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Groundwater contamination evolution in the Guadiamar and Agrio aquifers after the Aznalcóllar spill: assessment and environmental implications

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Abstract

In 1998, the Agrio and Guadiamar rivers underwent an enormous environmental disaster caused by the rupture of the Aznalcóllar tailings dam and the release of 6 hm3 of pyrite sludge and acidic water. Both rivers run over recent alluvial materials which form a small-sized aquifer which is however important because underground water feeds the flow of the rivers. This work analyzes the state of groundwater 10 years after the spill. Before the dam failure, this aquifer was already contaminated in the zone nearest to the mine, to which the impact of the spill was added. Contamination levels in the alluvial aquifer of the Agrio River have decreased remarkably. However, they are still important, with acidic pH values and high concentrations of toxic elements (maximum values of 16 mg/L of Zn and 15 mg/L of Al). There are also important levels of contamination in the Guadiamar alluvial area closest to the mine, as well as in specific zones located further south. The concentration of toxic elements is mainly controlled by pH. The evolution of contaminant levels show a sharp decrease after the first years following the spill, followed by a subsequent stabilization. It is necessary to take measures for the recovery of the aquifer because, otherwise, groundwater will continue contributing contaminants into the Agrio and Guadiamar rivers.

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Acknowledgments

Financial support for this work was provided by the project “Procesos de autodepuración natural en los ríos Agrio y Guadiamar y acuíferos subyacentes” financed by the “Consejería de Relaciones Institucionales” of the Andalusia Regional Government. The original manuscript was notably improved thanks to the comments and suggestions of two anonymous reviewers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geodynamic and Palaeontology, University of Huelva, Campus ‘El Carmen’ s/n., 21071, Huelva, Spain

    Manuel Olías, Laura Galván & Juan Carlos Cerón

  2. Department of Physical, Chemical and Natural Systems, University Pablo de Olavide, Ctra. de Utrera km 1., 41013, Sevilla, Spain

    Francisco Moral

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  1. Manuel Olías
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  2. Francisco Moral
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  3. Laura Galván
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  4. Juan Carlos Cerón
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Correspondence to Manuel Olías.

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Olías, M., Moral, F., Galván, L. et al. Groundwater contamination evolution in the Guadiamar and Agrio aquifers after the Aznalcóllar spill: assessment and environmental implications. Environ Monit Assess 184, 3629–3641 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-011-2212-6

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