Assessment of groundwater quality and contamination problems ascribed to an abandoned uranium mine (Cunha Baixa region,Central Portugal) |
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| Authors: | O Neves M J Matias |
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| Institution: | (1) Laboratório de Mineralogia e Petrologia, Department of Mining Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Technical University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal |
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| Abstract: | The assessment of groundwater quality and its environmental implications in the region of the abandoned Cunha Baixa uranium
mine (Central Portugal) was carried out from 1995 to 2004. Shallow groundwater is the major water supply source for irrigation
in the neighbourhood of Cunha Baixa village. Water samples from the mine site as well as from private wells were collected
in order to identify the mining impact on water composition, the extent of contamination and the seasonal and temporal groundwater
quality variations. Some of the sampled private wells contain waters having low pH (<4.5–5) and high values of EC, TDS, SO4, F, Ca, Mg, Al, Mn, Ni, U, Zn and 226Ra. The wells located through the ESE–WSE groundwater flow path (1 km down gradient of the mining site) display the most contaminated
water. In the summer season, the levels of SO4, Al, Mn, and U were 50–120 times higher than those registered for uncontaminated waters and exceeded the quality limits for
irrigation purposes, presenting soil degradation risks. Nevertheless, this study indicates that groundwater contamination
suffered a small decrease from 1999 to 2004. The bioaccumulation of toxic metals such as Al, Mn, and U within the food chain
may cause a serious health hazard to the Cunha Baixa village inhabitants. |
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| Keywords: | Uranium mine Groundwater contamination Irrigation water quality Soil and crop hazards Cunha Baixa (Central Portugal) |
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