Coquimbo Region Of Chile Research Articles

A multi-objective optimization model for planning emergency shelters after a tsunami

Vertical evacuation helps people escape tsunami risks by elevating them above the level of tsunami inundation, usually by moving to higher ground or taking refuge in tall buildings or other elevated structures. Unlike horizontal evacuation, which involves moving away from the coast to higher ground, vertical evacuation reduces the demand for horizontal evacuation routes that can become congested and impede evacuation efforts. Therefore, investing in critical infrastructure that enables vertical evacuation is crucial in tsunami-prone areas. This study proposes a multi-objective optimization model to help decision-makers assign critical infrastructure for vertical evacuation in tsunami-prone areas. Critical infrastructure includes buildings that can provide shelter during a tsunami and road networks for rapid access to shelter points. The proposed model balances three objectives: (1) minimizing investment costs in critical infrastructure, (2) maximizing the population covered by shelters, and (3) minimizing the evacuation time for evacuees to reach the shelters. This model is tested on real-world data from the Coquimbo-La Serena coastal conurbation in the Coquimbo region of Chile. The study contributes to the literature on tsunami evacuation modeling and provides valuable information for decision-makers to plan and invest in critical infrastructure for vertical evacuation during tsunamis. A sensitivity analysis of various parameters is conducted, and managerial insights are provided.

Understanding and documenting decorated façades of the Coquimbo Region in Chile

The present contribution aims at documenting decorated earthen architecture in the Coquimbo Region of Chile, in the provinces of Limarì and Elqui, specifically in Tulahuèn and Pisco Elqui. The peculiarity of these decorated façades is their rich ornamental composition, resulting in interesting patterns and textural realizations. These decorated façades witness the significance of Chilean earthen heritage and thus deserve an in-depth investigation. The vernacular buildings observed in the Limarì Valley present irregular and non-formal geometric decorations and graphic representation, engraved motifs and tiling, and wavy patterns, creatively interpreting the façade as the owner's canvas. The earthen architecture of Pisco Elqui shows a formal façade decorative composition, which could be associated with the presence of a school of masters and artisans with decorative expertise. The latter façades present classical features and stuccoes combined with geometrically composed pattern textures and engraved elements. The vernacular decorations of Limarì buildings' façades enclose immaterial values and express themselves through the anonymous touch of the inhabitants, revealing intimate stories and ancient local memories. The present paper also promotes the possibility of reviving this decorative tradition as a tool for contemporary projects for the renovation of earthen houses at the urban scale, enhancing the importance of using local and sustainable materials.

One Welfare: Assessing the Effects of Drought and the COVID-19 Pandemic on Farmers' Well-Being and Their Perception of Goats' Welfare.

Considering the interconnections between human well-being, animal welfare, and the environment, this study aimed to investigate the impacts of drought and the COVID-19 pandemic on small-scale goat farmers' well-being and their perception of goats' welfare following the One Welfare framework. Using a telephone survey, close-ended questions, and Likert scales, we assessed the impacts of drought and the COVID-19 pandemic on human well-being and animal welfare in the Coquimbo region of Chile. The DASS-21 questionnaire was used to evaluate farmers' mental health. Goat farmers perceived the scarcity of water and food for animals as factors that negatively affected animal productivity and welfare and caused an increase in farmers' stress levels. Farmers who had not been visited by a veterinarian showed higher levels of stress than those who received one visit during the year (M = 10 vs. 2, p = 0.025). Additionally, farmers who perceived better welfare of their animals showed lower levels of depression (rs = -0.17, p = 0.048), anxiety (rs = -0.21, p = 0.016), and stress (rs = -0.33, p < 0.001). These findings emphasize the importance of addressing farmers' mental health and veterinary support as crucial aspects to ensure both goat welfare and farm productivity.

The effects of social capital on innovation performance in agri-food small and medium-sized enterprises

ABSTRACT This study investigates the influence of social capital on the innovation performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The study collected data from 117 questionnaires completed by agri-food SMEs in the Coquimbo region of Chile. An innovation index was developed using multivariate analysis for the agri-food sector, and the effect of each explanatory variable related to social capital was examined. The findings contribute to the existing literature by highlighting that social capital has a positive impact on innovation performance in SMEs. Consistent with prior research, the different dimensions of social capital do have varying degrees of influence on innovation performance. Furthermore, the study revealed that the absorptive capacity, as an individual internal attribute, positively moderates the relationship between some variables of social capital and innovation performance.

Review of Gray's beaked whale (Mesoplodon grayi) in the South East Pacific

Information collected from a complete female juvenile individual of Gray's beaked whale (Mesoplodon grayi) stranded on the Guanaqueros coast, Coquimbo Region in Chile (30°S) is provided. Difficulties to differentiate specimens of Gray's beaked whale and Hector’s beaked whale (M. hectori) are discussed based on the use of diagnostic phenotypic characters, such as differences in color patterns and position of teeth on the lower jaw. The identification of the studied specimen as Gray's beaked whale was supported by a detailed review of cranial characters and molecular analyses. Finally, we provide an updated list containing all known Chilean records for this species.

Regression-based gap-filling methods show air temperature reductions and wind pattern changes during the 2019 total eclipse in Chile

Singular disruptive events like solar eclipses affect the measured values of meteorological variables at the earth’s surface. To quantify such an impact, it is necessary to estimate what value the parameter would have taken had the event not occurred. We design and compare several methods to perform such an estimate based on longer observational timeseries from individual meteorological surface stations. Our methods are based on regularised regressions (including a Bayesian variant) and provide both a point an associated error estimate of the disruptive event’s impact. With their help, we study the effect of the total solar eclipse of July 2nd, 2019, in the Coquimbo Region of Chile, on near-surface air temperatures and winds. The observational data used have been collected by the meteorological surface station network of the Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA). Most stations inside the eclipse’s umbra registered a temperature drop of 1–2 ^{circ }C, while the most extreme estimated temperature drop surpassed 6 ^{circ }C. The presence of an ‘eclipse cyclone’ can neither be proven nor refuted. Application of the regression methods to other comparable problems like volcanic eruptions, forest fires, or simply gap filling of observational data, are conceivable.

Determinants of astaxanthin industrial-scale production under stress caused by light photoperiod management of Haematococcus pluvialis cultivation

Haematococcus pluvialis (Chlorophyta) is a microalga with the greatest capacity to generate pure natural astaxanthin with powerful antioxidant properties, through special cysts, in response to disruptions caused by stress conditions. This research tested the design of a prototype for applying artificial light photoperiods controlled by light-emitting diodes on an industrial scale for generating forced stress in H. pluvialis cells during two seasons of the year (winter and spring 2019) in the Coquimbo region in Chile. Three different culture structures were used for the four stages of the alga production cycle. Two containers, A and B, were used for the first and second culture stages, while a raceway (large pool) was used for the third and fourth culture stages. Experiments with four different photoperiods (PP) that represent hours of light:darkness were conducted in two trials (spring 16:8 and winter 18:6) and two for control (spring 11:13 and winter 10:14). In the experiment, an exponential increase of β-carotenoid was achieved, used in human and animal food for its health properties and as a natural colorant in the salmonids industry. Biomass and astaxanthin production under forced stress were measured with physical and chemical variables such as light intensity, temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen. Results show that the spring culture showed a considerable increase of cysts and, therefore, of astaxanthin reservoirs, reaching a pigment production density of 276 g m -3 , with the consequent increase in density of up to 22% more than the control PP.

Arthropods of the Limarí River basin (Coquimbo Region, Chile): taxonomic composition in agricultural ecosystems

The Limarí valley, located in the Coquimbo Region of Chile, is an important agricultural area that is immersed in the transverse valleys of the Norte Chico. In recent decades, the continuous expansion of agriculture towards dry land zones has favored the migration and establishment of potential pests, such as arthropods, that may affect crops or be zoonotic agents. Based on the limited knowledge we have about the arthropod group present in the Limarí basin, our objective is to describe the taxonomic composition of the assemblage of economically important arthropods inhabiting this basin of the semiarid region of Chile. After reviewing historical data, specimen collections, and the specialized literature, a total of 414 arthropod species were recorded. Of the total number of species recorded, 92.5% were insects, the most diverse taxon, with 11 orders. Arachnids, in turn, were represented only by Acari with 31 species. The most widely represented orders of insects were Coleoptera, Hemiptera, and Lepidoptera. Within Coleoptera the most species-rich families were, in decreasing order of importance, Curculionidae, Coccinellidae, Cerambycidae, Scarabaeidae, Chrysomelidae (Bruchinae), Ptinidae, and Bostrichidae; within Hemiptera these were Aphididae, Diaspididae, Coccidae, Pseudococcidae, Pentatomidae and Rhopalidae; and within Lepidoptera they were Noctuidae and Tortricidae. We hope this study serves as a starting point for identifying the most diverse arthropod groups and developing pest monitoring and control programs. Highlights: A large percentage of phytophagous species, mainly belonging to Acari, Lepidoptera, Hemiptera and Coleoptera, were registered in the Limarí basin. Some families of agricultural importance (Aleyrodidae, Aphididae, Coccidae, Diaspididae, Margarodidae, Pseudococcidae), were observed in large agricultural crops in the basin (e.g., vines, oranges, mandarins, lemon trees, avocado trees, walnuts, olive trees, vegetable crops). A smaller fraction corresponded to the group of predators and parasitoids, mainly represented by Coleoptera (Coccinellidae), Neuroptera (Chrysopidae) and Hymenoptera (Braconidae, Encyrtidae, Ichneumonidae, Platygastridae, Signiphoridae). The richness and spatial records of arthropods were mostly concentrated between the city of Ovalle and the estuary of Punitaqui - the areas with most intense agricultural activity in the Limarí basin.

Major atmospheric particulate matter sources for glaciers in Coquimbo Region, Chile.

Tapado Glacier is a subtropical mountain glacier in the Coquimbo region of Chile that has been continuously retreating during the last 60 years due to diminishing precipitation rates and rising temperatures and likely due to a currently unknown influence from atmospheric pollutant deposition. Climatic and meteorological impacts on this, and other, Andean glacier have been previously studied; however, cryosphere changes driven by aerosols are still largely unknown. To contribute to the understanding of the origin of aerosols and their dispersion, this study aims to identify natural and anthropogenic sources of air pollution deposited on the Tapado Glacier (4500-5536 m a.s.l.) and their transport by using a receptor model (positive matrix factorization) together with the concentration of major ions as proxies of air pollution deposited on this glacier. This model's outcomes were complemented with daily wind backward trajectories computed for a whole year using the HYSPLYT meteorological model. Four sources were identified as the main contributors to major soluble ions in the Tapado surface snow. These sources are natural Aeolian dust (38%) from the Atacama Desert (including mining sites), natural weathered sulphates (27%), anthropogenic nitrates (25%), and coastal aerosols (10%). Coastal nitrate emissions and coastal aerosols are both sources with an important anthropogenic component, coming from La Serena and Coquimbo's coastal cities. The crustal components and sulphate profiles are similar to detritus dispersed from the glacier after wind erosion. Although the glacier is located over 4000 m above sea level, anthropogenic pollutants reached this location. However, their contributions were smaller compared to natural contaminants. Our findings can likely be extended to the nearest glaciers in Northern Chile, which have similar potential contaminant sources from cities, ports, and thriving mining activity. However, these findings may not be suitable for southern Chilean glaciers, which are closer to bigger cities and to smoke from residential heating prevalent in winter months and wildfires during the summer.

CASO DE ESTUDIO SOBRE LA EFECTIVIDAD EN LA UTILIZACIÓN DE FACEBOOK EN LA VENTA DE PRODUCTOS Y SERVICIOS EN EMPRESAS DE LA REGIÓN DE COQUIMBO

En la actualidad más de un tercio de la población mundial utiliza el Internet para comunicarse. Los Sitios de Redes Sociales (SNSs), son una de las plataformas que facilita el intercambio de información. La mayoría de las empresas que crean perfiles en SNSs, lo hacen para captar nuevos clientes y fidelizar a los actuales. Sin embargo, en la región de Coquimbo, actualmente no existen investigaciones sobre la efectividad de la influencia que tienen estos sitios en la venta de productos y servicios. Este artículo científico discute un caso de estudio de la red Facebook de dos empresas de los principales sectores económicos representativos de la región, “Callegari Automotriz” (comercio) y “Turismo Delfines” (turismo). Luego de la realización de entrevistas y encuestas y un análisis estadísticos de los resultados, se determina que las empresas de la región de Coquimbo no utilizan eficientemente las Fan Pages de Facebook, perdiendo oportunidades de venta de productos y servicios.

Arthropods of forestry and medical-veterinary importance in the Limarí basin (Coquimbo region, Chile)

The Limari River valley, located in the Coquimbo Region of Chile, is an important area for agricultural production that pertains to the transverse valleys ecoregion, known as Norte Chico. In recent decades, the continuous expansion of agriculture towards the dryland areas has favored the introduction and establishment of potential pests, such as arthropods, that may affect forestry crops and transmit zoonotic diseases. We analyzed the arthropod assemblages that were of forestry and medical-veterinary importance in the Limari basin. After reviewing historical data, specimen collections, and the available literature, a total of 10 families, 39 genera, and 51 species of arthropods of forestry importance were recorded, 43.1% of which were of quarantine importance. Xylophagous groups of quarantine importance to the US included Cryptotermes brevis (Kalotermitidae), Neoterius mystax (Bostrichidae), Tyndaris planata (Buprestidae), Rhyephenes humeralis (Curculionidae) and Phoracantha recurva (Cerambycidae). Other quarantine insects of forestry importance recorded in the area included were Micrapate scabrata and Polycaon chilensis (Bostrichidae). In addition, the groups of medical-veterinary importance were represented by 11 families, 14 genera, and 18 species, 9 of which were arachnids and 9 were insects. Among the identified arachnids, the most important genera were Loxosceles (Sicariidae), Latrodectus , Steatoda (Theridiidae) and Rhipicephalus (Ixodidae), whereas among the identified insects, the most important were Triatoma and Mepraia (Reduviidae), Pediculus (Pediculidae), and Ceratophyllus (Ceratophyllidae). We hope this study serves as a basis for the development of forest pest monitoring and control programs as well as an understanding of the potential risks posed by zoonotic agents and their implications for public health.

Adaptation to milking agropastoralism in Chilean goat herders and nutritional benefit of lactase persistence.

The genetic trait of lactase persistence (LP) evolved as an adaptation to milking pastoralism in the Old World and is a well‐known example of positive natural selection in humans. However, the specific mechanisms conferring this selective advantage are unknown. To understand the relationship between milk drinking, LP, growth, reproduction, and survival, communities of the Coquimbo Region in Chile, with recent adoption of milking agropastoralism, were used as a model population.DNA samples and data on stature, reproduction, and diet were collected from 451 participants. Lactose tolerance tests were done on 41 of them. The European −13,910*T (rs4988235) was the only LP causative variant found, showing strong association (99.6%) with LP phenotype.Models of associations of inferred LP status and milk consumption, with fertility, mortality, height, and weight were adjusted with measures of ancestry and relatedness to control for population structure. Although we found no statistically significant effect of LP on fertility, a significant effect (P = 0.002) was observed of LP on body mass index (BMI) in males and of BMI on fertility (P = 0.003). These results fail to support a causal relationship between LP and fertility yet suggest the idea of a nutritional advantage of LP. Furthermore, the proportion of European ancestry around the genetic region of −13,910*T is significantly higher (P = 0.008) than the proportion of European ancestry genome‐wide, providing evidence of recent positive selection since European–Amerindian admixture. This signature was absent in nonpastoralist Latin American populations, supporting the hypothesis of specific adaptation to milking agropastoralism in the Coquimbo communities.

Biomonitoring of blood cholinesterases and acylpeptide hydrolase activities in rural inhabitants exposed to pesticides in the Coquimbo Region of Chile.

In Chile, agriculture is a relevant economic activity and is concomitant with the use of pesticides to improve the yields. Acute intoxications of agricultural workers occur with some frequency and they must be reported to the surveillance system of the Ministry of Health. However the impacts of chronic and environmental pesticide exposure have been less studied. Among pesticides frequently used in Chile for insects control are organophosphates (OP) and carbamates (CB). They are inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). In this study we determined the pattern of both biomarkers activity in three populations with different type of chronic exposure to OP/CB: environmentally exposed (EE), occupationally exposed (OE) and a reference group (RG) without exposure. Besides this, we also measured the activity of acylpeptide hydrolase (APEH), an enzyme involved in relevant functions in the central synapses that is also expressed in erythrocytes and previously reported to be highly inhibited by some OP. A baseline measurement was done in both exposure groups and then a second measurement was done during the spraying season. The RG was measured only once at any time of the year. Our results indicate that people under chronic OP/CB exposure showed an adaptive response through an increase of basal BChE activity. During the spray season only BChE activity was decreased in the EE and OE groups (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively) and the higher magnitude of BChE inhibition was observed in the EE group. The analysis of the frequencies of inhibition above 30% (biological tolerance limit declared by Chilean legislation) indicated that BChE was most frequently inhibited in the EE group (53% of the individuals displayed inhibition) and AChE in the OE group (55% of the individuals displayed AChE inhibition). APEH activity showed the highest frequency of inhibition in the EE group independent of its magnitude (64%). Our results demonstrate that the rural population living nearby agricultural settings displays high levels of environmental exposure. APEH activity seems to be a sensitive biomarker for acute low-level exposure and its usefulness as a routine biomarker must to be explored in future studies. Systematic biomonitoring and health outcomes studies are necessary as well as obtaining the baseline for BChE and AChE activity levels with the aim to improve environmental and occupational health policies in Chile.

Frequency of CagA-positive Helicobacter pylori strains in 160 patients subjected to endoscopy

Helicobacter pylori is the most significant pathogen associated with gastric diseases, including gastric cancer. Infected patients with strains that are CagA-positive generally have worse outcomes than those infected with CagA-negative strains. Patients infected with CagA-positive strains have a higher risk for developing gastric cancer. To determine the prevalence of CagA-positive H. pylori strains in fecal samples of patients from the Coquimbo Region of Chile, using a non-invasive, nested-qPCR method. We evaluated 160 patients with gastrointestinal symptoms subjected to an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. DNA was extracted from fecal samples and tested for the presence of H. pylori using nested-qPCR for the ureC gene, and subsequently compared with the results of histology-Giemsa stain from the patients' endoscopic biopsies. When H. pylori was found, the presence of CagA-positive strains was determined via nested-qPCR. The histology-Giemsa stain was positive for H. pylori infection in 123 patients (76.9%), while the analysis of fecal samples detected H. pylori in 129 patients (80.6%). The sensitivity and specificity of nested-qPCR to detect the bacterium was 96.7 and 73.0% respectively. Among patients with the infection, 25% had CagA-positive strains. In this sample of patients, there is a low prevalence of CagA-positive H. pylori strains.

Riesgo de suicidio adolescente en localidades urbanas y rurales por género, región de Coquimbo, Chile

Objetivo: comparar el riesgo de suicidio de adolescentes de enseñanza media, residentes de localidades urbanas y rurales por género en la Región de Coquimbo, Chile. Material y método: la investigación es de tipo cuantitativo descriptivo no experimental, en una muestra no probabilística. En noviembre del 2016, de forma anónima, se aplicó el Cuestionario de Screening de Suicidalidad de Okasha, sobre tendencia suicida, a una muestra de 349 adolescentes de 14-19 años (48,7 % hombres-51,3 % mujeres), que asistían a establecimientos educativos urbanos y rurales, de la región de Coquimbo, en Chile. Se utilizó una ANOVA de dos vías para las variables localidad y género. Resultados: no existen diferencias en el riesgo de suicidio según localización geográfica, pero sí por género; se presentó un 15,76 % de adolescentes femeninas con riesgo suicida. Conclusiones: el suicidio es un problema de salud pública mundial, sobre el que no se ha abordado adecuadamente a nivel de prevención y promoción en salud; existe diversidad de factores que influyen en el riesgo suicida y el factor asociado al género femenino presenta un mayor riesgo; mientras que la ubicación geográfica de residencia no registra riesgo.

Annual and monthly runoff analysis in the Elqui River, Chile, a semi-arid snow-glacier fed basin

Balocchi, F., Pizarro, R., Meixner, T., & Urbina, F. (November- December, 2017). Annual and monthly runoff analysis in the Elqui River, Chile, a semi-arid snow-glacier fed basin. Water Technology and Sciences (in Spanish), 8 (6), 23-35, DOI: 10.24850/j-tyca-2017-06-02. Climate change and its relationship to temperature are critical factors affecting glaciers, especially when populations depend on these ice reservoirs. The use of the precipitationrunoff coefficient in semi-arid, mountainous regions that are fed by glaciers can lead to important findings about how glacial melt responds to climate change. This study analyzed 40 years of monthly and annual precipitation and runoff data (1970-2009) from four sub-basins of the Elqui River (29° 27’- 30° 34’ S and 71° 22’- 69° 52’ W), in the Coquimbo region of Chile. The Elqui basin has a rainsnow- glacial melt regime. The areal average rainfall was estimated using the Thiessen polygon method. Gumbel and Goodrich probability distribution functions and the Log-Normal Probability Density Function (PDF) were used to understand the temporal behavior of precipitation and streamflow. The data-time behavior and PP Q-1 coefficients were also analyzed. And the Mann-Kendall (MK) test was used to compare the results. No trends were found for flow, while a negative trend in rainfall was identified. The summer flows were notable, which remained constant. In spite of the differences between the PP Q-1 coefficient and the MK test, the flow clearly does not come from rainfall but rather from glacial melt.

Cognitive impairment in agricultural workers and nearby residents exposed to pesticides in the Coquimbo Region of Chile

Chronic exposure to organophosphate pesticides is a worldwide public health concern associated with several psychiatric disorders and dementia. Most existing studies on the effects of pesticides only evaluate agricultural workers. Therefore, this study sought to establish if individuals indirectly exposed to pesticides, such as residents in agricultural areas, also suffer cognitive impairments. Neuropsychological evaluations were carried out on three groups (n=102): agricultural workers directly exposed to pesticides (n=32), individuals living in agricultural areas indirectly (i.e. environmentally) exposed to pesticides (n=32), and an unexposed control group (n=38). The assessed cognitive processes included memory, executive functions, attention, language praxis, and visuoconstruction. The direct exposure group performed significantly lower in executive function, verbal fluency, and visual and auditory memory tests than the indirect exposure group, which, in turn, performed worse than the unexposed group. Even after adjusting for age, gender, and educational level, both exposure groups showed higher rates of cognitive deficit than control individuals. In conclusion, both direct and indirect chronic exposure to pesticides affects cognitive functioning in adults and, consequently, actions should be taken to protect the health of not only agricultural workers, but also of residents in agricultural areas.

Analysis of human cyst echinococcosis in a northern Chilean region from 2008 to 2012

The Coquimbo Region in Chile has the highest incidence of hydatidosis in central and northern Chile. To analyze the incidence of human cystic echinococcosis (CE) in the Coquimbo Region between 2008 and 2012. Official records of reported cases were analyzed. The association of the location, age and sex with the presence/absence of CE was analyzed by means of logistic regressions. The incidence was reported as cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The mean annual incidence was 2.6 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, which ranged from 3.1 (2010) to 1.9 (2012) cases. The districts with higher incidence were Punitaqui (21.2 cases), Paihuano (9 cases), Rio Hurtado (8 cases), Canela (8.1 cases), Monte Patria (7.9 cases), Vicuña (6.9 cases) and Combarbalá (6.9 cases). The incidence in these locations was significantly higher than elsewhere in the region. Males had a significantly higher incidence than females (3.3 and 1.8 respectively). Incidence increased significantly with age, notably increasing after 45 years of age. Rural locations had the highest incidences of CE in the Coquimbo Region. The disease was reported more commonly in adults and mainly in men.

Climatic characteristics of the semi-arid Coquimbo Region in Chile

The climate of the Coquimbo Region, north-central Chile is driven by atmospheric, oceanic and orographic factors. The southeast Pacific anticyclone, the cold Humboldt Current and the rugged topography that characterize the zone, determine thermally induced wind regimes and the formation of low stratocumulus along the coastline. Low precipitation and high solar radiation cause important climatic altitudinal gradients, especially on temperature and humidity, thus different climatic areas can be identified in the region. We summarized the general climatic characteristics of the study area and analyzed meteorological data to understand the behavior of the environmental variables. We used mesoscale modeling to evaluate the spatial characteristics of the mean air temperature, humidity and wind. These atmospheric variables present a strong elevation gradient. The particular topographic characteristics of the region favor the development of a thermally induced wind regime, where land and sea breezes and valley winds are observed.

Environmental assessment of mercury pollution in urban tailings from gold mining

It is well-known that small-scale artisanal mining is a source of mercury emissions into the environment, mainly from the use of rudimentary technologies that use mercury amalgamation in the extraction process. Mines near Andacollo, which is located in the Coquimbo region of Chile, use primitive methods to mine gold and copper. In this study, we determined the mercury content of gold mining wastes from Andacollo. At each site, we randomly sampled the soil at the surface and at a depth of 2m following the ISO 10381 guidelines. Mercury analysis was performed with a direct mercury analyzer. At least one site was contaminated at a mercury concentration of 13.6±1.4mgkg−1, which was above the international recommendations that were set by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment's soil quality guidelines (CA-SQG) and the Dutch guidelines (NL-RIVM). At least four of the fourteen sites in this study were within the control and tolerance levels of these recommendations. Better characterization of these sites is required to establish whether they represent a risk to the local community. Based on the US-EPA recommendations, which have a higher tolerance limit, none of the fourteen sites should pose a risk to humans.