Molecular speciation controls arsenic and lead bioaccessibility in fugitive dusts from sulfidic mine tailings.

ABSTRACT: Communities nearby mine wastes in arid and semi-arid regions are potentially exposed to high concentrations of toxic metal(loid)s from fugitive dusts deriving from impoundments. To assess the relation between potentially lofted particles and human health risk, we studied the relationship between pharmacokinetic bioaccessibility and metal(loid) molecular speciation for mine tailings dust particulate matter (PM), with elevated levels of arsenic and lead (up to 59 and 34 mmol kg^-1, respectively), by coupling in vitro bioassay (IVBA) with X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). Mine tailing efflorescent salts (PM_ES) and PM from the surface crust (0-1 cm, PM_SC) and near surface (0-25 cm) were isolated to <10 μm and <150 μm effective spherical diameter (PM

SUBMITTER: Root RA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9945096 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature