title: Long-term toxicity assessment of soils in a recovered area affected by a mining spill.
abstract: Residual pollution in the Guadiamar Green Corridor still remains after Aználcollar mine spill in 1998. The polluted areas are identified by the absence of vegetation, soil acidic pH and high concentrations of As, Pb, Zn and Cu. Soil toxicity was assessed by lettuce root elongation and induced soil respiration bioassays. In bare soils, total As and Pb concentrations and water-extractable levels for As, Zn and Cu exceeded the toxicity guidelines. Pollutants responsible for toxicity were different depending on the tested organism, with arsenic being most toxic for lettuce and the metal mixture to soil respiration. Soil properties, such as pH or organic carbon content, are key factors to control metal availability and toxicity in the area. According to our results, there is a risk of pollution to living organisms and the soil quality criteria established in the area should be revised to reduce the risk of toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Edafología y Química Agrícola, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Campus Fuentenueva s/n, 18002 Granada, Spain. Electronic address: anaromerof@ugr.es.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Romero-Freire
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Edafología y Química Agrícola, EPS CITE IIB, Universidad de Almería, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario ceiA3, Carretera Sacramento s/n, 04120 Almería, Spain.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: García Fernández
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Edafología y Química Agrícola, EPS CITE IIB, Universidad de Almería, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario ceiA3, Carretera Sacramento s/n, 04120 Almería, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simón Torres
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Edafología y Química Agrícola, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Campus Fuentenueva s/n, 18002 Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Martínez Garzón
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Edafología y Química Agrícola, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Campus Fuentenueva s/n, 18002 Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Martín Peinado
mesh_terms: D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D008906:Mining; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D001151:Arsenic
keywords: Aznalcóllar; Bioassays; Ecotoxicity; Heavy metals