assessing heavy metals in the waters and soils of ...

Mariane Marges, Glenn Sia Su and Elena Ragragio, 2011. Assessing Heavy Metals in the Waters and Soils of Calancan Bay, Marinduque Island, Philippines. ISSN 0126-2807 Volume 6, Number 1: 45-49, March, 2011 © T2011 Department of Environmental Engineering Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology, Surabaya & Indonesian Society of Sanitary and Environmental Engineers, Jakarta Open Access http://www.trisanita.org/jases

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ASSESSING HEAVY METALS IN THE WATERS AND SOILS OF CALANCAN BAY, MARINDUQUE ISLAND, PHILIPPINES MARIANE MARGES1, GLENN SIA SU2* and ELENA RAGRAGIO3 1Centro

Escolar University, Makati; 2University of the Philippines, Los Banos; 3University of the Philippines, Manila; Philippines. *Corresponding Author: Phone/Fax: +63-2-536-0228; Email: [email protected] Received: 8th January 2011; Revised: 26th January 2011; Accepted: 27th January 2011

Abstract: This study assessed the heavy metals total copper, total lead, and total zinc in the waters and soils of Calancan Bay, Marinduque Island, Philippines. Heavy metal monitoring in the waters and soils was carried out in November 2009. Results showed that the heavy metals in the waters and soils were evident at high concentrations even after 13 years of non-operation of mining activities in the island. Higher total copper concentrations in the soils along the causeway of Calancan Bay and reduced total copper concentrations going to the eastern side of Calancan Bay were observed. Significant differences in the total zinc in the waters and total zinc, total lead, and total copper in the soils (P < 0.05) were noted between Calancan Bay and a control waterway far from the mining site. Continuous heavy metal monitoring is encouraged to safeguard the risk and impact of heavy metals, particularly from mining wastes, in the general environment and on the quality of life of the general public. Keywords: Copper, zinc, lead, water, soil, mining

INTRODUCTION Marinduque Island is situated 160 km south of Metro Manila and is identified to harbor one of the largest copper reserves in the Philippines. Since 1969, mining operations occurred in the island. Although mining has provided livelihood opportunities for the people living there, the mining activity had generated mine tailings that were discharged into Calancan Bay. From 1975 to 1991, the dumping of mine tailings into Calancan Bay occurred. According to Coumans [1] the mine tailings dumped in the causeway and in the bay contained high concentrations of heavy metals. In 1995, seepage of mine tailings was discovered, and consequently, in 1996, the

45 Journal of Applied Sciences in Environmental Sanitation, 6 (1): 45-49.

Mariane Marges, Glenn Sia Su and Elena Ragragio, 2011. Assessing Heavy Metals in the Waters and Soils of Calancan Bay, Marinduque Island, Philippines.

drainage tunnel of the mine pit operating in the island ruptured and mine tailings were discharged into the waterways of the island [2]. The incident of mining pollution in the waterways and in Calancan Bay has created extensive impact to both the environment and the quality of life of the people who continuously rely on these waterways as a major source of aquatic resources [3]. Several years have passed but the toxic mine wastes continue to choke the organisms in the waterways and to affect the health of individuals relying on the waterways [3] for their food and livelihood sources. There is a grave threat that these discharged heavy metals from the mine tailings may accumulate and magnify in the bodies of living organisms, persist in the environment, and increase the exposure of health risks. With these concerns, this study aims to assess the heavy metals total copper, total lead, and total zinc in the waters and soils of the waterways of the island after 13 years of nonoperation of mining activities. This study is also concerned with the water and soil quality in the area because the people are continuously exposed to these mine wastes. Several studies were conducted at the time when mine tailings were spilled into the bay, but no study has explored and assessed the heavy metals after the abandonment of mining activities in the island. The need to monitor the existence of these heavy metals is a serious task, as this enables the general public to continuously safeguard their welfare from risks brought about by these mining pollutants. MATERIALS AND METHODS Marinduque Island, particularly Calancan Bay situated in Barangay Ipil in Sta. Cruz, where the mine wastes were discharged, was identified as the study area, whereas a waterway in Barangay Hupi, which is situated far from Calancan Bay, was identified as the control area. Grab water and surface soil samples were obtained from the waterways of Marinduque following the sampling procedures of [4] and analyzed for the heavy metals total copper, total lead, and total zinc following the standard procedures of the American Public Health Association, American Water Works Association, and Water Environment Federation [5]. Water and soil samples were obtained from four sampling points in the shores of the causeway of Calancan Bay and from one sampling point in the control area in November 2009 (Fig. 1). Acid-digested water samples were analyzed using the Shimadzu AA-6300 atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, Inc., Kyoto, Japan). The surface water quality criteria used for interpreting results were obtained from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources– Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) [6]. The soil quality criteria used for interpreting the results were obtained from Leeper [7]. Results of the water and soil samples tested for heavy metals were analyzed for significant differences in the extent of heavy metals total copper, total zinc, and total lead in the waterways of Marinduque using the t test for unpaired observations. The null hypothesis for the t test indicated no significant difference in the extent of heavy metals in the waters and soils collected between the study and the control areas, whereas the alternate hypothesis presented a significant difference in the extent of heavy metals in the waters and soils collected between the study and the control areas. The t test indicating P < 0.05 could be a reason to conclude that the difference between the study and the control areas was significant. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software.



Fig. 1: Calancan Bay and the sampling points. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Heavy metals, such as total copper, total zinc, and total lead, were detected in the water and soil samples obtained from the waterways of Marinduque. The mean concentrations in the total copper, total zinc, and total lead in the waters and soils obtained from the study and control areas are shown in Tables 1 and 2, respectively. Significant differences in the concentrations present in the waters for the heavy metal total zinc and in the soils for the heavy metals total copper, total zinc, and total lead (P < 0.05) were observed between the study and the control areas and are shown in Tables 1 and 2, respectively. Table 1: Mean concentration and t test results of the heavy metals in the waters of the waterways in Marinduque Parameter Normal Calancan Bay, Barangay Ipil Barangay t test Significance -1 (mgL ) standard Hupi (two-tailed) Site 1 Site 2 Site 3 Site 4 Site 5 Total Cu 0.02 0.0627 0.0227 0.0147 0.1159 0.0355 -0.539 0.6NS Total Zn 0.05 0.0881 0.1355 0.1123 0.2310 0.2014 3.749 0.003S Total Pb 0.01 0.2319 0.3746 0.3355 0.3801 0.3368 -2.803 0.065NS P < 0.05. NS, not significant; S, significant. Data were obtained from DENR-EMB (1990).



Table 2: Mean concentration and t test results of the heavy metals in the soils of the waterways in Marinduque Parameter Normal Normal Calancan Bay, Barangay Ipil Barangay t test Signifi -1 (mgL ) standard range Hupi cance (twoSite 1 Site 2 Site 3 Site 4 Site 5 tailed) Total Cu 20 2–100 37.4738 51.9375 55.1034 48.6879 2.0540 24.77 0.000S Total Zn 50 10–300 8.9643 6.4024 8.5219 2.7626 1.9065 6.56 0.000S Total Pb 10 2–200 4.4161 1.4200 5.0984 0.5901 0.5361 4.05 0.002S P < 0.05. S, significant. Data were obtained from Leeper (1978). This was a cross-sectional study, and its scope is limited to assessing the heavy metals total copper, total zinc, and total lead in the waters and soils obtained from Calancan Bay. This study has shown that high heavy metal concentrations of total copper, total zinc, and total lead were observed in the waters of the waterways in Marinduque. The heavy metal concentrations observed were higher than the standards prescribed by the government for Class SB waters. Class SB waters, as classified by the DENR, are water bodies that are suitable for commercial propagation of shellfish, are intended as spawning areas for fishes, and can be used for ecotourism and recreational activities. Higher heavy metal concentrations were evident in the control area, which is also situated far from the study area, Calancan Bay. This occurrence is plausible because of the strong water currents that are responsible for enhancing the distribution of the pollutants [8] even in remote areas where the mining wastes were not discharged. Although mining activities in Marinduque ceased at the beginning of the 21st century, the mining pollution history of copper in the island generally conforms to the presence of high copper in the surface soils obtained from Calancan Bay as compared to that in the control area. Although the water currents may have distributed the pollutants even in the remote area due to the high heavy metal concentrations in the waters, the soils along the eastern side proceeding to the remote area showed decreasing concentrations of the heavy metals studied. It is likely that the pollutants investigated in this study may have been distributed to the remote areas but may be imbedded in the soils with time due to sedimentation. The variations in heavy metal concentrations in the soils collected in the areas as observed may also be associated with the presence of organic matter present [9]. CONCLUSION The results of this study showed high amounts of heavy metals total copper, total zinc, and total lead in the waters and soils obtained from Calancan Bay. The previous mining history in the area may be attributed to the presence of heavy metals in the waters and soils of Calancan Bay. The concentration of heavy metal total zinc in the waters of the control area was slightly higher than in those observed at Calancan Bay. This occurrence may be due to the strong water currents that distributed the metal pollutants even to the control area. The findings of this study showed that the soils collected in Calancan Bay were heavily contaminated with heavy metals, particularly total copper. The observed variation in the levels of heavy metal deposition in the soils can be attributed to the variation in the organic matter present in the soils examined.



Acknowledgments: We would like to express our sincerest gratitude to all who have assisted and supported this study. References 1. Coumans C (2006). Summary of findings from environmental studies of Calancan Bay related to surface disposal dumping of mine tailings into the bay from the Tapian Pit of the Marcopper Mine. Available from: http://www.miningwatch.ca/…/summary-findings-environmentalstudies-calancan-bay-related-surface-disposal-dumping-mine-tailings. 2. Bennagen M E C (2003). Estimation of environmental damages from mining pollution: the Marinduque mining accident. In: Economy and Environment: Selected Readings in the Philippines (Francisco H A and de los Angeles M S, eds). EDM Press, Manila. 3. Ragragio E M, Belleza C P, Narciso M C, Sia Su G L, (2010). Assessment of micronucleus frequency in exfoliated buccal epithelial cells among fisher folks exposed to mine tailings in Marinduque Island, Philippines. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine, 3(4): 315–317. 4. Csuros M (1994). Environmental sampling and analysis for technicians. CRC Press, Florida. 5. APHA (American Public Health Association), AWWA (American Water Works Association), WEF (Water Environment Federation) (1998). Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater (20th ed.). Washington DC, USA. 6. DENR-EMB (Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Environmental Management Bureau) (1990). Revised water usage and classification water quality criteria. DENR Administrative Order No. 34 Series of 1990. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Quezon City. 7. Leeper G W (1978). Managing the heavy metals in the land. Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York. 8. Lindell M J, Bremie G, Broberg O, Larsson P (2001). Monitoring of persistent organic pollutants (POPs): examples from Lake Vättern, Sweden. Ambio, 30(8): 545–551. 9. Lindeström L (2001). Mercury in sediment and fish communities of Lake Vänern, Sweden: recovery from contamination. Ambio, 30(8): 538–544.



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