Assessment of arsenic and fluorine in surface soil to determine environmental and health risk factors in the Comarca Lagunera, Mexico. (July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sariñana-Ruiz, Yareli A.; Vazquez-Arenas, Jorge; Sosa-Rodríguez, Fabiola S.; Labastida, Israel; Armienta, Ma. Aurora; Aragón-Piña, Antonio; Escobedo-Bretado, Miguel A.; González-Valdez, Laura S.; Ponce-Peña, Patricia; Ramírez-Aldaba, Hugo; Lara, René H.
• Is Part Of: Chemosphere. Volume 178(2017)
• Page Start: 391
• Page End: 401
• Publication Date: 2017-07
• Subjects: Arsenic -- Fluorine -- Mobility -- Comarca Lagunera -- Bioaccessible concentrations; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Physiological effect -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Atmospheric chemistry -- Periodicals; 551.511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.03.032
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0045-6535

Abstract

Abstract: Total, bioaccessible and mobile concentrations of arsenic and fluorine are determined in polluted surface soil within the Comarca Lagunera region using standardized protocols to obtain a full description of the environmental behavior for these elements. The composition of mineral phases associated with them is evaluated with microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. Mineralogical characterizations indicate that ultra-fine particles (<1–5 μm) including mimetite-vanadite (Pb5 (AsO4 )3 Cl, Pb5 (AsO4, VO4 )3 Cl)-like, lead arseniate (Pb3 (AsO4 )2 )-like and complex arsenic-bearing compounds are main arsenic-bearing phases, while fluorite (CaF2 ) is the only fluorine-bearing phase. Total fluorine and arsenic concentrations in surface soil range from 89.75 to 926.63 and 2.7–78.6 mg kg −1, respectively, exceeding in many points a typical baseline value for fluorine (321 mg kg −1 ), and trigger level criterion for arsenic soil remediation (20 mg kg −1 ); whereas fluoride and arsenic concentrations in groundwater vary from 0.24 to 1.8 mg L −1 and 0.12–0.650 mg L −1, respectively. The main bioaccessible percentages of soil in the gastric phase (SBRC-G) are estimated for arsenic from 1 to 63%, and this parameter in the intestinal phase (SBRC-I) fluorine from 2 to 46%, suggesting human health risks for this region. While a negligible/low mobility is found in soil for arsenic (0.1–11%), an important mobility is determined for fluorine (2–39%), indicating environmental risk related to potential fluorine release. The environmental and health risks connected to arsenic and fluorine are discussed based on experimental data. Graphical abstract: Highlights: Quantification of total fluorine and arsenic in soil and groundwater. Assessment of the arsenic and fluorine bioaccessible phases. Identification of arsenic-bearing and fluorine-bearing compounds. Assessment of the arsenic and fluorine environmental mobility. Ecological and health risk assessment in the Comarca Lagunera region.