Effect of sludge amendment on remediation of metal contaminated soils

Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Metal mobilization and zinc-rich circumneutral mine drainage from the abandoned mining area of Osor (Girona, NE Spain)

This is a copy of the author 's final draft version of an article published in the journal Mine water and environment. The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10230-015-0344-6Contaminated soil and mine wastes in Spain’s abandoned Osor mining area contain Cd, Co, Pb, Zn, As, Ba, and Sb at levels that exceed Catalonia’s regulatory limits for soils of industrial use. Mine water from the Coral adit, which is the main dewatering system in the Osor area, has circumneutral pH from carbonate and silicate dissolution, and high concentrations of Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn. Geochemical modeling showed that smithsonite and hydrozincite were possible solid phases for Zn. The Coral adit is the main source of contaminants to Osor Creek, especially Zn and SO 4 -2 .Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Arsenic and heavy metals in soils and groundwater from Au mine tailings in Rodalquilar (Almería, SE Spain)

Peer ReviewedPostprint (author’s final draft

Posible aprovechamiento geotérmico del drenaje minero en Sierra Almagrera (Almería)

El desagüe minero de Sierra Almagrera (Cuevas del Almanzora, Almería) funcionó desde mediados del siglo XIX hasta 1958, permitiendo la explotación de unas minas de Pb-Ag que llegaron a tener una gran importancia en la minería española. Entre las instalaciones construidas destacan las de Brandt y Brandau, las cuales constituyeron un hito tecnológico a finales del siglo XIX. También se han analizado las características de las aguas termales que alimentaban el desagüe, así como su posible origen y aprovechamiento. Las características de los fluidos geotérmicos permitirían la producción de electricidad y/o el aprovechamiento de los mismos en un balneario o instalación similar. The mine drainage of Sierra Almagrera (Cuevas del Almanzora, Almería) operated from the mid-nineteenth century until 1958, allowing the exploitation of Pb-Ag mines that came to be of great importance in the Spanish mining. Among the facilities built include those of Brandt and Brandau, which constituted a technological milestone at the end of the 19th century. The characteristics of the thermal waters that fed the drainage system, as well as its possible origin and use, have been analyzed. The characteristics of the geothermal fluids would allow the production of electricity and / or the use of them in a spa or similar installation.Postprint (published version

Metal Mobilization and zinc-rich circumneutral mine drainage from the abandoned mining area of Osor (Girona, NE Spain)

Contaminated soil and mine wastes in Spain's abandoned Osor mining area contain Cd, Co, Pb, Zn, As, Ba, and Sb at levels that exceed Catalonia's regulatory limits for soils of industrial use. Mine water from the Coral adit, which is the main dewatering system in the Osor area, has circumneutral pH from carbonate and silicate dissolution, and high concentrations of Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn. Geochemical modeling showed that smithsonite and hydrozincite were possible solid phases for Zn. The Coral adit is the main source of contaminants to Osor Creek, especially Zn and SO 4 −2

Groundwater contamination by uranium and mercury at the Ridaura aquifer (Girona, NE Spain)

Elevated concentrations of uranium and mercury have been detected in drinking water from public supply and agricultural wells in alluvial and granitic aquifers of the Ridaura basin located at Catalan Coastal Ranges (CCR). The samples showed high concentrations of U above the U.S. standards and the World Health Organization regulations which set a maximum value of 30 µg/L. Further, high mercury concentrations above the European Drinking Water Standards (1 µg/L) were found. Spatial distribution of U in groundwater and geochemical evolution of groundwater suggest that U levels appear to be highest in granitic areas where groundwater has long residence times and a significant salinity. The presence of high U concentrations in alluvial groundwater samples could be associated with hydraulic connection through fractures between the alluvial system and deep granite system. According to this model, oxidizing groundwater moving through fractures in the leucocratic/biotitic granite containing anomalous U contents are the most likely to acquire high levels of U. The distribution of Hg showed concentrations above 1 µg/L in 10 alluvial samples, mainly located near the limit of alluvial aquifer with igneous rocks, which suggests a possible migration of Hg from granitic materials. Also, some samples showed Hg concentrations comprised between 0.9 and 1.5 µg/L, from wells located in agricultural areas.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Application of magnesium oxide for metal removal in mine water treatment

In this study low-grade magnesium oxide (MgO) produced by calcinations of natural magnesite was used in mine water treatment using a laboratory-column device. The treatment of mine water from the abandoned Osor mine (NE Spain) with MgO showed the removal of metals from both mine water and tailing leachates. The PHREEQC numerical code and the Geochemist’s Workbench code (GWB) were used to evaluate the speciation of dissolved constituents and calculate the saturation state of the effluents. The analysis of the treated mine water showed the removal of As (from 1.59 to 0.31 µg/L), Cd (from 1.98 to <0.05 µg/L), Co (from 19.1 to <0.03 µg/L), F (from 2730 to 200 µg/L), Mn (from 841 to 0.6 µg/L), Ni (from 17.9 to <2 µg/L, U (from 9.16 to 0.08 µg/L), and Zn (from 2900 to 68.5 µg/L). Pb was also removed (from 98 to 35.2 µg/L) in the treatment of contaminated leachates from the mine waste. The mixing of MgO and water at room temperature may promote the formation of a stabilizing agent composed of hydroxides, carbonates, and magnesium-silicate-hydrates (MSH), which may remove Cd, Zn, and similar metals by sorption on MSH, substitution on the MSH lattice, and precipitation or co-precipitation with some of the hydrated phases.This research was funded by the Catalan Agency for the Administration of University and Research Grants (AGAUR), grant number SGR2009. Besides, the research was supported by the Consolidated Research Group on Economic and Environmental Geology and Hydrology (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-University of Barcelona).Peer ReviewedObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::6 - Aigua Neta i Sanejament::6.3 - Per a 2030, millorar la qualitat de l’aigua mitjançant la reducció de la contaminació, l’eliminació dels abocaments i la reducció al mínim de la descàrrega de materials i productes químics perillosos, la reducció a la meitat del percentatge d’aigües residuals sense tractar, i un augment substancial a escala mundial del reciclat i de la reutilització en condicions de seguretatObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::6 - Aigua Neta i SanejamentPostprint (published version

Contaminación de suelos y aguas subterráneas por vertidos industriales

En los países industrializados, la contaminación de suelos y aguas subterráneas por el vertido incontrolado de residuos industriales es uno de los problemas más preocupantes que se plantean, ya que su eliminación no es fácil ni barata de realizar, y sus efectos persisten durante muchos años. En España este problema es especialmente notorio a causa de una gestión inadecuada derivada de la descoordinación existente entre los diferentes sectores involucrados: administración, empresas, técnicos y científicos. La ausencia de instalaciones suficientes para su tratamiento, ha llevado a la práctica de vertidos en los cauces de ríos y en el subsuelo o a su almacenamiento en vertederos incontrolados..

English language teaching in translator training in Spain : a cross-sectional study

Despite the fact that the literature on translation competence and translator training explicitly advocates specific language training for translator and interpreter students, no concrete frameworks providing guidelines on how this training should be approached have been created. This paper explores the current situation of this language training in Translation and Interpreting undergraduate programmes in Spain by analysing the syllabi and materials used in their EFL courses. The results obtained from this study shows that universities use a limited number of specific materials, general and commercially available EFL teaching materials being the norm. In this sense, there seems to be an apparent lack of awareness of such specific language needs, which suggests that students' needs are not completely met.A pesar de que la literatura sobre competencia traductora y la formación de traductores aboga explícitamente por una formación lingüística específica, no existe ningún marco que proporcione directrices acerca de cómo enfocar esta formación. El presente trabajo ofrece una visión de la situación actual de esta formación en los grados en Traducción e Interpretación en España a partir del análisis de sus guías docentes y de los materiales que se utiliza en las asignaturas de inglés como lengua extranjera. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que las universidades usan un número limitado de materiales didácticos específicos, ya que la mayoría utiliza únicamente libros de texto de inglés general. En este sentido, parece haber una falta de conciencia de estas necesidades lingüísticas específicas, lo que sugiere que los estudiantes no cuentan con una formación que satisfaga del todo sus necesidades

Biogeochemistry of plane trees as a tool to detect atmospheric pollution

The plane tree, which is a valuable tool to detect atmospheric pollution, is one of the most common trees in European cities. Soil and leaf samplings were carried out in Barcelona and its environs (NE Spain) to establish the soil-plant relationship. Dry and ashed leaves and soils were analyzed by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP/OES) at the ACTLABS laboratories in Ontario, Canada. Given that diesel is the main fuel used in vehicles in Europe, we sought to establish the role of diesel in atmospheric pollution. Diesel samples were obtained from service stations and analyzed after preconcentration using ICP/MS at the geochemistry laboratories of the University of Barcelona. The average content of diesel oil shows high values of Pb, Cu, Cr, Ag, Cd and Mn. High values of Pb, Cu, Au, Hg and Sb in leaves and soils were detected downtown and along main roads outside the city, whereas low levels of these elements were observed in rural areas.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version