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Environmental pollution by heavy metals within the area influenced by the Tungurahua volcano eruption – Ecuador

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, ISSN: 0147-6513, Vol: 270, Page: 115919
2024
  • 1
    Citations
  • 0
    Usage
  • 35
    Captures
  • 2
    Mentions
  • 0
    Social Media
Metric Options:   Counts1 Year3 Year

Metrics Details

  • Citations
    1
  • Captures
    35
  • Mentions
    2
    • News Mentions
      2
      • News
        2

Most Recent News

Cómo el volcán Tungurahua arrojó metales pesados en el suministro alimentario de Ecuador

This is an authorized translation of an Eos article. Esta es una traducción al español autorizada de un artículo de Eos. Luis Egas trabaja la tierra a los pies del Tungurahua en el centro de Ecuador; los suelos de montaña ricos en minerales son buenos para el maíz y las frutas que él cultiva en su campo. Pero el volcán no ha tenido descanso, lanzando ceniza frecuentemente entre 1999 y 2016. Una er

Article Description

Volcanic eruptions can have long-lasting negative effects on nearby environments and communities, especially those relying on agriculture. The Tungurahua and Sangay volcanoes in Ecuador’s highlands pose a significant risk to the region’s agricultural economy and inhabitants. The most recent eruption of the Tungurahua volcano spanned from September 1999 to March 2016. Volcanic ash is known to contain both non-essential and essential elements for plant growth, but excessive amounts of the latter can also be toxic and disrupt physiological processes. Additionally, the use of pesticides and fertilizers introduces additional elements to agricultural soils, which can potentially transfer to edible plants and raise health concerns for consumers. Despite this, little is known about the impact of the Tungurahua volcano’s latest eruption on soil deposition of micronutrient and heavy metals and their potential transfer to the food chain. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a study to explore the impact of the Tungurahua volcano’s latest eruption on soil deposition of Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, As, Fe, Cu, Mn, and Zn, as well as the physicochemical characteristics of cultivated and uncultivated soil samples and vegetables in the cantons most affected by volcanic ash. According to our findings, the physicochemical properties, micronutrient, and heavy metal concentrations of both cultivated and uncultivated soils differ and, in some cases, exceeded the maximum limits established, which could affect the health of the soil as well as of human beings through the trophic chain. This study provides valuable information for monitoring the chemical and physical properties of soil and vegetables in areas affected by the Tungurahua volcanic activity and agriculture, aiding in understanding their impact on the environment, agriculture, and potential health risks associated with locally grown crops in rural Ecuadorian communities.

Bibliographic Details

Carrera-Beltrán, Lourdes; Gavilanes-Terán, Irene; Idrovo-Novillo, Julio; Valverde, Victor Hugo; Rodríguez-Pinos, Adrián; Paredes, Concepción; Signes-Pastor, Antonio J; Carbonell-Barrachina, Ángel A

Elsevier BV

Environmental Science; Medicine

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