Identification of environmental lead sources and pathways in a mining and smelting town:

Mount Isa, Australia

Alana Mackay, Mark Taylor, Niels Munksgaard, K Hudson-Edwards, L Burn-Nunes

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

    Abstract

    Lead (Pb) concentrations and isotopic compositions from soils, dusts and aerosols from public land and residential lots adjacent to the copper and Pb mine and smelter at Mount Isa, Australia, were examined to understand the sources and risks of environmental Pb exposure. Urban soil samples contain elevated Pb concentrations (mean 1560 mg/kg), of which 45-85% of the Pb is bioaccessible. The Pb isotopic composition of surface soils (0-2 cm), aerosols and dusts (206Pb/207Pb, 208Pb/207Pb range: 1.049, 2.322-1.069, 2.345) are dominated by Pb derived from the Mount Isa Pb-zinc ore bodies. Underlying soil horizons (10-20 cm) have distinctly different Pb isotopic compositions (206Pb/207Pb, 208Pb/207Pb range: 1.093, 2.354 -1.212, 2.495). Surface soil-, dust- and aerosol-Pb are derived predominantly from smelter emissions and fugitive mining sources and not from in situ weathered bedrock. Remediation strategies should target legacy and ongoing sources of environmental Pb to mitigate the problem of Pb exposure at Mount Isa.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)304-311
    Number of pages8
    JournalEnvironmental Pollution
    Volume180
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2013

    Fingerprint

    Smelting
    Soil
    Lead
    Soils
    Aerosols
    Dust
    Chemical analysis
    Environmental Exposure
    Remediation
    Ores
    Zinc
    Copper

    Cite this

    Mackay, Alana ; Taylor, Mark ; Munksgaard, Niels ; Hudson-Edwards, K ; Burn-Nunes, L. / Identification of environmental lead sources and pathways in a mining and smelting town: Mount Isa, Australia. In: Environmental Pollution. 2013 ; Vol. 180. pp. 304-311.
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    abstract = "Lead (Pb) concentrations and isotopic compositions from soils, dusts and aerosols from public land and residential lots adjacent to the copper and Pb mine and smelter at Mount Isa, Australia, were examined to understand the sources and risks of environmental Pb exposure. Urban soil samples contain elevated Pb concentrations (mean 1560 mg/kg), of which 45-85{\%} of the Pb is bioaccessible. The Pb isotopic composition of surface soils (0-2 cm), aerosols and dusts (206Pb/207Pb, 208Pb/207Pb range: 1.049, 2.322-1.069, 2.345) are dominated by Pb derived from the Mount Isa Pb-zinc ore bodies. Underlying soil horizons (10-20 cm) have distinctly different Pb isotopic compositions (206Pb/207Pb, 208Pb/207Pb range: 1.093, 2.354 -1.212, 2.495). Surface soil-, dust- and aerosol-Pb are derived predominantly from smelter emissions and fugitive mining sources and not from in situ weathered bedrock. Remediation strategies should target legacy and ongoing sources of environmental Pb to mitigate the problem of Pb exposure at Mount Isa.",
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    author = "Alana Mackay and Mark Taylor and Niels Munksgaard and K Hudson-Edwards and L Burn-Nunes",
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    Mackay, A, Taylor, M, Munksgaard, N, Hudson-Edwards, K & Burn-Nunes, L 2013, 'Identification of environmental lead sources and pathways in a mining and smelting town: Mount Isa, Australia', Environmental Pollution, vol. 180, pp. 304-311. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2013.05.007

    Identification of environmental lead sources and pathways in a mining and smelting town: Mount Isa, Australia. / Mackay, Alana; Taylor, Mark; Munksgaard, Niels; Hudson-Edwards, K; Burn-Nunes, L.

    In: Environmental Pollution, Vol. 180, 2013, p. 304-311.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

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    Mackay A, Taylor M, Munksgaard N, Hudson-Edwards K, Burn-Nunes L. Identification of environmental lead sources and pathways in a mining and smelting town: Mount Isa, Australia. Environmental Pollution. 2013;180:304-311. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2013.05.007

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