Heavy Metal Pollution Assessment by Partial Geochemical Extraction Technique

Abstract

Mn and Fe oxides are powerful absorbents of heavy metal cations in soils and stream sediments therefore considered in this environmental geochemical investigation. Steam sediment samples were collected from Au-Ag and Pb-Zn-Cu mineralized areas of the Rodalquilar old gold mine, located in the southeastern part of Spain. Total and partial chemical analyses were done, using aquaregia and hydroxylamine-hydrochloric acid solutions, respectively to examine preferential concentration of Zn, Pb and Cu in amorphous and ore mineral phases. The results show scavenging association of Pb, Zn and Cu with Mn that is shown by their concentrations in amorphous phases as detected by partial extractions.