Investigation and risk assessment modeling of As and other heavy metals contamination around five abandoned metal mines in Korea |
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Authors: | Ju-Yong?Kim Email author" target="_blank">Kyoung-Woong?KimEmail author Joo?Sung?Ahn Ilwon?Ko Cheol-Hyo?Lee |
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Institution: | (1) Arsenic Geoenvironment Laboratory (NRL), Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, 500-712, South Korea;(2) Groundwater and Geothermal Resources Division, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, Daejeon, 305–350, Korea;(3) Environmental Research Center, OIKOS Co., Ltd, Room 1007, Daeryung Techno Town Building 8-Cha, 481-11, 153-775 Gasan-dong, Geumcheon-gu, Seoul, South Korea |
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Abstract: | Tailings, agricultural soils, vegetables and groundwater samples were collected from abandoned metal mines (Duckum, Dongil,
Dongjung, Myoungbong and Songchun mines) in Korea. Total concentrations of arsenic (As) and heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn)
were analyzed to investigate the contamination level. Several digestion methods (Toxicity characteristics leaching procedure
(TCLP), synthetic precipitation leaching procedure (SPLP), 0.1 N/1 N HCl) and sequential extraction analysis for mine tailings
were conducted to examine the potential leachability of As and heavy metals from the tailings. The order of urgent remediation
for the studied mines based on the risk assessment and remedial goals was suggested.
The Songchun mine tailings were most severely contaminated by As and heavy metals. Total concentrations of As and Pb in the
tailings were 38,600–58,700 mg/kg (av. 47,400 mg/kg) and 11,800–16,800 mg/kg (av. 14,600 mg/kg), respectively. Agricultural
soils having high As concentrations were found at the all mines. Average concentrations of Cd in the vegetables exceeded the
normal value at all mines areas, while As only at the Dongjung, Myoungbong, and Songchun mine area. One groundwater sample
each from the Dongil and Myoungbong mines, and 4 groundwater samples from the Songchun mine had values above 10 μg/L of As
concentration.
The TCLP method revealed that only Pb in the Songchun tailings, 6.49 mg/L, exceeded the regulatory level (5 mg/L). Employing
the 1-N HCl digestion method, the concentration of As in the Songchun mine tailings, 4,250 mg/kg, was up to 3,000 times higher
than its Korean countermeasure standard. Results from the sequential extraction of As in the tailings showed that the easily
releasable fraction in the Myoungbong and Songchun mine tailings was more than 30% and the residual fraction was less than
40%.
Based on results showing the exposure health risk employing the hazard quotient and cancer risk of As, Cd and Zn, the Dongil
mine needs the most urgent remedial action. The concentration reduction factor (CRF) of As in both soil and groundwater follows
the order: Songchun>Dongjung>Dongil>Myoungbong>Duckum mine. |
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Keywords: | abandoned mine As health risk assessment heavy metals leacheability remediation tailings |
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