The rupture of a mining dam in southeastern Brazil in 2015 was the country's greatest environmental tragedy. In order to evaluate the ecological risks of the mine tailings on the Rio Doce estuary, this study assessed trace metal contamination and sediment quality indices up to 2.9 y after the dam rupture. Surface sediments were collected from 17 stations on the Rio Doce estuary and Cd, Pb, Cr, Zn, Cu, and As concentrations were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP‐OES). Four ecological risk indices (modified contamination degree [mCd], pollution load index [PLI], risk index [RI], and sediment quality guideline quotient [SQG‐Q]) suggest a high risk by metal contamination with possible adverse biological effects, with moderate seasonal variability. Based on a precautionary approach, our results support fisheries closures and the need for public health monitoring in the affected areas, and support other studies that suggest chronic metal contamination of the Rio Doce estuary. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2020;16:655–660. © 2020 SETAC

中文翻译：

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Rio Doce河口金属和准金属污染的生态风险。

2015年，巴西东南部的一座采矿水坝破裂，是该国最大的环境悲剧。为了评估Rio Doce河口矿山尾矿的生态风险，本研究评估了大坝破裂后长达2.9年的痕量金属污染和沉积物质量指数。从里约多西河口的17个站点收集了表面沉积物，并通过电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱法（ICP-OES）确定了Cd，Pb，Cr，Zn，Cu和As的浓度。四个生态风险指数（改良的污染度[mCd]，污染负荷指数[PLI]，风险指数[RI]和沉积物质量准则商[SQG-Q]）表明金属污染具有高风险，可能会产生不利的生物学影响，适度的季节性变化。基于预防措施，Integr环境评估管理2020； 16：655-660。©2020 SETAC