Journal of the Korean Society of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineers ISSN:2288-0291(Print) 2288-2790(Online) 한국자원공학회지

Arsenic and heavy metal contamination, seasonal variation of the metal contents in soils and plants and their migration characteristics from soils into plants in the vicinity of the abandoned Daduk Au-Pb-Zn mine were studied. Soils collected downstream from the mine show high contents of As and heavy metals due to surface erosion and wind blowing in the tailings. However, their contamination was limited around the old dressing plant and paddy field nearby the polluted stream. Enriched concentrations of Cd and Zn were found in various agricultural crops grown in the paddy fields nearby the mine site, and Zn was accumulated specially in soybean leaves. Elevated level of As was also found in rice stalks and leaves. Biological absorption coefficients of the crop plants for heavy metals decreased in the order of soybean leaves, red peppers, rice stalks and leaves, and rice grain, and were higher for Cd and Cu than Pb and Zn. Seasonal variation of As and heavy metals in paddy fields showed that relatively higher concentrations and biological absorption coefficients were found in rice stalks and leaves grown under oxidizing conditions in September rather than under reducing conditions in August, especially for As, Cd, Pb and Zn. It is suggested that the amount of As and heavy metals absorbed by rice crops might be changed under the different condition of paddy fields throughout the period of growing.