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The fragmented and complex topography of mountainous plateau basins resulted in significant regional differences at the watershed scale in soil physicochemical properties, soil texture and soil types, etc. Due to the large watershed range, high altitude, and high sampling difficulty, there was relatively little research on the background values of soil environment in mountainous plateau areas. The purpose of this study was to determine the environmental background values of soil and explore the main environmental controls for the Bijiang Basin in Southwest China. The environmental background value of soil Pb and Zn in the Bijiang River Basin was 30.73 mg·kg-1 and 64.85 mg·kg-1, respectively. The value was mainly affected by altitude, soil type, pH and organic matter. The research results had certain reference value for the selection of background values for regional pollution assessment on soil or sediment in mountainous areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metal pollution seriously threatens the drinking water safety and ecological environment in karst lead–zinc mines. Fifteen groundwater and surface water samples were collected in a karst lead–zinc mine in Daxin, Chongzuo. Ten heavy metal (Mn, Zn, As, Pb, Cr, Cd, Ni, Co, Cu, and Fe) concentrations were detected. Correlation and cluster analysis were utilized to explore the distribution characteristics and sources. The health risks were appraised using the health risk assessment model. The groundwater had more heavy metal types than the surface water, of which the concentrations and average concentrations exceeded the class III water quality standard. The mine drainage contributed most (65.10%) to the heavy metal concentrations. Pb, Zn, Cd, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, and Fe primarily originated from the mining of the lead–zinc mine, Cr primarily came from the fuel combustion and wear of metals, and As was primarily connected with the regional geological background. The groundwater had a higher total health risk (5.12 × 10−4 a−1) than the surface water (2.17 × 10−4 a−1). In comparison with the non-carcinogenic risk, the carcinogenic risk increased by three to five orders of magnitude. The carcinogenic risk distribution of Cr and Cd represented the health risk pattern. The drinking pathway posed two to three orders of magnitude the amount of health risks that the dermal contact pathway posed. Children suffered greater health risks. Water security for children should be more strictly controlled. Zn, Cd, Pb, Mn, and Cr must be paid more attention in terms of water quality protection and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses spatiotemporal changes in the main climatic indicators in the period 1941- 2020, their impact on the possibilities of the atmospheric self-purification of a lead-zinc mine. The study of changes in air temperature showed the presence of long-term trends, and the climatic potential parameters of the dissipative capacity of the mine atmosphere were calculated. It was found that the average monthly air temperature increases with the rate of warming of 0.19 to 0.34 °C every 10 years. Moreover, a relatively greater increase in temperature occurs in winter, and a smaller increase in summer. Determined that the anomalous air temperature field is large in the study area both in winter and summer months. Based on the calculations, data on the spatiotemporal variability of the climatic potential of the dissipation capacity and the coefficient of atmospheric self-purification were obtained. This made it possible to establish that throughout the entire annual cycle, unfavorable conditions are observed for the dispersion of polluting particles in the atmospheric air, and to a greater extent during the cold period of the year. The results indicate the manifestations of natural and anthropogenic atmospheric processes that prevent the dispersion of pollution in the atmosphere. The performed research is significant for the practical use. Since data on the spatial and temporal variability of the dispersion potential of atmospheric air must be previously assessed when implementing measures to manage air quality in an industrial region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improper mining waste and tailing management in Pb-Zn mining areas (Balya and Koru) in the north-west Türkiye have not been researched sufficiently. Accordingly, concentrations of heavy metal were determined in mine tailing and soils taken from Balya and Koru, and a health risk evaluation caused by heavy metals was performed. Average Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn concentrations in mine tailings in Balya are 35.2, 17.8, 354.7, 1735, 10, 10089, 3730 mg kg-1 and these values were determined as 9.9, 8.9, 101.5, 1308, 4.5, 1871, 1375 mg kg-1 in the tailings in Koru, respectively. The concentrations of heavy metals in the soil samples taken from both Balya and Koru were determined to be lower. The evaluation of heavy metals' health risks was performed according to both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic effects. The primary route of heavy metals in adults and children has been determined by oral intake. For both children and adults, the order of the carcinogenic effects of heavy metals in mine tailings and soils in Balya and Koru was Cd > Pb > Ni > Cr. As the carcinogenic risk values of Cd and Pb for adults and children in mine tailing and soils in Balya were above the limit value, the children's Cd carcinogenic risk values were found above the limit value in mine tailing and soils in Koru. The mining area in both Balya and Koru poses a risk to human health since it is close to settlements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metal pollution seriously threatens the drinking water safety and ecological environment in karst lead–zinc mines. Fifteen groundwater and surface water samples were collected in a karst lead–zinc mine in Daxin, Chongzuo. Ten heavy metal (Mn, Zn, As, Pb, Cr, Cd, Ni, Co, Cu, and Fe) concentrations were detected. Correlation and cluster analysis were utilized to explore the distribution characteristics and sources. The health risks were appraised using the health risk assessment model. The groundwater had more heavy metal types than the surface water, of which the concentrations and average concentrations exceeded the class III water quality standard. The mine drainage contributed most (65.10%) to the heavy metal concentrations. Pb, Zn, Cd, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, and Fe primarily originated from the mining of the lead–zinc mine, Cr primarily came from the fuel combustion and wear of metals, and As was primarily connected with the regional geological background. The groundwater had a higher total health risk (5.12 × 10−4 a−1) than the surface water (2.17 × 10−4 a−1). In comparison with the non-carcinogenic risk, the carcinogenic risk increased by three to five orders of magnitude. The carcinogenic risk distribution of Cr and Cd represented the health risk pattern. The drinking pathway posed two to three orders of magnitude the amount of health risks that the dermal contact pathway posed. Children suffered greater health risks. Water security for children should be more strictly controlled. Zn, Cd, Pb, Mn, and Cr must be paid more attention in terms of water quality protection and management.

The root-associated microbiome assembly substantially promotes (hyper)accumulator plant growth and metal accumulation and is influenced by multiple factors, especially host species and environmental stress. Athyrium wardii (Hook.) is a phytostabilizer that grows in lead (Pb)-zinc (Zn) mine tailings and shows high root Pb accumulation. However, there remains little information on the assembly of the root-associated microbiome of A. wardii and its role in phytostabilization. A field study investigated the structural and functional variation in the root-associated bacterial microbiome of Athyrium wardii (Hook.) exposed to different levels of contamination in Pb-Zn mine tailings. The root compartment dominated the variation in the root-associated bacterial microbiome but the levels of contaminants showed less impact. Bacterial co-occurrence was enhanced in the rhizosphere soil and rhizoplane but tended to be much simpler in the endosphere in terms of network complexity and connectivity. This indicates that the microbial community assembly of A. wardii was non-random and shaped by root selective effects. Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Acidobacteriota were generally the dominant bacterial phyla. The genera Crossiella and Bradyrhizobium were enriched in the rhizosphere and cyanobacterial genera were enriched in the endosphere, demonstrating substantial advantages to plant survival and adaptation in the harsh mine environment. Functional categories involved in amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism were abundant in the rhizosphere soil, thus contributing to metal solubility and bioavailability in the rhizosphere. Membrane transporters, especially ATP-binding cassette transporters, were enriched in the endosphere, indicating a potential role in metal tolerance and transportation in A. wardii. The study shows substantial variation in the structure and function of microbiomes colonizing different compartments, with the rhizosphere and endophytic microbiota potentially involved in plant metal tolerance and accumulation during phytostabilization.

The root-associated microbiome assembly substantially promotes (hyper)accumulator plant growth and metal accumulation and is influenced by multiple factors, especially host species and environmental stress. Athyrium wardii (Hook.) is a phytostabilizer that grows in lead (Pb)-zinc (Zn) mine tailings and shows high root Pb accumulation. However, there remains little information on the assembly of the root-associated microbiome of A. wardii and its role in phytostabilization. A field study investigated the structural and functional variation in the root-associated bacterial microbiome of Athyrium wardii (Hook.) exposed to different levels of contamination in Pb-Zn mine tailings. The root compartment dominated the variation in the root-associated bacterial microbiome but the levels of contaminants showed less impact. Bacterial co-occurrence was enhanced in the rhizosphere soil and rhizoplane but tended to be much simpler in the endosphere in terms of network complexity and connectivity. This indicates that the microbial community assembly of A. wardii was non-random and shaped by root selective effects. Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Acidobacteriota were generally the dominant bacterial phyla. The genera Crossiella and Bradyrhizobium were enriched in the rhizosphere and cyanobacterial genera were enriched in the endosphere, demonstrating substantial advantages to plant survival and adaptation in the harsh mine environment. Functional categories involved in amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism were abundant in the rhizosphere soil, thus contributing to metal solubility and bioavailability in the rhizosphere. Membrane transporters, especially ATP-binding cassette transporters, were enriched in the endosphere, indicating a potential role in metal tolerance and transportation in A. wardii. The study shows substantial variation in the structure and function of microbiomes colonizing different compartments, with the rhizosphere and endophytic microbiota potentially involved in plant metal tolerance and accumulation during phytostabilization. [Display omitted] • Root selective effects led to a decrease in microbial diversity in the endosphere. • Rhizosphere and rhizoplane networks were enhanced but the endosphere network was simpler. • Crossiella and Bradyrhizobium were enriched in the rhizosphere and phylum Cyanobacteria enriched in the endosphere. • Predicted functional categories of microbiome differed across root compartments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]