Element Pollution Research Articles

Speciation Analysis and Pollution Assessment of Heavy Metals in Farmland Soil of a Typical Mining Area: A Case Study of Dachang Tin Polymetallic Ore, Guangxi

To explore the distribution characteristics and degree of pollution of heavy metals in the farmland soil around the Dachang tin polymetallic mining area in Guangxi, a total of 140 soil samples were collected around the mining area in this study. The total amount and various forms of seven heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Cd, Cr, Zn, As, and Ni) were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and the improved continuous extraction method of heavy metal speciation analysis in the soil, the potential ecological risk index (RI), the and Nemerow evaluation index (PN) were used to evaluate pollution characteristics of the soil and the bioavailability of heavy metals. Corresponding remediation suggestions were given according to the pollution degree. The results show that the whole soil in the study area is acidic, reducing, and the content of organic matter is low. The average content of heavy metal elements is higher than the background value of Guangxi, among which Cd, Pb, and As exceed the control value and are the main elements of pollution. The speciation analysis of heavy metals in soil shows that Cd is dominated by the ion exchange form; Cu is mainly residual and in a humic acid combined form; and the rest of the elements are mainly in residual form. Among the seven heavy metals, Cd has the strongest mobility, biological toxicity, and ecological risk, followed by As, Ni, and Zn. The overall pollution level of the soil in the study area is heavily polluted (PN = 39.6), which is a very strong ecological risk level (RI = 2196.9), and the main pollutants are Pb, As, and Cd; Cd pollution is the most serious. Correlation (CA) and principal component analysis (PCA) indicate that the pollution sources of Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd, and As among the seven elements were mainly controlled by tailings accumulation, mining, and transportation, and the sources of Cr and Ni were controlled by soil-forming parent materials. Furthermore, according to the actual situation of the farmland around the mining area, two remediation suggestions are put forward: (1) use stabilization remediation technology to clean up the pollution source, such as calcium dihydrogen phosphate to reduce the bioavailability of the most polluted elements, Cd and Pb, in the soil; (2) under the concept of green environmental protection, use Typha orientalis Presl to repair the industrial and mining wasteland and some unused land.

Appraisal of Abelmoschus esculentus L. Response to Aluminum and Barium Stress.

Trace metal element (TME) pollution is a major threat to plants, animals and humans. Agricultural products contaminated with metals may pose health risks for people; therefore, international standards have been established by the FAO/WHO to ensure food safety as well as the possibility of crop production in contaminated soils. This study aimed to assess the accumulating potential of aluminum and barium in the roots, shoots and fruits of Abelmoschus esculentus L., and their effect on growth and mineral nutrition. The content of proline and some secondary metabolites was also evaluated. After treating okra plants with aluminum/barium (0, 100, 200, 400 and 600 µM) for 45 days, the results showed that Al stimulated the dry biomass production, whereas Ba negatively affected the growth and the fructification yield. The okra plants retained both elements and exhibited a preferential accumulation in the roots following the sequence: roots > shoots > fruits, which is interesting for phytostabilization purposes. Al or Ba exposure induced a decline in mineral uptake (K, Ca, Mg, Zn and Fe), especially in roots and shoots. In order to cope with the stress conditions, the okra plants enhanced their proline and total phenol amounts, offering better adaptability to stress.

Plant nutrient contents and spatial distribution patterns of toxic element concentrations in mine site soils

Open-pit coal mining causes land and soil degradation and negatively affects soil properties. It is of great importance to determine variabilities in soil properties of the abandoned area after the mine is closed and to bring it back to nature by implementing appropriate rehabilitation programs. The aim of this study was to evaluate plant nutrient availability and toxic element pollution in an abandoned coal mine site. The results indicated that the amounts of plant-available P and K are quite low (<90 kg P2O5 ha-1) and low to moderate (<170 kg K2O ha-1), respectively. The concentrations of plant available Fe (>4.5 mg kg-1) and Cu (>0.2 mg kg-1) are too high in the whole study site. Soils in the study area generally have low organic matter content with ranging from 0.42% to 3.67%. Toxic element concentrations, especially Ni (>75 mg kg-1) and Cr (>100 mg kg-1), are extremely above the optimum levels, posing a great risk in the open-pit area (abandoned), the dump sites and the coal storage area.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE STUDY OF HEAVY METALS POLLUTING FROM THE ENVIRONMENT, BY ATOMIC SPECTROMETRY

"In this scientific work are presented a part of the results included in the thesis entitled "Contributions to the study of heavy polluting elements from the environment by atomic spectrometry" which includes the innovative contributions to the study of the distribution of heavy metals in acacia leaves collected from Dâmbovița county and neighboring counties and the distribution of heavy metals from surface and deep soil collected from the main oil parks in Dâmbovița county. In the analysis of heavy metal concentrations in the studied samples, the spectrometric techniques were used: Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (EDXRF), which were successfully optimized and provided valuable information used in following studies, to assess degree of heavy metal pollution of the environment. These methods were used in a complementary way with the biomonitoring technique in order to have as complete information as possible of the elemental composition of the analyzed samples."

Распределение тяжелых металлов по формам существования и их содержание в донных отложениях плесов Иваньковского водохранилища

The purpose of the research is to study the contamination of the bottom sediments of the Ivankovsky reservoir with heavy metals. These deposits of water bodies are quite sensitive indicators of their pollution. The most unfavorable pollutants are the following metals and trace elements: As, Cd, Hg, Zn, Pb, Cu, Cr, Co, Ni. According to the data of the work carried out in 2021, the trends in changes in the pollution of the bottom sediments of the Ivankovsky reservoir are considered. The content of mobile forms of existence of the following microelements was determined: Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr, Ni and As. The content of trace elements by forms of existence was determined by the method of A. Tessier, the results of the studies are given in accordance with the assessment by igeo-classes – by the contamination of the sorbent fraction (less than 0.02 mm). The main polluting elements in the mobile forms of the bottom sediments of the reservoir are cadmium and lead, for which the level of pollution is estimated within the 2nd igeo-class – from weakly to moderately polluted. A picture of both the contamination of the bottom sediments of the Ivankovsky reservoir with trace elements, and the distribution and ratio of their mobile forms of existence in the sediments is presented. Elements such as Pb, Zn and Cr are mainly in a form bound to iron and manganese hydroxides; Co, Cd, Ni, Cr and Cu are mostly in ion exchange and carbonate forms. Based on the data obtained, at present, the load on the studied objects is not dangerous. The obtained results are of scientifi c and practical interest for organizations of geo-ecological orientation, for specialists in the fi eld of environmental protection and nature management.

Dependence of &lt;i&gt;Pinus sylvestris&lt;/i&gt; (Pinaceae) Radial Growth on Meteorological Conditions and Aerotechnogenic Pollution (Data on the North-West of the Murmansk Region)

Abstract—We studied the influence of meteorological factors and aerotechnogenic pollution on the radial growth of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) depending on the distance from the mining and metallurgical combine “Pechenganickel” (Nikel, Murmansk region). According to the content of the main polluting elements (S, Ni and Cu) in the forest litter, we identified three zones of the pollution gradient – control, buffer and impact zones. We found a significant weakening of pine stands in the impact zone due to the integrated effect of – long-term exposure to pollution (since the 1970s) and unfavorable weather events in the mid-1980s. As the emission decreased over the period 1988–2018, we observed the significant increase (up to 44%) in the radial increment of P. sylvestris in the impact zone and no meaningful changes in control and buffer ones. Further, the radial increment of trees in the impact zone reached and even exceeded the values in control conditions, despite the relatively high age of the studied trees. This indicated the high adaptive capacity of P. sylvestris.

Groundwater Vulnerability and Potentially Toxic Elements Associated with the Iron Mining District of Ouixane (Northeast of Morocco)

This study aims to investigate the groundwater vulnerability concerning potentially toxic elements in the vicinity of the abandoned iron mine of Ouixane (Morocco). A modified DRASTIC method (DRSTI) is proposed with satisfactory results. High vulnerability zones represent 40% of the study area, while medium and low vulnerability represent, respectively, 42% and 18% of the study area. These results have been validated by groundwater geochemical analyses of potentially toxic elements carried out in the framework of previous studies in the same area. Thus, the superposition of the waste rock and tailings map with the vulnerability map showed that the latter is located in areas of high to medium vulnerability and therefore constitutes the main cause of the deterioration of the geochemical quality of groundwater. Otherwise, the vulnerability method showed that the main parameters that significantly affect the vulnerability are: the depth of water (D), net recharge (R), and the unsaturated zone (I), while the other parameters do not significantly affect the model used and do not have much influence on the results of the vulnerability assessment. The method used allowed us to locate the most vulnerable areas to potentially metallic toxic elements pollution resulting from the abandoned iron mine of Ouixane, and it constitutes a tool for decision support and for developing effective action plans to mitigate and monitor the effects of the transfer of potentially toxic elements pollution to groundwater.

REMOVED: Metallic trace element dynamics in Paracentrotus lividus from Algeria: Environmental and human health risk assessment

This paper evaluates the dynamic of Metallic Trace Elements (MTEs; Cd, Pb, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ni and Co) in the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus collected in five sites: four contaminated and one reference, along the western coast of Algeria, recontextualizes this contamination within a wider geographical distribution area throughout 84 sites among the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic and focuses on the potential risk on human health for the first time in Algeria. The Trace Element Pollution Index places Algeria, and generally the North African coasts, as the region most contaminated by MTEs. The Trace Element Spatial Variation Index ranks Pb as a MTE of key environmental concern according to global spatial variability. The health risk assessment indicates that Cd and Pb exceed the maximum limits set by the Commission Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 on three of the four contaminated sites.

Trace elements accumulation over a century in sediment cores from a tectonic lake on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau: Source identification and risk assessment

A record of trace elements in lake sediment can help in assessing the impact of anthropogenic activities on aquatic environments. In the present work, the trace elements profiles (Cu, Cr, Pb, Zn, As, and Cd) were determined in four sediment cores (QH01, QH02, QH07, and Z04) collected in 2012 and 2014 from Lake Qinghai to reconstruct the history of anthropogenic activity in the watershed and to evaluate the pollution status and eco-environmental risks of a typical Third Pole lake environment over the past century. The concentrations of Cu, Cr, Pb, Zn, As, and Cd in these studies ranged between 19.4 and 34.2 μg g−1, 35.6–53.6 μg g−1, 3.10–26.8 μg g−1, 56.4–93.5 μg g−1, 6.20–15.3 μg g−1, and 0.086–0.572 μg g−1, respectively. Statistical analyses indicated that the Pb, Zn, and Cd contents combination of coal, gasoline burning, and agricultural activities in the Lake Qinghai catchment and larger-scale atmospheric inputs during the past 60 years. The enrichment factors for Pb, Zn, and Cd in the sediments of Lake Qinghai are considered to be related to the region of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and national socioeconomic development. Enrich factor of Cd values was higher than 3.5 and maximum values of the geo-accumulation index of Pb and Cd were observed in the top layer of the sediment (0–2 cm), indicating moderate contamination. The RI values suggest that the risks to the ecological environment of Lake Qinghai are increasing since the 1950s. The results of this study illustrate that Lake Qinghai is still experiencing high trace elements pollution pressure due to the rapid environmental changes caused by anthropogenic activities on the remote and isolated Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Active biomonitoring of potentially toxic elements in urban air by two distinct moss species and two analytical techniques: a pan-Southeastern European study

This is the first study to use moss transplants as a biomonitoring technique and inductively plasma mass spectrometry to investigate airborne potentially toxic element pollution and air quality in urban areas on a regional scale across nine Southeastern European countries. The mosses in bags were exposed for 2 months during the winter season (2019/2020) at five sites in each of the selected urban areas next to air quality (AQ) monitoring stations. The sites were selected concerning different land use classes (typical urban, residential, urban background, and rural sites). The concentrations of 35 elements were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. A comparison with elemental analysis performed by total reflection X-ray fluorescence is also presented. Concentrations of the potentially toxic element in moss bags exposed in urban areas were significantly higher, while those exposed in rural areas did not differ significantly from the initial content of unexposed moss. Linear regression analysis revealed no significant differences between the average concentrations of elements in H. cupressiforme and S. girgensohnii moss bags (linearity R2 = 0.94). It shows similar trends in elements in both moss species. The median values of contamination factors in both moss species ranged mostly from 1.2 to 2.17, indicating the exposure sites show no contamination to slight contamination status (C1 to C2 scales). High values of relative accumulation factors were found for Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Sb, and V in moss bags, indicating these elements are the most abundant in most sampling sites, which may increase human exposure through inhalation and could lead to harmful health problems.

Macrophytes as passive bioindicators of trace element pollution in the aquatic environment

AbstractPollution with trace elements is considered a global problem due to their persistence, nondegradability, and toxicity to living organisms. Aquatic ecosystems are often the final sinks for trace elements, but these pollutants are quickly diluted and difficult to detect and, therefore, comprehensive monitoring of pollution is needed to implement appropriate control measures and prevent irreversible damage to these habitats. Bioindication is one of the recommended methods as it provides information not only on the pollution level but also on the bioavailability of elements and their biological impact. The paper is a synthetic review of the knowledge about the use of macrophytes as passive bioindicators (accumulator taxa) of trace element pollution in aquatic ecosystems. Various aspects of bioindication using accumulator aquatic plants are discussed: the criteria defined for the organisms used in biogeochemical bioindication, advantages of plants as accumulative bioindicators, general trends in the uptake, and accumulation of pollutants by macrophytes (including differences between life forms, organs, and seasons). The use of various groups of macrophytes in accumulative bioindication is described in detail with an emphasis on the relationship between element levels in plant tissues and their habitat as well as performance in the detection of pollution gradients. Knowledge gaps and limitations in the field of bioindication using accumulative macrophytes are indicated and the future perspective is outlined.This article is categorized under:Science of Water &gt; Water QualityWater and Life &gt; Stresses and Pressures on EcosystemsWater and Life &gt; Conservation, Management, and Awareness

Lead and Other Trace Element Levels in Brains of Croatian Large Terrestrial Carnivores: Influence of Biological and Ecological Factors.

Trace element pollution can adversely affect the brains of individuals and thus impact the entire population of apex predators, such as large European carnivores. We assessed exposure to prominent neurotoxicants As, Cd, Hg and Pb by measuring their brain stem levels in brown bears (n = 114), grey wolves (n = 8), Eurasian lynx (n = 3), and golden jackals (n = 2) sampled in 2015-2022 in Croatia. The highest of the non-essential elements was the Pb level in the bears' brains (median, Q1-Q3; 11.1, 7.13-24.1 μg/kg wet mass), with 4% of animals, all subadults, exceeding the established normal bovine levels (100 μg/kg wet mass). Species-specific differences were noted for Ca, Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb and Se brain levels. Female brown bears had higher As brain levels than males. Cubs and yearlings had lower brain Cd, but higher Zn, while subadults had higher Cu than adult bears. Hepatic As, Cd, Cu and Hg levels were shown to be a moderate proxy for estimating brain levels in bears (rS = 0.30-0.69). Multiple associations of As, Cd, Hg and Pb with essential elements pointed to a possible interaction and disturbance of brain Ca, Cu, Fe, Se and Zn homeostasis. Non-essential element levels in the brains of four studied species were lower than reported earlier for terrestrial meso-carnivores and humans. The age and sex of animals were highlighted as essential factors in interpreting brain element levels in ecotoxicological studies of large carnivores.

Identification and hazard analysis of heavy metal sources in agricultural soils in ancient mining areas: A quantitative method based on the receptor model and risk assessment,

Industry in ancient mining areas caused significant heavy metal pollution (HMP) in agricultural soils. This study measured the hazards of specific sources of heavy metals (HMs) in an ancient mining areas agricultural soil. Firstly, we identified the major pollution sources based on the PMF model. Then, the proposed single-factor pollution load index (SPLIzone) and ecological load index (SELIzone) analyzed the integrated pollution and ecological risks of various elements. Finally, the source-specific soil contamination levels and ecological risks were quantified by combining the source assignment and single-factor assessment processes. SPLIzone and SELIzone showed that Cu and Cd were the most contaminated elements. Five factors were determined as the major sources of HMs, including mining, natural, smelting industry, agricultural and traffic sources. The mining sources contributed the most soil contamination (33.73%). However, the largest contributor to ecological risk was the smelting industrial (42.18%). Lower soil contamination may contain higher ecological risk. Smelting industrial and traffic are the most critical sources that need to be controlled at present. This study proposes a quantitative method for assessing the hazards of HM sources, which provides a beneficial reference for the study and management of HMP.

Divergent linkages of soil phosphorus fractions to edaphic properties following afforestation in the riparian zone of the upper Yangtze river, China

Soil phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient element for plant growth but it is also one of the elements of agricultural-dominated watershed pollution. While the vegetation in the riparian zone usually plays an important role in regulating P pollutants. However, how afforestation affects soil P dynamics and fractions in the riparian zone remains largely unclear. Here, we investigated soil P fractions, and associated drivers including edaphic properties, microbial attributes, and soil enzyme activities under conversion from cropland to different afforested lands in order to better understand the dynamics of soil P fractions in the riparian zone of the upper Yangtze River. We found that afforestation significantly decreased the concentrations of available phosphorus, microbial biomass P, and labile P fractions, but the moderately labile P and Stable P did not significantly differ among afforestation types. Particularly, the lowest concentration of labile P was observed in Morus alba (M.a.) forests followed by the Salix babylonica (S.b.) forests, whereas croplands generally exhibited an inverse trend with a higher labile P concentration compared to woodlands, especially in croplands nearby Morus alba forests. Generally, P fractions were negatively associated with soil pH and C:N ratio, while positively related to microbial attributes, N:P ratio, and alkaline phosphatase activities. The labile P and moderately labile P fractions were predominantly regulated by biotic factors (i.e., microbial biomass P, microbial biomass N, leucine amino peptidase), whereas the stable P was strongly related to abiotic factors (i.e., total C concentration, pH, C:N ratio). These findings indicate afforestation is conducive to intercept more labile P, resulting in reduced P leaching to rivers. Collectively, our results not only offer direct experimental insight into predicting the effects of afforestation on soil P fractions but also have important implications for agricultural pollution management and reforestation strategies in the riparian zone.

Influenza incidence and air pollution: Findings from a four-year surveillance study of prefecture-level cities in China.

Influenza is a serious public health problem, and its prevalence and spread show significant spatiotemporal characteristics. Previous studies have found that air pollutants are linked to an increased risk of influenza. However, the mechanism of influence and the degree of their association have not been determined. This study aimed to determine the influence of the air environment on the spatiotemporal distribution of influenza. The kernel density estimation and Getis-Ord Gi * statistic were used to analyze the spatial distribution of the influenza incidence and air pollutants in China. A simple analysis of the correlation between influenza and air pollutants was performed using Spearman's correlation coefficients. A linear regression analysis was performed to examine changes in the influenza incidence in response to air pollutants. The sensitivity of the influenza incidence to changes in air pollutants was evaluated by performing a gray correlation analysis. Lastly, the entropy weight method was used to calculate the weight coefficient of each method and thus the comprehensive sensitivity of influenza incidence to six pollution elements. The results of the sensitivity analysis using Spearman's correlation coefficients showed the following ranking of the contributions of the air pollutants to the influenza incidence in descending order: SO2 >NO2 >CO> PM2.5 >O3 >PM10. The sensitivity results obtained from the linear regression analysis revealed the following ranking: CO>NO2 >SO2 >O3 >PM2.5 >PM10. Lastly, the sensitivity results obtained from the gray correlation analysis showed the following ranking: NO2 >CO>PM10 >PM2.5 >SO2 >O3. According to the sensitivity score, the study area can be divided into hypersensitive, medium-sensitive, and low-sensitive areas. The influenza incidence showed a strong spatial correlation and associated sensitivity to changes in concentrations of air pollutants. Hypersensitive areas were mainly located in the southeastern part of northeastern China, the coastal areas of the Yellow River Basin, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and surrounding areas, and the Yangtze River Delta. The influenza incidence was most sensitive to CO, NO2, and SO2, with the occurrence of influenza being most likely in areas with elevated concentrations of these three pollutants. Therefore, the formulation of targeted influenza prevention and control strategies tailored for hypersensitive, medium-sensitive, low-sensitive, and insensitive areas are urgently needed.

Distribution characteristics and environmental risk assessment following metal(loid)s pollution incidents at Southwest China mining site

Limited information is available on long-term effects of metal(loid)s pollution incidents. Here, we analyze the distribution characteristics and quantification of elements in the Southwest China Keda mining site, which is one of the most populated sites and enables human health and ecological risk assessments of elemental pollution. The results on modified degree of contamination indicated that the soil and sediment were highly contaminated near Dahu Lake. The health risk of children was almost 2.5 times that of adults in surface water, and 7.1 times in soil, respectively. Moreover, Tl and As were the main health risk contributors in surface water and soil, respectively, and As posed the highest ecological risk both in soil and sediment. These results indicated the potential impact of toxic metal(loid)s on the health of residents and environment. Hence, more scientific attention and proper management need to be paid to this environmental challenge in the future.

Combined pollution of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the soil in Shenfu Region, China: a case of three different cities.

It is a challenging issue to investigate the combined pollution of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in urban soils. The purpose of this study was to determine the concentrations of these two pollutants in soils in Shenyang, Fushun, and Fushun New District, to analyze their distribution, their interaction, and co-contamination levels. The concentrations of heavy metals were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), while the concentrations of 21 kinds of PAH were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Based on the analysis of pollution concentrations and distribution patterns, the intrinsic links between heavy metals and PAHs in three different cities were assessed using a variety of multivariate analysis methods. Compared to Shenfu New District, the concentration of pollutants in Shenyang and Fushun shows a higher level. Moreover, the results of redundancy analysis (RDA) of samples may quantify the possibility of combined pollution of different heavy metal elements and PAHs. This study also affirms the important role of multivariate analysis in being used to reveal the complex interactions and spatial distribution of different pollutants.

Assessment of trace element pollution in Meyqan wetland sediments

Assessment of trace element pollution in Meyqan wetland sediments

Transformation of ecological-resource and ecological-geochemical functions of the lithosphere within the Stary Oskol–Gubkin mining district of the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly

The impact of mining production on the natural environment shows itself in many ways: through changes in the chemical and mechanical composition of the atmosphere, deformation of the earth&rsquo;s surface, activation of exogenous geomorphological processes, violation of hydrological regime, surface water and groundwater alteration, degradation of soil and vegetation cover, disruption of functioning (vital activity) of living organisms&mdash;from bacteria to humans. The purpose of this work was to assess the main trends of transformation of the ecological-resource and ecological-geochemical functions of the lithosphere within the Stary Oskol&ndash;Gubkin mining area of the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly. This area is a key site for such research in the central part of Russia, which is due to its natural and manmade features: the initial high quality of the natural environment, the high population density&mdash;36 people / km2, and the extremely high level of induced load as a result of the mineral mining and processing activities. The research methods included field observations, as well as soil sampling at 12 key sites and at three main rivers of the district. The ecological and geochemical studies were carried out using the quantitative atomic spectral analysis. In the process of research, the tendency of significant alkalinization of soils and surface waters was revealed to exceed background values by 30&ndash;50%. Extraction and processing of iron ore has led to a significant degradation of the ecological and resource function, which is manifested in the removal of soil cover over the areas of tens of km2. The main polluting elements are indicated, including Zn, Pb, Mo, Co, Cr, B, Cu. The trend of transformation of the macro- and mesocomponent composition of surface waters was recorded. The content of calcium, sodium, chlorides exceeds the similar indicators in other rivers by 2 to 10 times, and this excess in terms of the content of sulfates is 70 times.

Ecological and human health risk assessment of potentially toxic element contamination in waters of a former asbestos mine (Canari, Mediterranean Sea): implications for management

Between 1948 and 1965, the Canari asbestos mine (Corsica, France) discharged 11 million tonnes of serpentinite rubble into the sea. This study, therefore, aims to assess the environmental and health risks associated with contamination of potentially toxic elements using bioindicators (seagrass and fish) in the areas bordering the former mine within the perimeter of the Cap Corse and Agriate Marine Natural Park. The results and multivariate statistical analyses of the potentially toxic elements, made it possible to identify a concentration gradient, a model of bioaccumulation, and the occurrence of different groups, thus reflecting a spatial variation of the contamination. These results indicate that the former asbestos mine can still be considered, 55years after its closure, as a major source of Co, Cr, and Ni for marine ecosystems and still influences the quality of the coastal area today. Our study, therefore, indicates that the two most polluted sites (Albo and Negru) are the closest stations to the south of the old Canary asbestos mine. According to the Trace Elements Pollution Index (TEPI) values, 6 species were classified as having a high contamination level: Scorpaena notata (1.37), Scorpaena porcus (1.36), Sepia officinalis (1.27), Diplodus vulgaris (1.02), Spicara maena (0.95), and Mullus surmuletus (0.94). Regarding the potentially toxic elements measured in the edible tissues of fish, the concentrations were all below the regulatory thresholds and did not reveal any potential risk to human health (Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, Se, Sn, Zn). This work provides new and useful information to improve the monitoring of the environmental quality of a region characterized by previous mining activity and to assess the potential risk to human health due to the consumption of fish. Beyond the purely scientific aspects, these results could serve as decision support at the regional level for the definition of long-term public policies.