Estudio de la contaminación por drenajes ácidos de mina de las aguas superficiales en la cuenca del río Odiel (SO España)

Laburpena

Most of the Odiel River basin is affected by acid mine dranage. From 2002 to 2006, a study of the state of pollution was perfomed in the basin of the Odiel along with two of the most important water reservoirs. As main results we conclude that 37% of the hydrological network is polluted by heavy metals. The major sources of pollution are from Tharsis, Rio Tinto, The Lapìlla and San Telmo mines. In the rivers Tinto and Odiel arsenic is mostly in their species As (V). In the Tinto River As (III) represents 0.5% while in the Odiel basin this species represents 9%. Reservoirs act as sinks of contaminants, producing a natural attenuation of pollution mainly based mechanisms dilution and precipitation of metal sulfides in the anoxic zones.