{"title":"From tailings to tables:risk assessment of potentially toxic elements in edible crops cultivated in mine tailing impacted soils.","authors":"Amanda Duim Ferreira, Heloisa Farineli Corveloni, Alexys Friol Boim, Hermano Melo Queiroz, Tamires Patrícia Souza, Xosé L Otero, Ângelo Fraga Bernardino, Tiago Osorio Ferreira","doi":"10.1007/s10653-025-02770-9","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The deposition of mine tailings in agricultural ecosystems raises concerns about the risks to human health, particularly in areas where the dissolution of mineral phases can release potentially toxic elements (PTEs). Soils and crops cultivated in the Rio Doce estuary, which has been receiving iron-rich mine tailings since 2015, were collected in August 2021 to evaluate the total concentrations of PTEs in cultivated plant species (cocoa, cassava, and bananas) in the estuary. We estimated the risks of consuming these products by calculating the Hazard Quotient (HQ), Hazard Index (HI), and Total Hazard Index (THI). Our results showed that the Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Pb concentrations in all edible parts of the plants exceeded the threshold values in all the crops studied (cocoa beans, banana fruits, and cassava rhizomes). In addition, there was a possible non-carcinogenic risk associated with the consumption of banana fruits by children (THI > 1). For adults, there was no probable risk of consuming the products from the studied plants (HQ, HI, and THI < 1). In conclusion, the association between PTEs and Fe oxides, which often act to reduce PTEs' phytoavailability, was not an efficient mechanism in the studied area. This inefficiency raises concerns regarding the risk associated with food production in such environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":11759,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Geochemistry and Health","volume":"47 11","pages":"473"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Environmental Geochemistry and Health","FirstCategoryId":"93","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-025-02770-9","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"ENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The deposition of mine tailings in agricultural ecosystems raises concerns about the risks to human health, particularly in areas where the dissolution of mineral phases can release potentially toxic elements (PTEs). Soils and crops cultivated in the Rio Doce estuary, which has been receiving iron-rich mine tailings since 2015, were collected in August 2021 to evaluate the total concentrations of PTEs in cultivated plant species (cocoa, cassava, and bananas) in the estuary. We estimated the risks of consuming these products by calculating the Hazard Quotient (HQ), Hazard Index (HI), and Total Hazard Index (THI). Our results showed that the Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Pb concentrations in all edible parts of the plants exceeded the threshold values in all the crops studied (cocoa beans, banana fruits, and cassava rhizomes). In addition, there was a possible non-carcinogenic risk associated with the consumption of banana fruits by children (THI > 1). For adults, there was no probable risk of consuming the products from the studied plants (HQ, HI, and THI < 1). In conclusion, the association between PTEs and Fe oxides, which often act to reduce PTEs' phytoavailability, was not an efficient mechanism in the studied area. This inefficiency raises concerns regarding the risk associated with food production in such environments.
期刊介绍：
Environmental Geochemistry and Health publishes original research papers and review papers across the broad field of environmental geochemistry. Environmental geochemistry and health establishes and explains links between the natural or disturbed chemical composition of the earth’s surface and the health of plants, animals and people.
Beneficial elements regulate or promote enzymatic and hormonal activity whereas other elements may be toxic. Bedrock geochemistry controls the composition of soil and hence that of water and vegetation. Environmental issues, such as pollution, arising from the extraction and use of mineral resources, are discussed. The effects of contaminants introduced into the earth’s geochemical systems are examined. Geochemical surveys of soil, water and plants show how major and trace elements are distributed geographically. Associated epidemiological studies reveal the possibility of causal links between the natural or disturbed geochemical environment and disease. Experimental research illuminates the nature or consequences of natural or disturbed geochemical processes.
The journal particularly welcomes novel research linking environmental geochemistry and health issues on such topics as: heavy metals (including mercury), persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and mixed chemicals emitted through human activities, such as uncontrolled recycling of electronic-waste; waste recycling; surface-atmospheric interaction processes (natural and anthropogenic emissions, vertical transport, deposition, and physical-chemical interaction) of gases and aerosols; phytoremediation/restoration of contaminated sites; food contamination and safety; environmental effects of medicines; effects and toxicity of mixed pollutants; speciation of heavy metals/metalloids; effects of mining; disturbed geochemistry from human behavior, natural or man-made hazards; particle and nanoparticle toxicology; risk and the vulnerability of populations, etc.
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