OBJECTIVE To evaluate the pathway of leaded dust from a lead-zinc-copper mine to houses of employees, and the impact on blood lead concentrations (PbB) of children. METHODS High precision lead isotope and lead concentration data were obtained on venous blood and environmental samples (vacuum cleaner dust, interior dustfall accumulation, water, paint) for eight children of six employees (and t...

A sediment quality triad (SQT) assessment was made of the impact of copper mine tailings disposal on littoral meiofaunal assemblages in the Atacama region of northern Chile. This situation is unusual in that the disposal is direct into the high-energy coastal system and not via a river estuary or other low-energy environment. This situation also allows for the examination of the impact of coppe...

The core microbiota of a neutral mine drainage and the surrounding high heavy metal content soil at a Brazilian copper mine were characterized by 16S rDNA pyrosequencing. The core microbiota of the drainage was dominated by the generalist genus Meiothermus. The soil samples contained a more heterogeneous bacterial community, with the presence of both generalist and specialist bacteria. Both env...

Mining of the world's second-largest nickel deposits in the area of Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, has caused acidification and metal saturation of some catchments. We conducted artificial stream studies in the years 2001 and 2002 to assess the effects of treated metal mine effluents (MMEs) from three different mining operations discharging to Junction Creek, Sudbury, on two fish species, creek chub...

The Iron Mountain Mine Superfund Site near Redding, California, is a massive sulfide ore deposit that was mined for iron, silver, gold, copper, zinc, and pyrite intermittently for nearly 100 years. As a result, both water and air reached the sulfide deposits deep within the mountain, producing acid mine drainage consisting of sulfuric acid and heavy metals from the ore. Particularly, the draina...

Mine water contains trace heavy metals which are some essential elements in high concentrations causing the pollution of nearby bodies, related ground waters and soils degradation. The aim study is to identify quantify present different mine samples their level toxicity. Digestion technique was employed pretreat wastewater before analysis. Physicochemical analysis conducted for pH, electrical c...

In order to assess the ecological effect of acid mine drainage, metal mine (Dalsung) and coal mine (Samtan) drainage in South Korea were collected. The each mine drainage then investigated by whole effluent toxicity test (WET) and toxicity identification evaluation (TIE). WET results demonstrated that DS leachate and ST mine water is more toxic than other mine drainage due to the presence of ca...

We present a new selenium (Se) map of Japan in more detail than in our previous report (J. Health Sci., 42, 360–366). It contains 150 measured points, especially in the northeast of Japan. In the new sampling points, we did not find high Se levels and most of the measurements were generally at values below 1 mg/ kg. In the Se map of Japan, there are two particularly high measurements, at Mt. Za...

Mining has been characterized by most researchers as one of the most hazardous occupations amongst major industrial activities. Despite regulations, automation and increased attention towards reducing risks through safety campaigns, the mining industry is still associated with higher rates of injuries compared with other industries. Mine workers must deal with a number of subtly harmful risks t...