Antimony bioavailability in mine soils

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) Vol. 124; no. 1; pp. 93 - 100
• Main Authors: Flynn, Helen C, Meharg, Andy A, Bowyer, Phillipa K, Paton, Graeme I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Antimony; Antimony - chemistry; Applied sciences; Arsenic; Bacterial biosensors; Biological and physicochemical properties of pollutants. Interaction in the soil; Biological Availability; Biosensing Techniques; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Exact sciences and technology; Heavy metals; Industrial Waste; Metallurgy; Mining; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Soil; Soil and sediments pollution; Soil Pollutants; United Kingdom; England; United Kingdom; Great Britain; Europe; Soil; Antimony; Arsenic; Heavy metals; Bacterial biosensors; Pollutant behavior; Mobility; Metallurgical industry; Bioavailability; Soil pollution; Trace element; Industrial wasteland; Old mine; Medium effect; Environment impact; Mining industry; Speciation
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/S0269-7491(02)00411-6

Antimony has low bioavailability in mining and smelting contaminated soils and bacterial biosensors are not suitable for its detection. Five British former mining and smelting sites were investigated and found to have levels of total Sb of up to 700 mg kg −1, indicating high levels of contamination which could be potentially harmful. However, this level of Sb was found to be biologically unavailable over a wide range of pH values, indicating that Sb is relatively unreactive and immobile in the surface layers of the soil, remaining where it is deposited rather than leaching into lower horizons and contaminating ground water. Sb, sparingly soluble in water, was unavailable to the bacterial biosensors tested. The bioluminescence responses were correlated to levels of co-contaminants such as arsenic and copper, rather than to Sb concentrations. This suggests that soil contamination by Sb due to mining and smelting operations is not a severe risk to the environment or human health provided that it is present as immobile species and contaminated sites are not used for purposes which increase the threat of exposure to identified receptors. Co-contaminants such as arsenic and copper are more bioavailable and may therefore be seen as a more significant risk.