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González-Valoys AC, Jiménez Salgado JU, Rodríguez R, Monteza-Destro T, Vargas-Lombardo M, García-Noguero EM, Esbrí JM, Jiménez-Ballesta R, García-Navarro FJ, Higueras P. An approach for evaluating the bioavailability and risk assessment of potentially toxic elements using edible and inedible plants-the Remance (Panama) mining area as a model. Environ Geochem Health 2023; 45:151-170. [PMID: 34677729 PMCID: PMC9867682 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-021-01086-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Mining affects the environment, particularly through the persistence of accumulation of tailings materials; this is aggravated under tropical climatic conditions, which favours the release of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) bioavailable to the local flora and fauna and supposing a risk to human health. The Remance gold mine (Panamá), exploited intermittently for more than 100 years, and has remained derelict for over 20 years. Within the area live farmers who carry out subsistence agriculture and livestock activities. The objective of this study has been to study the transference of PTEs in the local agricultural soil-plants system, with the goal of identifying their bioavailability to perform a human risk assessment. The results obtained of the Bioaccumulation coefficient in local plants show very weak to strong absorption of As (< 0.001-1.50), Hg (< 0.001-2.38), Sb (0.01-7.83), Cu (0.02-2.89), and Zn (0.06-5.32). In the case of Cu in grass (18.3 mg kg-1) and plants (16.9 mg kg-1) the concentrations exceed the maximum authorised value in animal nutrition for ruminants (10 mg kg-1). The risk to human health for edible plants exceeds the non-carcinogenic risk for rice, corn, cassava, and tea leaves for Sb (HQ 19.450, 18.304, 6.075, 1.830, respectively), the carcinogenic risk for Cu (CR = 2.3 × 10-3, 7.7 × 10 -4, 1.1 × 10-3, 1.0 × 10-3, respectively), and the carcinogenic risk for As in rice, corn and tea leaves (CR = 8 × 10-5, 3 × 10-5, 3 × 10-5, respectively). Urgent measures are needed to alleviate these effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Cristina González-Valoys
- Centro Experimental de Ingeniería, Technological University of Panama, Vía Tocumen, 0819-07289, Panama City, Panama.
- Instituto de Geología Aplicada, Castilla-La Mancha University, EIMI Almadén. Plaza Manuel Meca 1, Almadén, 13400, Ciudad Real, Spain.
- Department of Geology & Geochemistry, Autonomous University of Madrid, University City of Cantoblanco, 28049, Madrid, Spain.
| | - José Ulises Jiménez Salgado
- Centro de Investigaciones Hidráulicas e Hidrotécnicas, Technological University of Panama, Ricardo J. Alfaro Avenue, Dr. Víctor Levi Sasso University Campus, 0819-07289, Panama City, Panama
| | - Rita Rodríguez
- Dirección de Investigación, Vicerrectoría de Investigación, Postgrado y Extensión, Technological University of Panama, Ricardo J. Alfaro Avenue, Dr. Víctor Levi Sasso University Campus, 0819-07289, Panama City, Panama
| | - Tisla Monteza-Destro
- Departamento de Geotecnia, Facultad de Ingeniería Civil, Technological University of Panama, Ricardo J. Alfaro Avenue, Dr. Víctor Levi Sasso University Campus, 0819-07289, Panama City, Panama
| | - Miguel Vargas-Lombardo
- Facultad de Ingeniería de Sistemas Computacionales, Technological University of Panama, Ricardo J. Alfaro Avenue, Dr. Víctor Levi Sasso University Campus, 0819-07289, Panama City, Panama
- SNI-SENACYT Sistema Nacional de Investigación-Secretaria Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación, Clayton, Ciudad del Saber Edif.205, 0816-02852, Panama City, Panama
| | - Eva María García-Noguero
- Instituto de Geología Aplicada, Castilla-La Mancha University, EIMI Almadén. Plaza Manuel Meca 1, Almadén, 13400, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - José María Esbrí
- Instituto de Geología Aplicada, Castilla-La Mancha University, EIMI Almadén. Plaza Manuel Meca 1, Almadén, 13400, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Raimundo Jiménez-Ballesta
- Department of Geology & Geochemistry, Autonomous University of Madrid, University City of Cantoblanco, 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Jesús García-Navarro
- Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Agrónomos de Ciudad Real, Castilla-La Mancha University, Ronda de Calatrava n° 7, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Pablo Higueras
- Instituto de Geología Aplicada, Castilla-La Mancha University, EIMI Almadén. Plaza Manuel Meca 1, Almadén, 13400, Ciudad Real, Spain
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