Impact of Acid Mine Drainage on the hydrogeochemical characteristics of the Tinto-Odiel Estuary (SW Spain)

pH and chlorinity content of estuarine water and behavior in the concentration of some heavy metals characteristics of acid mine drainage in the suspended matter and dissolved phase have allowed the identification of two mixing process in the Odiel-Tinto rivers estuary: a salt-induced mixing typical...

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Detalhes bibliográficos
Autores: Borrego Flores, José, Carro Flores, Berta, López González, Nieves, Grande Gil, José Antonio, Torre Sánchez, María Luisa de la, Valente, Teresa Maria Fernandes
Tipo de documento: artigo
Data de publicação:2011
País:España
Recursos:Universidad de Huelva (UHU)
Repositório:Arias Montano. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Huelva
Idioma:espanhol
OAI Identifier:oai:ariasmontano.uhu.es:10272/15821
Acesso em linha:http://hdl.handle.net/10272/15821
Access Level:Acceso aberto
Palavra-chave:Acid mine drainage
Acid and saline mixing
Tinto-Odiel estuary
Drenaje ácido de mina
Mezcla ácida y salina
Estuario Tinto-Odiel
Hidrogeoquímica
Hydrogeochemistry
Descrição
Resumo:pH and chlorinity content of estuarine water and behavior in the concentration of some heavy metals characteristics of acid mine drainage in the suspended matter and dissolved phase have allowed the identification of two mixing process in the Odiel-Tinto rivers estuary: a salt-induced mixing typical of marine estuaries and an acid neutralization process as a result of the mixture of acid fluvial water coming from the drainage basins, which are affected by acid mine drainage (AMD). Thus, the estuary is divided into three zones: (1) zone with acid water and with precipitation of sulphate phases during the beginning of the process of neutralization in the absence of salt-induced mixing, (2) zone with pH values between 4.5 and 7 where a removal of heavy metals in their dissolved phase is produced by coexistence of both mixture processes, and (3) zone where water is slightly basic and the salt-induced mixing produces a redissolution of some elements. Spatial location and extent of these zones within the estuarine system have seasonal variations depending on the volume of fluvial discharge.