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ABSTRACT: Antimony (Sb) is ubiquitous throughout the environment as a result of natural processes and human activities. In China, superlarge-, large and medium-sized Sb deposits are concentrated in the Guangxi (34.4%), Hunan (21.2%), Yunnan (12.2%) and Guizhou (10.2%) provinces. Due to Sb mining and smelting processes, large quantities of Sb have been released resulting in serious Sb contamination of the local environments. Furthermore, coal combustion and Sb products consumed by the domestic market are also important potential Sb contamination sources. Here, an integrated overview of the current knowledge on the distribution of Sb in Chinese environments and the human health risk with respect to Sb contamination in Chinese mining and smelting areas are presented. The average Sb concentrations found in soils were divided into three groups. Group 1 had lower Sb concentrations of 0.5-1.5mgkg(-1), Group 2 had medium concentrations of 1.5-2mgkg(-1), and Group 3 had relatively high concentrations of over 2mgkg(-1). Soils from the Yunnan, Guangxi, Guizhou and Hunan provinces were extremely enriched in Sb. Data on the sediment and water mainly came from the Yangtze River water systems and some mining and smelting areas. The Sb concentrations in sediments were of the order of a few mgkg(-1). In water, Sb was mainly concentrated in the particle matter. Higher concentrations in water (up to 29.4mgL(-1)) and sediments (up to 1163mgkg(-1)) were mainly limited to the proximity of mining and smelting areas than the faraway places (<5.00mgL(-1) for water and <3.00mgkg(-1) for sediments, respectively). Plants growing in these contaminated soils accumulated high levels of Sb (up to 143.7mgkg(-1)) and exceeded the tolerable concentration (5mgkg(-1)), thus threatening the health of local inhabitants. The local environments around Sb mining and smelting areas were seriously contaminated.
Science of The Total Environment 07/2011; 421-422:41-50. · 3.29 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Like arsenic (As), antimony (Sb) is known to be a genotoxic element in vitro and in vivo. Sb is now recognized as a global contaminant and has aroused the global concerns recently. However, knowledge is scarce concerning the transfer of Sb from the environment to humans and the related hazards to human health. In this pilot study, the health risk and main pathway of long-term human exposure to Sb and As for residents around Chinese Xikuangshan (XKS) Sb mine, the world's largest Sb mine, were evaluated by dietary exposure and hair accumulations survey. The concentrations and species of Sb and As in food samples (n=209) from three main categories and six subcategories, and in hair samples (n=89) were determined. Residents in the vicinity of XKS had an estimated dietary intake of Sb (554 μg/day) which was 1.5 times higher than the tolerable daily intake (TDI) (Sb, 360 μg/day), whereas their dietary intake of inorganic As (107 μg/day) was slightly lower than the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) of 15 μg/kg BW/week (equal to 129 μg As/day). Hair Sb and As concentrations (Sb, 15.7 mg/kg, DW; As, 3.99 mg/kg, DW) in XKS residents are both above the normal/toxic level. Rice, vegetables (especially leafy vegetable), drinking water, and meat/poultry were the dominant dietary intake sources of Sb for the residents. In contrast, rice was the uniquely dominant dietary intake source of As. Antimonate (Sb(V)) was the dominant Sb species in vegetables, drinking water and residents' hairs. This study highlighted the difference of exposure characteristics between Sb and As. The preliminary results suggested that dietary exposures to Sb, rather than As, was the dominant health risk to local residents. Nevertheless, the adverse effects of As levels on the health of residents still can not be ignored since the elevated As concentrations in human hair have reached the critical level for health risks. In addition, this pilot study did not consider the possible Sb and As combined effects.
Science of The Total Environment 06/2011; 409(18):3344-51. · 3.29 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Antimony (Sb) has received increasing attention recently due to its toxicity and potential human carcinogenicity. In the present work, drinking water, fish and algae samples were collected from the Xikuangshan (XKS) Sb mine area in Hunan, China. Results show that serious Sb and moderate arsenic (As) contamination is present in the aquatic environment. The average Sb concentrations in water and fish were 53.6 + or - 46.7 microg L(-1) and 218 + or - 113 microg kg(-1) dry weight, respectively. The Sb concentration in drinking water exceeded both Chinese and WHO drinking water guidelines by 13 and 3 times, respectively. Antimony and As concentrations in water varied with seasons. Fish gills exhibited the highest Sb concentrations but the extent of accumulation varied with habitat. Antimony enrichment in fish was significantly lower than that of As and Hg.
Science of The Total Environment 07/2010; 408(16):3403-10. · 3.29 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Plants grown in contaminated areas may accumulate trace metals to a toxic level via their roots and/or leaves. In the present study, we investigated the distribution and sources of Pb and Cd in maize plants (Zea mays L.) grown in a typical zinc smelting impacted area of southwestern China. Results showed that the smelting activities caused significantly elevated concentrations of Pb and Cd in the surrounding soils and maize plants. Pb isotope data revealed that the foliar uptake of atmospheric Pb was the dominant pathway for Pb to the leaf and grain tissues of maize, while Pb in the stalk and root tissues was mainly derived from root uptake. The ratio of Pb to Cd concentrations in the plants indicated that Cd had a different behavior from Pb, with most Cd in the maize plants coming from the soil via root uptake.
Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex: 1987) 01/2009; 157(3):834-9. · 3.43 Impact Factor
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Xiangyang Bi,
Xinbin Feng,
Yuangen Yang,
Xiangdong Li,
Grace P Y Sin,
Guangle Qiu,
Xiaoli Qian,
Feili Li,
Tianrong He,
Ping Li,
Taoze Liu, Zhiyou Fu
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ABSTRACT: Historical zinc smelting in Hezhang, southwestern China, has resulted in significant heavy metal contamination of the surrounding ecosystems. The Caohai wetland system, which is an important national nature reserve close to the Hezhang zinc smelting area, was investigated in the present study. Results showed that sediments from the Caohai wetland system have been seriously contaminated by Cd, Pb and Zn with the highest concentrations in the surface sediments being up to 71, 160 and 1,200 microg g(-1), respectively. The heavy metals in the sediments were strongly associated with the organic/sulphide and residual fractions. A more oxidized condition induced by aquatic plants tended to cause the Cd, Pb and Zn bound to the Fe-Mn oxide fraction to become more dominant. Pb isotopic compositions in the sediments indicated that the inventories of Pb in the Caohai wetland sediments were mainly derived from the historical zinc smelting in the Hezhang area, although other anthropogenic sources, such as the gasoline Pb, also made a substantial contribution to the Pb in the sediments. Heavy metal contamination in aquatic plants was also studied and the results indicated that heavy metals accumulated by plants may pose a potential threat to the higher trophic-level organisms, including humans.
Science of The Total Environment 12/2007; 387(1-3):257-68. · 3.29 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Total heavy metal (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn) concentrations were evaluated in smelting waste, soil, crop and moss samples collected from the Hezhang artisanal zinc smelting areas, Guizhou, China. Soil samples from the cornfield near the smelting sites contained extremely high Cd (5.8-74 mg kg(-1)), Pb (60-14,000 mg kg(-1)) and Zn (260-16,000 mg kg(-1)) concentrations. Elevated heavy metal concentrations were also found in corn plants and total Pb (0.80-1.5 mg kg(-1)) and Cd (0.05-0.76 mg kg(-1)) concentrations in corn grain have totally or partially exceeded the national guidance limits for foodstuff. Thus, the soil-to-crop transfer of heavy metals might pose a potential health risk to the local residents. Similar to the high heavy metal levels in soil and corn, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn concentrations in moss samples collected from the smelting sites ranged from 10 to 110, 10 to 55, 26 to 51, 400 to 1200 and 330 to 1100 mg kg(-1), respectively, exhibiting a local spatial pattern of metals deposition from the atmosphere. Based on examination of Zn/Cd and Pb/Cd ratios of the analyzed samples, we have distinguished between the flue gas dust derived and smelting waste derived metals in different environmental compartments.
Environment International 10/2006; 32(7):883-90. · 5.30 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: To study the effect of the environmental pollution in exposed population, human hair samples of residents were collected from two typical antimony mines (Xikuangshan antimony mine and Qinglong antimony mine, Southwest China) and one non-mining city (Guiyang, Southwest China), and the concentrations of arsenic, antimony and bismuth in these samples were analyzed by hydride generation-atomic fluorescence spectrometry. Arsenic concentrations for Xikuangshan, Qinglong, and Guiyang ranged 0.236–48.4 (mean 4.21), 0.130–16.1 (mean 2.96), and 0.104–0.796 (mean 0.280) μg/g, respectively. Antimony concentrations for Xikuangshan, Qinglong, and Guiyang ranged 0.250–82.4 (mean 15.9), 0.060–45.9 (mean 5.15), and 0.065–2.87 (mean 0.532) μg/g, respectively. Bismuth contents were found to be greater than the limit of detection (LOD > 0.016 μg/g) in all the human hair samples collected from residents from Qinglong antimony mine, 95.5% samples from Xikuangshan mine and only 22.7% samples from Guiyang. There were no significant differences in both arsenic and antimony concentrations between hair samples from male and female individuals in the same area (P > 0.05). Arsenic and bismuth were mainly present in samples from children (5–9 years) and adults aged 41–51 years. Relatively high antimony contents (≥ 3 μg/g) were detected mainly in samples from children and adults aged ≥ 41 years. Significant correlation was found between the concentrations of arsenic and antimony in the human hair samples (r = 0.523, P < 0.05). The results indicate that arsenic and antimony in antimony mining area may significantly affect human health.
Microchemical Journal 97(1):20-24. · 3.05 Impact Factor
