Deciphering Sb Sources and Transport Processes in a Mining and Smelting-Impacted River System (Oruro, Bolivia): Insights from Sb Isotopes

IF 3 4区环境科学与生态学 Q2 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Pub Date : 2025-08-11 DOI:10.1007/s11270-025-08445-6

Colin Ferrari, Eléonore Resongles, Rémi Freydier, Marizol Flores, Mauricio Ormachea, Gerardo Zamora Echenique, Corinne Casiot

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Antimony (Sb) is a contaminant of increasing concern; its sources and fate in the environment require particular attention and its isotopes could be useful geochemical tracers. In this study, Sb isotopic composition was investigated along two rivers impacted by mining and smelting activities in the city of Oruro (Bolivia). Antimony concentration and isotope ratio were measured in water, suspended particulate matter and sediments during two contrasted seasons along a gradient of pH (from 1.6 to 6.5) and Sb concentration (from 8057 to 7 µg.L⁻¹). Antimony isotopic composition varied over a range of ~ 1 ‰ considering all sample types (-0.09 ≤ δ¹²³Sb ≤ + 0.93 ‰). The main stream impacted by acid mine drainage showed a progressive increase of δ¹²³Sb in the dissolved phase (+ 0.42 to + 0.70 ‰), concomitant to Fe precipitation and Sb concentration decrease. This suggested that natural Sb attenuation by sorption onto neoformed Fe oxyhydroxysulphates was involved as this process favours light isotopes in the solid (Δ¹²³Sb_{water-sediments} averaged + 0.3 ‰). Smelting-impacted tributary exhibited lighter dissolved Sb (+ 0.29 ≤ δ¹²³Sb ≤ + 0.36 ‰). Lake Uru-Uru which receives both rivers exhibited a δ¹²³Sb value of + 0.28 ‰ in the wet season and + 0.55 ‰ in the dry season, which might reflect different contributions of the AMD- and smelter-impacted rivers. The study reveals, for the first time, the impact of two distinct anthropogenic sources on antimony (Sb) isotopic composition on a water body and provides new insights into the ability of antimony isotopes to trace sources and processes in contaminated aquatic systems.

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破译Sb来源和运输过程在采矿和冶炼影响的河流系统（奥鲁罗，玻利维亚）：从Sb同位素的见解

锑（Sb）是一种日益受到关注的污染物；它的来源和在环境中的命运需要特别注意，它的同位素可能是有用的地球化学示踪剂。本研究对玻利维亚奥鲁罗市受采矿和冶炼活动影响的两条河流进行了Sb同位素组成研究。在pH（1.6 ~ 6.5）和Sb浓度（8057 ~ 7µg.L−1）的梯度下，测定了两个季节水体、悬浮颗粒物和沉积物中锑的浓度和同位素比值。考虑到所有样品类型，锑同位素组成在~ 1‰范围内变化（-0.09≤δ123Sb≤+ 0.93‰）。受酸性矿井水影响的干流溶解相δ123Sb逐渐升高（+ 0.42 ~ + 0.70‰），并伴有Fe的析出和Sb浓度的降低。这表明Sb通过吸附在新形成的铁氧羟基硫酸盐上的自然衰减参与其中，因为这一过程有利于固体中的轻同位素（Δ123Sbwater-sediments平均+ 0.3‰）。熔炼冲击支流溶解Sb较轻（+ 0.29≤δ123Sb≤+ 0.36‰）。两河交汇的乌鲁-乌鲁湖的δ123Sb值丰水期为+ 0.28‰，枯水期为+ 0.55‰，这可能反映了两河的影响程度不同。该研究首次揭示了两种不同的人为来源对水体中锑（Sb）同位素组成的影响，并为锑同位素在受污染水生系统中追踪来源和过程的能力提供了新的见解。

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来源期刊

Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 环境科学-环境科学

CiteScore

4.50

自引率

6.90%

发文量

448

审稿时长

2.6 months

期刊介绍： Water, Air, & Soil Pollution is an international, interdisciplinary journal on all aspects of pollution and solutions to pollution in the biosphere. This includes chemical, physical and biological processes affecting flora, fauna, water, air and soil in relation to environmental pollution. Because of its scope, the subject areas are diverse and include all aspects of pollution sources, transport, deposition, accumulation, acid precipitation, atmospheric pollution, metals, aquatic pollution including marine pollution and ground water, waste water, pesticides, soil pollution, sewage, sediment pollution, forestry pollution, effects of pollutants on humans, vegetation, fish, aquatic species, micro-organisms, and animals, environmental and molecular toxicology applied to pollution research, biosensors, global and climate change, ecological implications of pollution and pollution models. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution also publishes manuscripts on novel methods used in the study of environmental pollutants, environmental toxicology, environmental biology, novel environmental engineering related to pollution, biodiversity as influenced by pollution, novel environmental biotechnology as applied to pollution (e.g. bioremediation), environmental modelling and biorestoration of polluted environments. Articles should not be submitted that are of local interest only and do not advance international knowledge in environmental pollution and solutions to pollution. Articles that simply replicate known knowledge or techniques while researching a local pollution problem will normally be rejected without review. Submitted articles must have up-to-date references, employ the correct experimental replication and statistical analysis, where needed and contain a significant contribution to new knowledge. The publishing and editorial team sincerely appreciate your cooperation. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution publishes research papers; review articles; mini-reviews; and book reviews.