Heavy Metal Dispersion in a Hydrological Sub-Basin as Consequence of Mining Activity in Taxco, Guerrero (Southern Mexico)
The mining industry generates high concentrations of heavy metals (HMs) susceptible to being released into surface and ground water. The objective of this work was to determine the concentration and dispersion of HMs in surface water and ground water in a hydrological sub-basin located in southwest...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Water |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/15/10/1950 |
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| author | Juan Carlos Ramírez-Javier Alejandro Hermelindo Ramírez-Guzmán Giovanni Hernández-Flores Mario Alberto Hernández Hernández Oscar Talavera-Mendoza Sergio Adrián Salgado Souto Alejandra Cortés-Silva |
| author_facet | Juan Carlos Ramírez-Javier Alejandro Hermelindo Ramírez-Guzmán Giovanni Hernández-Flores Mario Alberto Hernández Hernández Oscar Talavera-Mendoza Sergio Adrián Salgado Souto Alejandra Cortés-Silva |
| author_sort | Juan Carlos Ramírez-Javier |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The mining industry generates high concentrations of heavy metals (HMs) susceptible to being released into surface and ground water. The objective of this work was to determine the concentration and dispersion of HMs in surface water and ground water in a hydrological sub-basin located in southwest Mexico. The samples were collected as following: 24 samples from streams, rivers, and one lake, and 15 samples from springs, located along the Taxco-Cocula sub-basin. A total of 78 samples were collected in the dry and rainy seasons. Physicochemical parameters, major ions, and HMs were analyzed. The pH, Eh, electrical conductivity, and total dissolved solids were analyzed in situ, while the concentrations of anions, cations, and HMs were measured in the laboratory. The results were treated with multivariate analysis and PHREEQC simulation. The highest recorded values (in mg/L) were in surface water, where the HMs in the dry season were Al (28.63), As (0.60), Cd (1.78), Cu (1.10), Fe (68.27), Mn (21.47), Pb (0.02), and Zn (208.80). These high concentrations exceed the limits established by national and international regulations for drinking water. The ground water did not indicate pollutants associated to the mining industry. On the other hand, in the rainy season, the surface water showed a decrease in the concentrations of the measured heavy metals. The hypsometric gradient and the hydrogeological and meteorological characteristics of the Taxco-Cocula sub-basin are the factors that contribute to the dilution and dispersion of the HMs along the 60 km of its length. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:13:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-340ba877a1e34b22ba8cb74f75c8997f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:13:15Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-340ba877a1e34b22ba8cb74f75c8997f2023-11-18T03:42:46ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412023-05-011510195010.3390/w15101950Heavy Metal Dispersion in a Hydrological Sub-Basin as Consequence of Mining Activity in Taxco, Guerrero (Southern Mexico)Juan Carlos Ramírez-Javier0Alejandro Hermelindo Ramírez-Guzmán1Giovanni Hernández-Flores2Mario Alberto Hernández Hernández3Oscar Talavera-Mendoza4Sergio Adrián Salgado Souto5Alejandra Cortés-Silva6Facultad de Ecología Marina, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Av. Gran Vía Tropical No. 20, Fracc. Las Playas, Acapulco 39390, MexicoEscuela Superior de Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Ex hacienda de San Juan Bautista s/n, Taxco de Alarcón 40323, MexicoCONACYT-Escuela Superior de Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Ex Hacienda San Juan Bautista s/n, Taxco de Alarcón 40323, MexicoCONACYT-Instituto de Geofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Delegación Coyoacán, Ciudad de México 04510, MexicoEscuela Superior de Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Ex hacienda de San Juan Bautista s/n, Taxco de Alarcón 40323, MexicoEscuela Superior de Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Ex hacienda de San Juan Bautista s/n, Taxco de Alarcón 40323, MexicoInstituto de Geofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Delegación Coyoacán, Ciudad de México 04510, MexicoThe mining industry generates high concentrations of heavy metals (HMs) susceptible to being released into surface and ground water. The objective of this work was to determine the concentration and dispersion of HMs in surface water and ground water in a hydrological sub-basin located in southwest Mexico. The samples were collected as following: 24 samples from streams, rivers, and one lake, and 15 samples from springs, located along the Taxco-Cocula sub-basin. A total of 78 samples were collected in the dry and rainy seasons. Physicochemical parameters, major ions, and HMs were analyzed. The pH, Eh, electrical conductivity, and total dissolved solids were analyzed in situ, while the concentrations of anions, cations, and HMs were measured in the laboratory. The results were treated with multivariate analysis and PHREEQC simulation. The highest recorded values (in mg/L) were in surface water, where the HMs in the dry season were Al (28.63), As (0.60), Cd (1.78), Cu (1.10), Fe (68.27), Mn (21.47), Pb (0.02), and Zn (208.80). These high concentrations exceed the limits established by national and international regulations for drinking water. The ground water did not indicate pollutants associated to the mining industry. On the other hand, in the rainy season, the surface water showed a decrease in the concentrations of the measured heavy metals. The hypsometric gradient and the hydrogeological and meteorological characteristics of the Taxco-Cocula sub-basin are the factors that contribute to the dilution and dispersion of the HMs along the 60 km of its length.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/15/10/1950ground waterhydrogeochemistrymining wastesurface waterTaxco mining districtwater quality |
| spellingShingle | Juan Carlos Ramírez-Javier Alejandro Hermelindo Ramírez-Guzmán Giovanni Hernández-Flores Mario Alberto Hernández Hernández Oscar Talavera-Mendoza Sergio Adrián Salgado Souto Alejandra Cortés-Silva Heavy Metal Dispersion in a Hydrological Sub-Basin as Consequence of Mining Activity in Taxco, Guerrero (Southern Mexico) Water ground water hydrogeochemistry mining waste surface water Taxco mining district water quality |
| title | Heavy Metal Dispersion in a Hydrological Sub-Basin as Consequence of Mining Activity in Taxco, Guerrero (Southern Mexico) |
| title_full | Heavy Metal Dispersion in a Hydrological Sub-Basin as Consequence of Mining Activity in Taxco, Guerrero (Southern Mexico) |
| title_fullStr | Heavy Metal Dispersion in a Hydrological Sub-Basin as Consequence of Mining Activity in Taxco, Guerrero (Southern Mexico) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Heavy Metal Dispersion in a Hydrological Sub-Basin as Consequence of Mining Activity in Taxco, Guerrero (Southern Mexico) |
| title_short | Heavy Metal Dispersion in a Hydrological Sub-Basin as Consequence of Mining Activity in Taxco, Guerrero (Southern Mexico) |
| title_sort | heavy metal dispersion in a hydrological sub basin as consequence of mining activity in taxco guerrero southern mexico |
| topic | ground water hydrogeochemistry mining waste surface water Taxco mining district water quality |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/15/10/1950 |
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