采矿负责将金属污染物和放射性物质释放到环境中,它们有可能破坏生态系统并对人类健康构成重大风险。大量采矿活动集中在Caetité市(巴西东北部),拉丁美洲唯一的活跃铀矿和重要的铁矿所在地。尽管以前的研究表明,该地区的土壤和水资源受到各种有毒元素的高度污染,并且已知暴露于这些元素会对人类健康产生不利影响,这个矿区的健康风险从未被评估过。这项史无前例的全面调查的目的是评估健康状况,该矿区的放射性和生态风险,这里是近10万人的家园。为了实现我们的目标,在矿山附近和该地区的主要定居点收集了土壤和水样。使用仪器中子活化分析和电感耦合等离子体发射光谱法测定了15种金属有毒元素。HERisk密码,遵循风险评估的主要方法准则,被用来量化人类健康,放射和生态指数。总风险和癌症风险指数的平均值表明该地区属于中等风险类别(1.0≤HItot<4.0)。然而,63%的网站有高风险值,Fe,Co和As是对总风险和癌症风险贡献最大的金属,分别。在矿区附近,潜在的生态风险可以认为是极端的(PERI≥600)。计算的放射性指数的值与天然铀地区的典型值相对应。然而,在矿井附近的社区,剂量值略高于允许限值(1mSvy-1),所以他们必须被持续监控,必须采取风险缓解措施。
Mining is responsible for the release of metallic pollutants and radioactive materials into the environment, which have the potential to disrupt ecosystems and pose significant risks to human health. Significant mining activity is concentrated in the municipality of Caetité (northeastern Brazil), where Latin America\'s only active uranium mine and significant iron ore deposits are located. Although previous studies have shown that the regional soil and water resources are highly contaminated by various toxic elements and that exposure to these elements is known to have adverse effects on human health, the health risks in this mining region have never been assessed. The aim of this unprecedented comprehensive investigation was to assess the health, radiological and ecological risks in this mining region, which is home to nearly 100,000 people. To achieve our goal, soil and water samples were collected in the vicinity of the mines and in the main settlements in the region. Fifteen metallic toxic elements were determined using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis and Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry. The HERisk code, which follows the main methodological guidelines for risk assessment, was used to quantify human health, radiological and ecological indices. The average values of the total risk and cancer risk indices indicated that region falls into the moderate risk category (1.0 ≤ HItot < 4.0). However, 63% of the sites had high risk values, with Fe, Co and As being the metals contributing most to total and cancer risk, respectively. Near the mining areas, the potential ecological risk can be considered extreme (PERI ≥ 600). The values of the calculated radiological indices correspond to typical values in natural uranium areas. However, in the communities near the mine, the dose values are slightly above the permissible limit (1 mSv y-1), so they must be continuously monitored, and risk mitigation measures must be taken.