Abstract

PUGA, Soraya et al. CONCENTRACIONES DE AS Y ZN EN VEGETACIÓN NATIVA CERCANA A UNA PRESA DE JALES. Rev. Int. Contam. Ambient [online]. 2006, vol.22, n.2, pp.75-82. ISSN 0188-4999.

Plants that grow near mine tailings can accumulate by different ways potentially toxic elements (PTE) that can represent environmental problems in the ecosystems. The objective of this study was to analyze the total concentration of Arsenic (As) and Zinc (Zn) in the dominant plants in study sites located at different distances from mine tailings. The study was carried out in San Francisco del Oro Municipality, south of the State of Chihuahua, México. Samples were taken from two dominant plants in 10 sites at an equidistance of 300 m beginning with mine tailings downward following the direction of the wind. The sampled plants were separated into roots, leaves and stems to make up a total of 60 samples. Soil samples were also obtained from 0 to 20 cm in dept in each site according to a study previously done. All samples went through a digestive process and were analyzed an atomic absorption spectrophotometer with hydride gen-erator for As and ICP-OES for Zn. A variance analysis was obtained as well as the means separation test (ANOM P<0.05) in which the variables measured were distance to the source and plants parts. The results showed that the further away the plants grow from the mine tailings the less As and Zn tend to accumulate in the plant tissues, and the less contaminated is the soil. Leaves tend to accumulate more of these elements. Acacia farnesiana, Juniperus deppeana, Baccharis glutinosa, Prosopis juliflora and the grass species Cynodon dactylon were the plant species found with higher concentrations. No physical damages were found on the plants. It is concluded that there is a tendency for the studied plants to accumulate more As and Zn when growing closer to the mine tailings.

Keywords : plants; tailings; Zn; As; pollution; mines.

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