Assessment of environmental pollution and human health risks of mine tailings in soil: after dam failure of the Córrego do Feijão Mine (in Brumadinho, Brazil).

Abstract

The dam failure of the Córrego do Feijão Mine (CFM) located in Minas Gerais State,Brazil, killed at least 278 people. In addition, large extensions of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems were destroyed, directly compromising the environmental and socioeconomic quality of the region. This study assessed the pollution and human health risks of soils impacted by the tailing spill of theCFM dam, along a sample perimeter of approximately 200km. Based on potential ecological risk and pollution load indices, the enrichments of Cd, As, Hg, Cu, Pb and Ni in soils indicated thatthe Brumadinho, Mário Campos, Betim and São Joaquim de Bicas municipalities were the most affected areas by the broken dam. Restorative and reparative actions must be urgently carried out in these areas. For all contaminated areas, the children's group indicated anexacerbated propensity to the development of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic diseases, mainly through theingestion pathway. Toxicological risk assessments, including acute, chronic and genotoxic effects, on people living and working in mining areas should be a priority for public management and mining companies to ensure effective environmental measures that do not harm human health and well-being over time.