info:eu-repo/semantics/article
Lead and Arsenic contamination by a smelter plant located in the Mexico-USA boundary area.
Autor
MARIA TERESA ALARCON HERRERA
ALFREDO GRANADOS OLIVAS
IGNACIO MARTIN
Resumen
The ASARCO smelter, located in El Paso del Norte border region between Chihuahua (Mexico) and Texas and New
Mexico (United States of America), was working for approximately 100 years, mainly in the casting of metals. The
direct impacts to soil and water due to the emissions coming out from the smelter are considered in this study. It is
assumed that during the period of its operation, the plant continuously released lead, cadmium and arsenic to the
atmosphere. This research is limited to an area enclosed in 5 km-perimeter circle, Ciudad Juarez included. A
geospatial analysis, using a digital-thematic cartography, is presented. The types of soil in the area of interest
included variables such as: geology, topography, surface hydrology and regional climate. Taking the main chimney
of the smelter as a center, the study area is enclosed into concentric circles with radii that range from 500 m up to
5000 m. Within this area, 160 soil samples of 0.60 m depth and 160 soil samples of 0.05 m were collected. The lab
analysis of the samples showed that after the closing of the plant, 10 years ago, the pollution of soil by arsenic and
lead still remains in some points near the main Chimney. Appropriate measures must be considered for the
remediation of the contaminated area, and limit the exposure of the population
Materias
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