Geologic and anthropogenic sources of contamination in settled dust of a historic mining port city in northern Chile: health risk implications
Chile is the leading producer of copper worldwide and its richest mineral deposits are found in the Antofagasta Region of northern Chile. Mining activities have significantly increased income and employment in the region; however, there has been little assessment of the resulting environmental impac...
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| Format: | Article |
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PeerJ Inc.
2018-04-01
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| Online Access: | https://peerj.com/articles/4699.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797417837263847424 |
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| author | Joseline S. Tapia Jorge Valdés Rodrigo Orrego Andrei Tchernitchin Cristina Dorador Aliro Bolados Chris Harrod |
| author_facet | Joseline S. Tapia Jorge Valdés Rodrigo Orrego Andrei Tchernitchin Cristina Dorador Aliro Bolados Chris Harrod |
| author_sort | Joseline S. Tapia |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Chile is the leading producer of copper worldwide and its richest mineral deposits are found in the Antofagasta Region of northern Chile. Mining activities have significantly increased income and employment in the region; however, there has been little assessment of the resulting environmental impacts to residents. The port of Antofagasta, located 1,430 km north of Santiago, the capital of Chile, functioned as mineral stockpile until 1998 and has served as a copper concentrate stockpile since 2014. Samples were collected in 2014 and 2016 that show elevated concentrations of As, Cu, Pb, and Zn in street dust and in residents’ blood (Pb) and urine (As) samples. To interpret and analyze the spatial variability and likely sources of contamination, existent data of basement rocks and soil geochemistry in the city as well as public-domain airborne dust were studied. Additionally, a bioaccessibility assay of airborne dust was conducted and the chemical daily intake and hazard index were calculated to provide a preliminary health risk assessment in the vicinity of the port. The main conclusions indicate that the concentrations of Ba, Co, Cr, Mn, Ni, and V recorded from Antofagasta dust likely originate from intrusive, volcanic, metamorphic rocks, dikes, or soil within the city. However, the elevated concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Mo, Pb, and Zn do not originate from these geologic outcrops, and are thus considered anthropogenic contaminants. The average concentrations of As, Cu, and Zn are possibly the highest in recorded street dust worldwide at 239, 10,821, and 11,869 mg kg−1, respectively. Furthermore, the contaminants As, Pb, and Cu exhibit the highest bioaccessibilities and preliminary health risk indices show that As and Cu contribute to elevated health risks in exposed children and adults chronically exposed to dust in Antofagasta, whereas Pb is considered harmful at any concentration. Therefore, an increased environmental awareness and greater protective measures are necessary in Antofagasta and possibly other similar mining port cities in developing countries. |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:25:29Z |
| publishDate | 2018-04-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-0260dc889f29459da88de455e979af3c2023-12-03T11:20:45ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592018-04-016e469910.7717/peerj.4699Geologic and anthropogenic sources of contamination in settled dust of a historic mining port city in northern Chile: health risk implicationsJoseline S. Tapia0Jorge Valdés1Rodrigo Orrego2Andrei Tchernitchin3Cristina Dorador4Aliro Bolados5Chris Harrod6Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, ChileInstituto de Ciencias Naturales Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, ChileInstituto de Ciencias Naturales Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, ChileLaboratorio de Endocrinología Experimental y Patología Ambiental ICBM, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, ChileDepartamento de Biotecnología and Instituto Antofagasta, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, ChileDepartamento de Medio Ambiente, Colegio Médico de Chile, Santiago, ChileInstituto de Ciencias Naturales Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, ChileChile is the leading producer of copper worldwide and its richest mineral deposits are found in the Antofagasta Region of northern Chile. Mining activities have significantly increased income and employment in the region; however, there has been little assessment of the resulting environmental impacts to residents. The port of Antofagasta, located 1,430 km north of Santiago, the capital of Chile, functioned as mineral stockpile until 1998 and has served as a copper concentrate stockpile since 2014. Samples were collected in 2014 and 2016 that show elevated concentrations of As, Cu, Pb, and Zn in street dust and in residents’ blood (Pb) and urine (As) samples. To interpret and analyze the spatial variability and likely sources of contamination, existent data of basement rocks and soil geochemistry in the city as well as public-domain airborne dust were studied. Additionally, a bioaccessibility assay of airborne dust was conducted and the chemical daily intake and hazard index were calculated to provide a preliminary health risk assessment in the vicinity of the port. The main conclusions indicate that the concentrations of Ba, Co, Cr, Mn, Ni, and V recorded from Antofagasta dust likely originate from intrusive, volcanic, metamorphic rocks, dikes, or soil within the city. However, the elevated concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Mo, Pb, and Zn do not originate from these geologic outcrops, and are thus considered anthropogenic contaminants. The average concentrations of As, Cu, and Zn are possibly the highest in recorded street dust worldwide at 239, 10,821, and 11,869 mg kg−1, respectively. Furthermore, the contaminants As, Pb, and Cu exhibit the highest bioaccessibilities and preliminary health risk indices show that As and Cu contribute to elevated health risks in exposed children and adults chronically exposed to dust in Antofagasta, whereas Pb is considered harmful at any concentration. Therefore, an increased environmental awareness and greater protective measures are necessary in Antofagasta and possibly other similar mining port cities in developing countries.https://peerj.com/articles/4699.pdfCopper concentrateMiningPolymetallic ores stockpilesContaminant sourceCity dustRisk strategies |
| spellingShingle | Joseline S. Tapia Jorge Valdés Rodrigo Orrego Andrei Tchernitchin Cristina Dorador Aliro Bolados Chris Harrod Geologic and anthropogenic sources of contamination in settled dust of a historic mining port city in northern Chile: health risk implications PeerJ Copper concentrate Mining Polymetallic ores stockpiles Contaminant source City dust Risk strategies |
| title | Geologic and anthropogenic sources of contamination in settled dust of a historic mining port city in northern Chile: health risk implications |
| title_full | Geologic and anthropogenic sources of contamination in settled dust of a historic mining port city in northern Chile: health risk implications |
| title_fullStr | Geologic and anthropogenic sources of contamination in settled dust of a historic mining port city in northern Chile: health risk implications |
| title_full_unstemmed | Geologic and anthropogenic sources of contamination in settled dust of a historic mining port city in northern Chile: health risk implications |
| title_short | Geologic and anthropogenic sources of contamination in settled dust of a historic mining port city in northern Chile: health risk implications |
| title_sort | geologic and anthropogenic sources of contamination in settled dust of a historic mining port city in northern chile health risk implications |
| topic | Copper concentrate Mining Polymetallic ores stockpiles Contaminant source City dust Risk strategies |
| url | https://peerj.com/articles/4699.pdf |
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