Determinación del contenido de metales pesados (CU, CR, HG, PB Y ZN) en sedimentos generados por la actividad minera en los distritos de Vetas y California (Santander)

Abstract

The mining industry in Seams and California realizes largely with rudimentary methods named handcrafted or traditional mining industry. Due to these methods for the golden extraction there increases the volume of sediments and the risk for pollution of heavy metals of the gully The Fall and the river affluent Seams of the river Suratá. The flow of the latter is used largely for the plant of Bosconia's treatment that distributes water to Bucaramanga's metropolitan area. Since the health of the persons dedicated to the mining industry meets exposed and pollution is generated in the aquiferous ones before renowned, the investigation was realized to determine the presence of metals weighed as Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr and Hg in sediments of the rivers Seams and Suratá and in the gully The Fall. One used of the methodologies of the Standard Methods for the Examination of Water closet and Wastewater and of the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (IDEAM). Four points of sampling sediment took, taking points determined by the CDMB as a reference environmental authority, found in the literature. The analyses of Cu, Zn, Pb and Cr were realized in the laboratory of basic sciences of the University Saint Thomas by the equipment of atomic absorption and the laboratory SIAMA LTDA realized Hg's analysis. The metals that exceeded the values admitted by the Canadian qualified norm Qualit directives of Canadian sediments for the protection of the aquatic life were Cu, Zn, Pb and Hg.