The nature and significance of public exposure to arsenic: a review of its relevance to South West England

In South West England, more than two hundred years of intensive exploitation of metalliferous ore deposits, combined with the natural processes of pedogenesis from mineral-rich parent rocks, has resulted in the creation of a aignificant area of arsenic-contaminated wastes and soils. The scale of arsenic dispersion by natural and anthropogenic processes is such that 722 km² of land contains concentrations of arsenic in excess of 110 g g^–1, more than twice the maximum that might be expected in a normal soil.The general rationale for the clean-up of derelict and contaminated mining sites often includes aesthetic factors and the desirability of preventing the dispersion of contaminants beyond the site boundaries. Only in extreme cases is public health directly invoked as justification for remediation. In South West England, if arsenic constitutes a genuine threat to the public, an increased rate of site remediation would be justified. The primary purpose of this review is to establish whether or not widespread arsenic contamination (principally of soils) has any measurable effects on public health in South West England, and how this might affect current contaminated site remediation policy. The review is based on data from previous research in the region, and other relevant international studies of mining and smelting communities, and other populations exposed to elevated arsenic concentrations. The literature reviewed also includes the determination of the extent and sources of contamination, and pathways between source and man.While the contamination of potable waters in some countries has led to measurable health effects, this scenario has not yet been identified in South West England, and there is little reason to believe that significantly contaminated potable water supplies would escape detection for extended periods of time under the current monitoring regime.In relative terms (based on both globaland local data), one of the most significant links between contaminated soils and humans appears to be contaminated food stuffs. In absolute terms, such exposure is low due to the natural constraints on arsenic uptake by herbage, cereal crops and vegetables, and the food chain does not appear to have been significantly compromised in South West England. Chronic health effects are unlikely as excessive arsenic concentrations in locally grown food crops remain rare.With the problems of confounding medical and social factors, it is not surprising that studies in South West England have failed to identify chronic exposure to arsenic at very low concentrations as a significant health risk. Those studies that indicate otherwise do not stand up to close scrutiny. It appears that the number of additional deaths arising from the widespread arsenic contamination in South West England is small. The relative benefits of a costly statistical study to actually determine the number of additional deaths might be considered minimal, but one major area could benefit from further studies: the sensitivity of certain population sub-groups to environmental arsenic exposure. Of particular interest are children, for whom significant exposure to arsenic via soil ingestion may be occurring.Based on available information, there appears to be no justification for a large programme of site remediation. Resources should, however, be expended on enlightening the general public, and private and governmental organisations as regards the gap between the perceived and actual significance of arsenic contamination in South West England.To whom correspondence should be addressed.     

三江源区草场生态恶化原因新解

上世纪60年代以来三江源区草场“三化”明显,生态恶化,究其原因,既有自然因素的影响,又有人类活动的作用。通过比较分析有测量记录的气温、降雨和年末牲畜存栏数、采金、挖虫草(Cordycepssinensis)规模的变化及其与草原植被覆盖度变化的关系,文章为人为成因说提供了更为翔实可靠的证据。结论:超载是1957—1979年间、采金子和挖虫草是1980—2004年间草场生态恶化的主要原因。     

炼铁上料系统除尘设计体会点滴

就炼铁高炉矿槽除尘系统的方式，提出了一些革新的措施，涉及到阀门、吸气罩、风幕及控制方法等     

新疆赛都糜棱岩型金矿的矿石矿物学特征

本文首次详细论述了赛都糜棱岩型金矿的矿石类型、矿石组构和金属矿物的特征，对金矿物特征和金的赋存状态作了详细描述，并在矿石矿物学分析基础上提出了该金矿的矿化阶段。     

三门火山盆地的层状矿床及其与盆地形成演化的关系

浙江三门中生代火山——沉积盆地的形成演化可分四个阶段。每一阶段均伴产有不同成因和各具特色的金属矿床,显示了陆相火山作用较为完整的成矿体系。其中层状矿床具有同生和后生的双重特征,多成因,多来源,是较典型的火山沉积——后期热液迭加改造型矿床。本文着重介绍它的主要特征及盆地的形成演化对火山成因矿床的控制。     

负载型金催化剂用于室温下CO的消除

从催化活性、抗潮湿、抗硫中毒、稳定性等方面考察了负载型金催化剂对于ＣＯ氧化反应的性能。筛选出的２－３催化剂可在－２２℃下完全消除ＣＯ，并且在催化活性、抗潮湿、抗硫中毒、稳定性等方面具有现行催化剂无法比拟的优点。     

改性粉煤灰在处理锑矿选矿废水中的应用

针对锑矿选矿废水中锑和丁基黄原酸钠严重超标的问题,用酸改性粉煤灰对其进行吸附处理.试验结果表明,当改性粉煤灰处理选矿废水的最佳质量体积比(g.mL-1)为1:100,pH值为3,静置时间为4h时,可以将选矿废水中的锑浓度从28.611mg.L-1降到0.05mg.L-1以下,去除率达99.8%以上;废水中的丁基黄原酸钠浓度可从0.373mg.L-1降到0.02mg.L-1以下,去除率达95.0%以上.处理废水后的改性粉煤灰用硫酸-硝酸浸提,浸出液中重金属离子浓度均低于国家浸出毒性标准,表明改性粉煤灰是一种很好的锑矿选矿废水处理剂.     

河南遂平石寨铺铁矿区地球物理特征及找矿远景

遂平石寨铺铁矿区位于河南省隧平县境内,属于沉积变质型铁矿,含铁层位是太古界太华岩群。依据地球物理特征及物探高精度磁法工作结果,与舞阳铁矿成矿条件对比,预测西北部找矿远景较好。     

无污染碘化法提金工艺条件及再生研究

以大兴安岭地区呼玛金矿含银氧化矿为原材料,探讨了碘化提金的工艺条件,并对碘的再生方式进行了研究。研究表明,常温条件下当浸出时间为3 h,液固比为5:1,碘含量达到0.8%,pH值在6~8的范围内时,可以得到较理想的浸金率,此时金的浸出率可达到90%以上。为了降低碘化提金的应用成本,采用锌置换金的方法使碘回收,结果显示,当锌粉的加入量为1 g,置换时间为1 h时,置换率最高,碘可以高效回收利用。     

How does eliminating mercury from artisanal and small-scale gold mining lead to achieving sustainable development goals?

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is the principal anthropogenic activity that globally contributes to overloading our environment with mercury. Although the Minamata Convention, led by the United Nations, is a crucial instrument to eliminate its use progressively, novel approaches to accelerate this difficult transition are welcome. This article proposes a framework for policy-making or improvement, fostering the enforcement of mercury elimination through the lens of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing on the excluded artisanal and small-scale gold miners and their dependents. We move forward with a literature review of the Artisanal and Small Mining topic, taking each SDG as a unit of analysis. Understanding the problem as a puzzle of four sets of pieces, namely: (1) social, (2) environmental, (3) economic, and (4) institutional, the paper offers potential opportunities for the decision-makers and practitioners to accelerate the substitution of this heavy metal and develop sustainable futures for the ASGM communities. We conclude by proposing a pragmatic framework that synthesizes the means, actions, and ends to accelerate a sustainable transition.