Presence of potentially toxic elements in the Rio Doce is still worrying
Everyone must remember that on November 5th, 2015 the rupture of the Fundão Dam, located in the district of Bento Rodrigues in Mariana (Minas Gerais), caused the bigger environment impact of the Brazil history.
The mining tailings from the Samarco’s reservoir reached the near rivers, travelling long distances until draining in Rio Doce; destroying houses, plantations and streams; dragging a toxic sludge to the sea.
Even after three years of the disaster, the situation is worrisome. It was expected that the tailings were deposited in the regions near the dam. However, according to Professor Tiago Osório Ferreira of the Soil Science Department of the Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture (Esalq) of the University of São Paulo (USP), the sludge reached the Regencia Village, a place known by its intense activity of tourism and fishing on the coast of Espirito Santo State.
A study developed in partnership with researchers from USP, the Federal University of Espirito Santo, the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain) and the Federal University of Bahia, confirms that the tailing remains reaching the estuary region, being the material composed by potentially toxic elements like manganese, nickel, lead, copper, zinc, chromium and cobalt.
The concern now is that the disposal of this material could lead to a new catastrophe. The accumulation of toxic elements in fish and plants can result on extremely serious effects for the fauna and flora in this ecosystem, where the current levels of contamination already indicates the presence of nickel and lead presenting higher values than the ones permitted by Brazilian laws.
Another alarming fact is due to the instable fraction of the iron-rich reject that can solubilize and release potentially toxic elements, once the iron oxides, under estuarine soil conditions, is susceptible of dissolution, which may increase the bioavailability and the risk of contamination by metals.
In addition, after coming into contact with the soil, potentially toxic elements can reach the water table, contaminating the water, and food that will eventually stop at our tables.
Were you surprised with this situation? Worrying, is not it?
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