EGU21-13995, updated on 04 Mar 2021
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-13995
EGU General Assembly 2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Geochemical characteristics and water pollution by Potentially Toxic Elements at the Varatec creek, Baiut mining area, Romania.

Diego Santanna1, Ampurire Aryampa2, Gyozo Jordan3, Damian Gheorghe4, and Csaba Szabo5
Diego Santanna et al.
  • 1Eotvos University Budapest, Geography and Earth Sciences, Petrology and Geochemistry, Budapest, Hungary (dsantanna@student.elte.hu)
  • 2Natural Resource Conservation Network, Uganda
  • 3Department of Applied Chemistry, Szent István University, Villányi út 35-43, 1118, Budapest, Hungary
  • 4Technical University of Cluj Napoca, North University Centre of Baia Mare, Baia Mare, Maramures, Romania
  • 5Eotvos University Budapest, Geography and Earth Sciences, Petrology and Geochemistry, Budapest, Hungary

This study provides an identification and evaluation of the Potentially Toxic Element (PTE) (Co, Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn, and Ni) sources, speciation, mobility, distribution patterns, enrichment, and relationships along the Varatic Creek and its tributaries in the Baiut Mining Area, Romania. ICP-OES trace element concentrations were measured in collected samples. The geochemical characterization of the Varatec Creek revealed that the water contains high dissolved metals, high sulfate concentrations, and low pH values, dominated by Ca+2 and SO₄2- cation and anion in streamwater.

The calculated median concentrations were much higher than  the average surface water concentrations in Europe (FOREGS) and decreased in the order of Zn(126.2μg.l-1)>>Cu(3.4μg.l-1)>Ni(1.6μg.l-1)=Cd(1.6μg.l-1)>Co(0.5μg.l-1)>Pb(0.3μg.l-1). The relative variability (MAD/median) follow the order Cd(90%)>Co(80%)=Zn(80%)>Cu(60%)=Ni(60%)>Pb(50%). The regional enrichment factor calculated as the Median/FOREGS(European level) follow the order Cd(156)>>Zn(47)>>Cu(3.8)>Pb(3)=Co(3)>Ni(0.9).

Element distribution, geochemical behavior and source, aqueous speciation modeling, and correlation analysis were performed to estimate the metal sorption to Fe-oxyhydroxide, Mn-oxyhydroxide, and sulfates. Detailed data analysis, reaction modelling and geochemical interpretation revealed two distinct groups of PTEs in the studied mining-impacted streamwater: Ni and Co seem to be associated with the geochemical background, while Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cu are originating from mining activities.

How to cite: Santanna, D., Aryampa, A., Jordan, G., Gheorghe, D., and Szabo, C.: Geochemical characteristics and water pollution by Potentially Toxic Elements at the Varatec creek, Baiut mining area, Romania., EGU General Assembly 2021, online, 19–30 Apr 2021, EGU21-13995, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-13995, 2021.

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