore, three points not affected by oil spills were sampled to estimate radon background concentration in soil air. Data histograms, Q-Q plots, variograms, and cluster analysis allowed to recognize two data populations, associated with the possible path of a fault and a lithological discontinuity. Even though the concentration of radon in soil air was dominated by this discontinuity, the characterization of the background emanation in each lithological unit allowed to distinguish areas potentially affected by NAPL, thus justifying the application of radon emanometry as a screening technique for the delineation of NAPL plumes in sites with lithological discontinuities.
Eduardo De Miguel; Fernando Barrio-Parra; Javier Elio; Miguel Izquierdo-Díaz; Jerónimo Emilio García-González; Luis Felipe Mazadiego; Rafael Medina. Applicability of radon emanometry in lithologically discontinuous sites contaminated by organic chemicals. Environmental Science and Pollution Research 2018, 25, 20255 -20263.
AMA StyleEduardo De Miguel, Fernando Barrio-Parra, Javier Elio, Miguel Izquierdo-Díaz, Jerónimo Emilio García-González, Luis Felipe Mazadiego, Rafael Medina. Applicability of radon emanometry in lithologically discontinuous sites contaminated by organic chemicals. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 2018; 25 (20):20255-20263.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEduardo De Miguel; Fernando Barrio-Parra; Javier Elio; Miguel Izquierdo-Díaz; Jerónimo Emilio García-González; Luis Felipe Mazadiego; Rafael Medina. 2018. "Applicability of radon emanometry in lithologically discontinuous sites contaminated by organic chemicals." Environmental Science and Pollution Research 25, no. 20: 20255-20263.
Water is one of the receptors most affected by the impacts caused, especially in the case of mining sulphides and, to a lesser extent, of coal. Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) is the main problem associated with these mining operations, producing extremely high impacts, and in many cases irreversible impacts, until now. A new concept of mining can make this activity compatible with the environmental preservation and also to the recovery of the environment affected by the old mining operations that today are in the process of reopening. This new concept implicates the paradigm of Circular Mining as a derivative of the concept of Circular Economy, considered as a strategy that aims to reduce both the entry of materials and the production of virgin waste, closing the “loops” or economic and ecological flows of resources. The present work discusses the paradigm of Circular Mining, focused on the Iberian Pyrite Belt, one of the most paradigmatic metallogenetic regions in the world. Based on some examples, expeditious calculations show the possibility of recovering base metals as well as strategic elements from acid mine drainage, thus obtaining important economic assets.
J. A. Grande; M. Santisteban; Maria Luisa DE LA Torre; J. C. Fortes; Eduardo De Miguel; J. Curiel; J. M. Dávila; Bárbara Biosca. The paradigm of Circular Mining in the world: the Iberian Pyrite Belt as a potential scenario of interaction. Environmental Earth Sciences 2018, 77, 391 .
AMA StyleJ. A. Grande, M. Santisteban, Maria Luisa DE LA Torre, J. C. Fortes, Eduardo De Miguel, J. Curiel, J. M. Dávila, Bárbara Biosca. The paradigm of Circular Mining in the world: the Iberian Pyrite Belt as a potential scenario of interaction. Environmental Earth Sciences. 2018; 77 (10):391.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJ. A. Grande; M. Santisteban; Maria Luisa DE LA Torre; J. C. Fortes; Eduardo De Miguel; J. Curiel; J. M. Dávila; Bárbara Biosca. 2018. "The paradigm of Circular Mining in the world: the Iberian Pyrite Belt as a potential scenario of interaction." Environmental Earth Sciences 77, no. 10: 391.
The present work studies the efficiency of alkaline activated persulfate (PS) to remediate an aged diesel fuel contaminated soil from a train maintenance facility. The Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) concentration in soil was approximately 5000 mg kg− 1 with a ratio of aliphatic:aromatic compounds of 70:30. Aromatic compounds were mainly naphtalenes and phenanthrenes. The experiments were performed in batch mode where different initial concentrations of persulfate (105 mM, 210 mM and 420 mM) and activator:persulfate ratios (2 and 4) were evaluated, with NaOH used as activator. Runs were carried out during 56 days. Complete TPH conversion was obtained with the highest concentration of PS and activator, whereas in the other runs the elimination of fuel ranged between 60 and 77%. Besides, the abatement of napthalenes and phenantrenes was faster than aliphatic reduction (i. e. after 4 days of treatment, the conversions of the aromatic compounds were around 0.8 meanwhile the aliphatic abatements were 0.55) and no aromatic oxidation intermediates from naphtalenes or phenantrenes were detected. These results show that this technology is effective for the remediation of aged diesel in soil with alkaline pH.
Miguel Angel Lominchar; A. Santos; Eduardo De Miguel; A. Romero. Remediation of aged diesel contaminated soil by alkaline activated persulfate. Science of The Total Environment 2017, 622-623, 41 -48.
AMA StyleMiguel Angel Lominchar, A. Santos, Eduardo De Miguel, A. Romero. Remediation of aged diesel contaminated soil by alkaline activated persulfate. Science of The Total Environment. 2017; 622-623 ():41-48.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMiguel Angel Lominchar; A. Santos; Eduardo De Miguel; A. Romero. 2017. "Remediation of aged diesel contaminated soil by alkaline activated persulfate." Science of The Total Environment 622-623, no. : 41-48.
A total of 74 samples of soil, sediment, industrial sludge, and surface water were collected in a Mediterranean estuarine system in order to assess the potential ecological impact of elevated concentrations of Co and Mn associated with a Terephthalic (PTA) and Isophthalic (PIPA) acids production plant. Samples were analyzed for elemental composition (37 elements), pH, redox potential, organic carbon, and CaCO3 content, and a group of 16 selected samples were additionally subjected to a Tessier sequential extraction. Co and Mn soil concentrations were significantly higher inside the industrial facility and around its perimeter than in background samples, and maximum dissolved Co and Mn concentrations were found in a creek near the plant’s discharge point, reaching values 17,700 and 156 times higher than their respective background concentrations. The ecological risk was evaluated as a function of Co and Mn fractionation and bioavailability which were controlled by the environmental conditions generated by the advance of seawater into the estuarine system during high tide. Co appeared to precipitate near the river mouth due to the pH increase produced by the influence of seawater intrusion, reaching hazardous concentrations in sediments. In terms of their bioavailability and the corresponding risk assessment code, both Co and Mn present sediment concentrations that result in medium to high ecological risk whereas water concentrations of both elements reach values that more than double their corresponding Secondary Acute Values.
F. Barrio-Parra; Javier Elío; E. De Miguel; J. E. García-González; M. Izquierdo; R. Álvarez. Environmental risk assessment of cobalt and manganese from industrial sources in an estuarine system. Environmental Geochemistry and Health 2017, 40, 737 -748.
AMA StyleF. Barrio-Parra, Javier Elío, E. De Miguel, J. E. García-González, M. Izquierdo, R. Álvarez. Environmental risk assessment of cobalt and manganese from industrial sources in an estuarine system. Environmental Geochemistry and Health. 2017; 40 (2):737-748.
Chicago/Turabian StyleF. Barrio-Parra; Javier Elío; E. De Miguel; J. E. García-González; M. Izquierdo; R. Álvarez. 2017. "Environmental risk assessment of cobalt and manganese from industrial sources in an estuarine system." Environmental Geochemistry and Health 40, no. 2: 737-748.
In order to characterize the influence of environmental factors in dust metal loadings inside homes in an urban environment and to evaluate the associated potential health risks, samples of settled indoor dust from 10 apartments in the urban area of Madrid (Spain) were collected with wet wipes. Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, and Mn loads were determined by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) after a HNO3 + H2O2 digestion. The environmental factors evaluated were load distribution between rooms, number of residents, presence of smokers, traffic intensity, apartment elevation, and frequency of house cleaning. Tukey’s range test and stepwise multiple linear regression analysis revealed that metal dust loadings present two prevailing origins: (1) They present higher loadings in the entry hall, which suggest that dust is tracked indoors adhered to footwear and clothing and (2) they arise from tobacco smoking. Significant correlations were also observed between metal loadings and traffic intensity (Cr), number of residents (Cr, Pb, and Cu), number of days between cleaning (Ni), and flat height (Mn). A human health risk assessment considering a mechanistic hand-to-mouth model for dust ingestion and dermal absorption revealed that urban children are not expected to develop adverse health effects from exposure to trace elements in household dust. The contribution of this exposure scenario to the overall received dose should be included when assessing the background exposure of children to trace elements. A more precise assessment should attempt to reduce the significant uncertainty of the risk model output associated with estimates of exposure variables, deposition rates, and metal bioaccessibility.
F. Barrio-Parra; Eduardo De Miguel; S. Lázaro-Navas; A. Gómez; M. Izquierdo. Indoor Dust Metal Loadings: A Human Health Risk Assessment. Exposure and Health 2017, 10, 41 -50.
AMA StyleF. Barrio-Parra, Eduardo De Miguel, S. Lázaro-Navas, A. Gómez, M. Izquierdo. Indoor Dust Metal Loadings: A Human Health Risk Assessment. Exposure and Health. 2017; 10 (1):41-50.
Chicago/Turabian StyleF. Barrio-Parra; Eduardo De Miguel; S. Lázaro-Navas; A. Gómez; M. Izquierdo. 2017. "Indoor Dust Metal Loadings: A Human Health Risk Assessment." Exposure and Health 10, no. 1: 41-50.
Abandoned and flooded mines constitute underground reservoirs which must be managed. When pumping is stopped in a closed mine, the process of flooding should be anticipated in order to avoid environmentally undesirable or unexpected mine water discharges at the surface, particularly in populated areas. The Candín-Fondón mining reservoir in Asturias (NW Spain) has an estimated void volume of 8 million m(3) and some urban areas are susceptible to be flooded if the water is freely released from the lowest mine adit/pithead. A conceptual model of this reservoir was undertaken and the flooding process was numerically modelled in order to estimate the time that the flooding would take. Additionally, the maximum safe height for the filling of the reservoir is discussed.
R. Álvarez; A. Ordóñez; E. De Miguel; C. Loredo. Prediction of the flooding of a mining reservoir in NW Spain. Journal of Environmental Management 2016, 184, 219 -228.
AMA StyleR. Álvarez, A. Ordóñez, E. De Miguel, C. Loredo. Prediction of the flooding of a mining reservoir in NW Spain. Journal of Environmental Management. 2016; 184 ():219-228.
Chicago/Turabian StyleR. Álvarez; A. Ordóñez; E. De Miguel; C. Loredo. 2016. "Prediction of the flooding of a mining reservoir in NW Spain." Journal of Environmental Management 184, no. : 219-228.
The authors discuss the geochemical behavior of arsenic (As), antimony (Sb), and selenium (Se) in urban gardens and the human health implications associated with urban agriculture. A total of 42 samples from 7 urban gardens in Madrid, Spain, were collected from the top 20 cm of soil. Concentrations of As, Sb, and Se and the main soil properties (i.e., total iron, pH, texture, calcium carbonate, and organic matter) were determined. A significant correlation was found between As and Sb and calcium carbonate, indicating the possibility of surface adsorption or ligand exchange with the carbonate group. Also, Sb seemed to form stable chelates with soil organic matter. On the other hand, Se showed a significant association with clay and iron content. The concentration of Sb in soil exceeded the recommended value for agricultural use in 70% of the urban gardens. A human health risk assessment resulted in acceptable levels of both noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risks (although with elevated values of the latter), with As as the main risk driver and soil and food ingestion as the main exposure pathways. The numerical results of the risk assessment should be interpreted with caution given the considerable uncertainties in some exposure variables and the lack of quantitative values for the suspected carcinogenicity of Sb and Se. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;9999:1–7. © 2016 SETAC
Eduardo De Miguel; Miguel Izquierdo; Amaia Gómez; Juan Mingot; Fernando Barrio-Parra. Risk assessment from exposure to arsenic, antimony, and selenium in urban gardens (Madrid, Spain). Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 2016, 36, 544 -550.
AMA StyleEduardo De Miguel, Miguel Izquierdo, Amaia Gómez, Juan Mingot, Fernando Barrio-Parra. Risk assessment from exposure to arsenic, antimony, and selenium in urban gardens (Madrid, Spain). Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. 2016; 36 (2):544-550.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEduardo De Miguel; Miguel Izquierdo; Amaia Gómez; Juan Mingot; Fernando Barrio-Parra. 2016. "Risk assessment from exposure to arsenic, antimony, and selenium in urban gardens (Madrid, Spain)." Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 36, no. 2: 544-550.
Extensive spatial and temporal surveys, over 15 years, have been conducted in soil in urban parks and street dusts in one of the most polluted cities in western Europe, Avilés (NW Spain). The first survey was carried out in 1996, and since then monitoring has been undertaken every five years. Whilst the sampling site is a relatively small town, industrial activities (mainly the steel industry and Zn and Al metallurgy) and other less significant urban sources, such as traffic, strongly affect the load of heavy metals in the urban aerosol. Elemental tracers have been used to characterise the influence of these sources on the composition of soil and dust. Although PM10 has decreased over these years as a result of environmental measures undertaken in the city, some of the “industrial” elements still remain in concentrations of concern for example, up to 4.6% and 0.5% of Zn in dust and soil, respectively. Spatial trends in metals such as Zn and Cd clearly reflect sources from the processing industries. The concentrations of these elements across Europe have reduced over time, however the most recent results from Avilés revealed an upward trend in concentration for Zn, Cd, Hg and As. A risk assessment of the soil highlighted As as an element of concern since its cancer risk in adults was more than double the value above which regulatory agencies deem it to be unacceptable. If children were considered to be the receptors, then the risk nearly doubles from this element
A. Ordóñez; R. Álvarez; E. De Miguel; S. Charlesworth. Spatial and temporal variations of trace element distribution in soils and street dust of an industrial town in NW Spain: 15years of study. Science of The Total Environment 2015, 524-525, 93 -103.
AMA StyleA. Ordóñez, R. Álvarez, E. De Miguel, S. Charlesworth. Spatial and temporal variations of trace element distribution in soils and street dust of an industrial town in NW Spain: 15years of study. Science of The Total Environment. 2015; 524-525 ():93-103.
Chicago/Turabian StyleA. Ordóñez; R. Álvarez; E. De Miguel; S. Charlesworth. 2015. "Spatial and temporal variations of trace element distribution in soils and street dust of an industrial town in NW Spain: 15years of study." Science of The Total Environment 524-525, no. : 93-103.
Pseudo-total (i.e. aqua regia extractable) and gastric-bioaccessible (i.e. glycine + HCl extractable) concentrations of Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn were determined in a total of 48 samples collected from six community urban gardens of different characteristics in the city of Madrid (Spain). Calcium carbonate appears to be the soil property that determines the bioaccessibility of a majority of those elements, and the lack of influence of organic matter, pH and texture can be explained by their low levels in the samples (organic matter) or their narrow range of variation (pH and texture). A conservative risk assessment with bioaccessible concentrations in two scenarios, i.e. adult urban farmers and children playing in urban gardens, revealed acceptable levels of risk, but with large differences between urban gardens depending on their history of land use and their proximity to busy areas in the city center. Only in a worst-case scenario in which children who use urban gardens as recreational areas also eat the produce grown in them would the risk exceed the limits of acceptability.
M. Izquierdo; E. De Miguel; Marcelo Ortega; J. Mingot. Bioaccessibility of metals and human health risk assessment in community urban gardens. Chemosphere 2015, 135, 312 -318.
AMA StyleM. Izquierdo, E. De Miguel, Marcelo Ortega, J. Mingot. Bioaccessibility of metals and human health risk assessment in community urban gardens. Chemosphere. 2015; 135 ():312-318.
Chicago/Turabian StyleM. Izquierdo; E. De Miguel; Marcelo Ortega; J. Mingot. 2015. "Bioaccessibility of metals and human health risk assessment in community urban gardens." Chemosphere 135, no. : 312-318.
Colombia is one of the largest per capita mercury polluters in the world as a consequence of its artisanal gold mining activities. The severity of this problem in terms of potential health effects was evaluated by means of a probabilistic risk assessment carried out in the twelve departments (or provinces) in Colombia with the largest gold production. The two exposure pathways included in the risk assessment were inhalation of elemental Hg vapors and ingestion of fish contaminated with methyl mercury. Exposure parameters for the adult population (especially rates of fish consumption) were obtained from nation-wide surveys and concentrations of Hg in air and of methyl-mercury in fish were gathered from previous scientific studies. Fish consumption varied between departments and ranged from 0 to 0.3 kg d?1. Average concentrations of total mercury in fish (70 data) ranged from 0.026 to 3.3 lg g?1. A total of 550 individual measurements of Hg in workshop air (ranging from menor queDL to 1 mg m?3) and 261 measurements of Hg in outdoor air (ranging from menor queDL to 0.652 mg m?3) were used to generate the probability distributions used as concentration terms in the calculation of risk. All but two of the distributions of Hazard Quotients (HQ) associated with ingestion of Hg-contaminated fish for the twelve regions evaluated presented median values higher than the threshold value of 1 and the 95th percentiles ranged from 4 to 90. In the case of exposure to Hg vapors, minimum values of HQ for the general population exceeded 1 in all the towns included in this study, and the HQs for miner-smelters burning the amalgam is two orders of magnitude higher, reaching values of 200 for the 95th percentile. Even acknowledging the conservative assumptions included in the risk assessment and the uncertainties associated with it, its results clearly reveal the exorbitant levels of risk endured not only by miner-smelters but also by the general population of artisanal gold mining communities in Colombia
Eduardo De Miguel; Diana Clavijo; Marcelo Ortega; Amaia Gómez. Probabilistic meta-analysis of risk from the exposure to Hg in artisanal gold mining communities in Colombia. Chemosphere 2014, 108, 183 -189.
AMA StyleEduardo De Miguel, Diana Clavijo, Marcelo Ortega, Amaia Gómez. Probabilistic meta-analysis of risk from the exposure to Hg in artisanal gold mining communities in Colombia. Chemosphere. 2014; 108 ():183-189.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEduardo De Miguel; Diana Clavijo; Marcelo Ortega; Amaia Gómez. 2014. "Probabilistic meta-analysis of risk from the exposure to Hg in artisanal gold mining communities in Colombia." Chemosphere 108, no. : 183-189.
A total of 32 samples of surficial soil were collected from 16 playground areas in Madrid (Spain), in order to investigate the importance of the geochemistry of the soil on subsequent bioaccessibility of trace elements. The in vitro bioaccessibility of As, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn was evaluated by means of two extraction processes that simulate the gastric environment and one that reproduces a gastric + intestinal digestion sequence. The results of the in vitro bioaccessibility were compared against aqua regia extractions (“total” concentration), and it was found that total concentrations of As, Cu, Pb and Zn were double those of bioaccessible values, whilst that of Cr was ten times higher. Whereas the results of the gastric + intestinal extraction were affected by a high uncertainty, both gastric methods offered very similar and consistent results, with bioaccessibilities following the order: As = Cu = Pb = Zn > Co > Ni > Cr, and ranging from 63 to 7 %. Selected soil properties including pH, organic matter, Fe and CaCO3 content were determined to assess their influence on trace element bioaccessibility, and it was found that Cu, Pb and Zn were predominantly bound to organic matter and, to a lesser extent, Fe oxides. The former fraction was readily accessible in the gastric solution, whereas Fe oxides seemed to recapture negatively charged chloride complexes of these elements in the gastric solution, lowering their bioaccessibility. The homogeneous pH of the playground soils included in the study does not influence trace element bioaccessibility to any significant extent except for Cr, where the very low gastric accessibility seems to be related to the strongly pH-dependent formation of complexes with organic matter. The results for As, which have been previously described and discussed in detail in Mingot et al. (Chemosphere 84: 1386–1391, 2011), indicate a high gastric bioaccessibility for this element as a consequence of its strong association with calcium carbonate and the ease with which these bonds are broken in the gastric solution. The calculation of risk assessments are therefore dependant on the methodology used and the specific environment they address. This has impacts on management strategies formulated to ensure that the most vulnerable of society, children, can live and play without adverse consequences to their health.
Eduardo De Miguel; Juan Mingot; Enrique Chacón; Susanne Charlesworth. The relationship between soil geochemistry and the bioaccessibility of trace elements in playground soil. Environmental Geochemistry and Health 2012, 34, 677 -687.
AMA StyleEduardo De Miguel, Juan Mingot, Enrique Chacón, Susanne Charlesworth. The relationship between soil geochemistry and the bioaccessibility of trace elements in playground soil. Environmental Geochemistry and Health. 2012; 34 (6):677-687.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEduardo De Miguel; Juan Mingot; Enrique Chacón; Susanne Charlesworth. 2012. "The relationship between soil geochemistry and the bioaccessibility of trace elements in playground soil." Environmental Geochemistry and Health 34, no. 6: 677-687.
Three methodologies to assess As bioaccessibility were evaluated using playground soil collected from 16 playgrounds in Madrid, Spain: two (Simplified Bioaccessibility Extraction Test: SBET, and hydrochloric acid-extraction: HCl) assess gastric-only bioaccessibility and the third (Physiologically Based Extraction Test: PBET) evaluates mouth–gastric–intestinal bioaccessibility. Aqua regia-extractable (pseudo total) As contents, which are routinely employed in risk assessments, were used as the reference to establish the following percentages of bioaccessibility: SBET – 63.1; HCl – 51.8; PBET – 41.6, the highest values associated with the gastric-only extractions. For Madrid playground soils – characterised by a very uniform, weakly alkaline pH, and low Fe oxide and organic matter contents – the statistical analysis of the results indicates that, in contrast with other studies, the highest percentage of As in the samples was bound to carbonates and/or present as calcium arsenate. As opposed to the As bound to Fe oxides, this As is readily released in the gastric environment as the carbonate matrix is decomposed and calcium arsenate is dissolved, but some of it is subsequently sequestered in unavailable forms as the pH is raised to 5.5 to mimic intestinal conditions. The HCl extraction can be used as a simple and reliable (i.e. low residual standard error) proxy for the more expensive, time consuming, and error-prone PBET methodology. The HCl method would essentially halve the estimate of carcinogenic risk for children playing in Madrid playground soils, providing a more representative value of associated risk than the pseudo-total concentrations used at present.
Juan Mingot; Eduardo De Miguel; Enrique Chacón. Assessment of oral bioaccessibility of arsenic in playground soil in Madrid (Spain): A three-method comparison and implications for risk assessment. Chemosphere 2011, 84, 1386 -1391.
AMA StyleJuan Mingot, Eduardo De Miguel, Enrique Chacón. Assessment of oral bioaccessibility of arsenic in playground soil in Madrid (Spain): A three-method comparison and implications for risk assessment. Chemosphere. 2011; 84 (10):1386-1391.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJuan Mingot; Eduardo De Miguel; Enrique Chacón. 2011. "Assessment of oral bioaccessibility of arsenic in playground soil in Madrid (Spain): A three-method comparison and implications for risk assessment." Chemosphere 84, no. 10: 1386-1391.