Abstract Taltal is a commune located in Northern Chile, where former activities in copper ores processing left large amounts of mining waste enriched with potentially toxic elements, PTE. A soil pollution assessment using geochemistry and spatial distribution maps was conducted. A total of 101 surrounding soil samples from 3 abandoned mining waste sites (S1, S2, and S3) were taken to determine their content of PTE (Cu, Mo, Sb, Hg, Pb, Ni, Co, As, Mn, Cr, Cd, and Zn) and major elements. As guideline values of PTE in soils have not been established, the soil pollution index (PI) was assessed by comparing the soil PTE concentrations with the regional geochemical baseline (GBL) values and, for the first time, health risk for residents near Taltal city was evaluated. The measured PTE concentrations (mgkg-1) were Cu 18-6740, Mo 0.2-44, Sb 0.2-90, Hg 0.005-47, Pb 2.8-1,510, Ni 7.0-138, Co 1.1-77.1, As 4.2-2,691, Mn 83.4-11,400, Cr 7.7-46.1, Cd 0.05-23, and Zn 14.1-1,394. Spatial distributions maps showed greatly polluted zones and under special concern are the concentrations of As, Co, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Hg, Cd and Zn, which exceeded the GBL, the world-soil average and the USEPA and Finnish soil guidelines. Arsenic in site S2 and Cu and Pb in site S3 are the key factor that influences the potential ecological risk. Moreover, As in sites S1 and S2, and As, Pb and Cu in site S3 may pose non-carcinogenic effects for adults and children. Total cancer risk values were above the acceptable risk limit due to As, Cr, and Cd in sites S1 and S2, and due to As, Cr, Cd and Pb in site S3. Site S3, the largest abandoned site, represents the main environmental concern because of its high volume of waste and content of PTE. Based on the results, it can be suggested that the abandoned mining waste were dispersed and are the source of soil pollution in Taltal city. It is concluded that the abandoned mining waste sites have led to substantial contamination of the surrounding soils with As, Cu, Pb, Cr and Cd, which exceed ecological and/or human health risk guideline concentrations.

中文翻译：

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位于智利北部塔尔塔尔的废弃采矿废料周围土壤中潜在有毒元素的分布

摘要 Taltal 是位于智利北部的一个公社，在那里以前的铜矿石加工活动留下了大量富含潜在有毒元素 PTE 的采矿废物。使用地球化学和空间分布图进行了土壤污染评估。取 3 个废弃矿场（S1、S2、S3）周围土壤样品共 101 个，测定其 PTE（Cu、Mo、Sb、Hg、Pb、Ni、Co、As、Mn、Cr、 Cd 和 Zn) 和主要元素。由于尚未建立土壤中 PTE 的准则值，土壤污染指数 (PI) 通过将土壤 PTE 浓度与区域地球化学基线 (GBL) 值进行比较来评估，并首次评估了塔尔塔尔市附近居民的健康风险被评估。测得的 PTE 浓度 (mgkg-1) 为 Cu 18-6740、Mo 0.2-44、Sb 0.2-90、Hg 0。005-47, Pb 2.8-1,510, Ni 7.0-138, Co 1.1-77.1, As 4.2-2,691, Mn 83.4-11,400, Cr 7.7-46.1, Cd 0.05-23, 和 Zn 13 空间分布图显示污染严重，特别关注的是砷、钴、铜、钼、镍、铅、锑、汞、镉和锌的浓度，超过了GBL、世界土壤平均值和美国环保署和芬兰土壤指南。S2 站点的砷和 S3 站点的 Cu 和 Pb 是影响潜在生态风险的关键因素。此外，位点 S1 和 S2 中的 As 以及位点 S3 中的 As、Pb 和 Cu 可能对成人和儿童产生非致癌作用。由于位点 S1 和 S2 中的 As、Cr 和 Cd 以及位点 S3 中的 As、Cr、Cd 和 Pb，总癌症风险值高于可接受的风险限值。最大的废弃站点S3站点，由于其大量废物和 PTE 含量，代表了主要的环境问题。综上所述，废弃矿山废弃物被分散，是塔尔塔尔市土壤污染的源头。得出的结论是，废弃的采矿废物场导致周围土壤受到 As、Cu、Pb、Cr 和 Cd 的严重污染，超过了生态和/或人类健康风险指导浓度。