IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i5p4476-d1085846.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Dispersal Mechanisms of Trace Metal Elements in the Environment: The Case of Mineral Wastes Stored in Tshamilemba District of the City of Lubumbashi, DR Congo

Author

Listed:
  • Ben Sadiki

    (Applied Chemistry and Metallurgy Department, Higher School of Applied Techniques in Lubumbashi (ISTA-LU), 1896 M’Siri Boulevard, Lubumbashi P.O. Box 2099, Democratic Republic of the Congo)

  • Fabien Ilunga

    (Inorganic Chemistry Unit, Chemistry Department, Faculty of the Sciences, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi P.O. Box 1825, Democratic Republic of the Congo)

  • Michel Shengo

    (Inorganic Chemistry Unit, Chemistry Department, Faculty of the Sciences, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi P.O. Box 1825, Democratic Republic of the Congo)

Abstract

Since 2001, the Tshamilemba quarter, located in the City of Lubumbashi (DRC), has been home to copper- and cobalt-producing plants, which generate great amounts of mineral waste, the storage of which has resulted in environmental pollution. Previous studies conducted in the Tshamilemba district have identified the weathering process of stored mineral wastes as the main source of trace metal elements (TMEs) involved in the contamination of soil and well water, and have highlighted the population exposure to cobalt. This study strives to identify or establish the dispersal mechanisms of pollutants in the environment that contaminate soil, surface water and edible plants. This study measured major physicochemical parameters, determined TME concentrations in samples (soil, water and edible plants) and established, based on data from soil sample analysis mathematically processed using Matlab 7.1 software, the spatial distributions of TMEs, in both the upper and deep soil (20 cm). The soil sample analysis revealed an average pH of 7.69 and a value of 9.1 for the near-white crusts collected at some spots. In the soil, TMEs were present in upper layers (Co, Cu, Zn and Fe) and the deep layers (Co, Cu, Pb, Zn and Fe) at phytotoxic concentrations. TMEs were observed in water samples at concentrations (Cu, Co, Mn, Zn and Pb) surpassing the quality standards for drinking water. This also applies to edible plant samples of Saccharum officinarum (Co, Cd, Ni, Mg and Pb) and Musa acuminate (Cd, Co, Pb, Zn, Mn and Ni). TMEs disperse in the environment as airborne particles from aerial erosion and as dissolved species in run-off water, mixed with acidic, metal-rich waters spreading from the weathering of stored mineral waste. TMEs contaminate the surrounding soil near to the surface water and build up in edible plants. Therefore, fear among the population about the environment pollution in Tshamilemba is well justified. Understanding the dispersal mechanisms of TMEs is of paramount importance to better control and to contain mineral pollution and design strategies for minimizing the effects on human health.

Suggested Citation

  • Ben Sadiki & Fabien Ilunga & Michel Shengo, 2023. "Dispersal Mechanisms of Trace Metal Elements in the Environment: The Case of Mineral Wastes Stored in Tshamilemba District of the City of Lubumbashi, DR Congo," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-18, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:5:p:4476-:d:1085846
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/5/4476/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/5/4476/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Célestin Banza Lubaba Nkulu & Lidia Casas & Vincent Haufroid & Thierry De Putter & Nelly D. Saenen & Tony Kayembe-Kitenge & Paul Musa Obadia & Daniel Kyanika Wa Mukoma & Jean-Marie Lunda Ilunga & Tim , 2018. "Sustainability of artisanal mining of cobalt in DR Congo," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 1(9), pages 495-504, September.
    2. Chloe Brown & Doreen S. Boyd & Siddharth Kara, 2022. "Landscape Analysis of Cobalt Mining Activities from 2009 to 2021 Using Very High Resolution Satellite Data (Democratic Republic of the Congo)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-20, August.
    3. Harvey J. Greenberg, 1995. "Mathematical Programming Models for Environmental Quality Control," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 43(4), pages 578-622, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Anni Orola & Anna Härri & Jarkko Levänen & Ville Uusitalo & Stig Irving Olsen, 2022. "Assessing WELBY Social Life Cycle Assessment Approach through Cobalt Mining Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-26, September.
    2. Tony Kayembe-Kitenge & Irene Kabange Umba & Paul Musa Obadia & Sebastien Mbuyi-Musanzayi & Patient Nkulu Banza & Patrick D. M. C. Katoto & Cyrille Katshiez Nawej & Georges Kalenga Ilunga & Vincent Hau, 2020. "Respiratory Health and Urinary Trace Metals among Artisanal Stone-Crushers: A Cross-Sectional Study in Lubumbashi, DR Congo," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Gutsch, Moritz & Leker, Jens, 2024. "Costs, carbon footprint, and environmental impacts of lithium-ion batteries – From cathode active material synthesis to cell manufacturing and recycling," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 353(PB).
    4. Cooper, W. W. & Hemphill, H. & Huang, Z. & Li, S. & Lelas, V. & Sullivan, D. W., 1997. "Survey of mathematical programming models in air pollution management," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 96(1), pages 1-35, January.
    5. Didier Malamba-Lez & Désire Tshala-Katumbay & Virginie Bito & Jean-Michel Rigo & Richie Kipenge Kyandabike & Eric Ngoy Yolola & Philippe Katchunga & Béatrice Koba-Bora & Dophra Ngoy-Nkulu, 2021. "Concurrent Heavy Metal Exposures and Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy: A Case-Control Study from the Katanga Mining Area of the Democratic Republic of Congo," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-21, May.
    6. Shi, Qing & Sun, Xiaoqi & Xu, Man & Wang, Mengjiao, 2022. "The multiplex network structure of global cobalt industry chain," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    7. Yongyou Nie & Yuhan Wang & Lu Li & Haolan Liao, 2023. "Literature Review on Power Battery Echelon Reuse and Recycling from a Circular Economy Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-28, February.
    8. Tang, Christopher S. & Zhou, Sean, 2012. "Research advances in environmentally and socially sustainable operations," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 223(3), pages 585-594.
    9. Fabian Schoden & Anna Katharina Schnatmann & Tomasz Blachowicz & Hildegard Manz-Schumacher & Eva Schwenzfeier-Hellkamp, 2022. "Circular Design Principles Applied on Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-32, November.
    10. Hermínio Cossa & Rahel Scheidegger & Andrea Leuenberger & Priska Ammann & Khátia Munguambe & Jürg Utzinger & Eusébio Macete & Mirko S. Winkler, 2021. "Health Studies in the Context of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-24, February.
    11. Makowski, Marek, 2005. "A structured modeling technology," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 166(3), pages 615-648, November.
    12. Daniel, S. E. & Diakoulaki, D. C. & Pappis, C. P., 1997. "Operations research and environmental planning," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 102(2), pages 248-263, October.
    13. Namahoro, Jean Pierre & Wu, Qiaosheng & Hui, Su, 2023. "Asymmetric linkage between copper-cobalt productions and economic growth: Evidence from Republic Democratic of Congo," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    14. Hugh Miller & Simon Dikau & Romain Svartzman & Stéphane Dees, 2023. "The Stumbling Block in ‘the Race of our Lives’: Transition-Critical Materials, Financial Risks and the NGFS Climate Scenarios," Working papers 907, Banque de France.
    15. Clément Longondjo Etambakonga & Julia Roloff, 2020. "Protecting Environment or People? Pitfalls and Merits of Informal Labour in the Congolese Recycling Industry," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 161(4), pages 815-834, February.
    16. Anatoliy A. Vereshchagin & Arseniy Y. Kalnin & Alexey I. Volkov & Daniil A. Lukyanov & Oleg V. Levin, 2022. "Key Features of TEMPO-Containing Polymers for Energy Storage and Catalytic Systems," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-50, April.
    17. Stutz, Adrian & Schell, Sabrina & Hack, Andreas, 2022. "In family firms we trust – Experimental evidence on the credibility of sustainability reporting: A replication study with extension," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 13(4).
    18. Liu, Haiping & Li, Huajiao & Qi, Yajie & An, Pengli & Shi, Jianglan & Liu, Yanxin, 2021. "Identification of high-risk agents and relationships in nickel, cobalt, and lithium trade based on resource-dependent networks," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    19. Zhu-Jun Wang & Zhen-Song Chen & Qin Su & Kwai-Sang Chin & Witold Pedrycz & Mirosław J. Skibniewski, 2024. "Enhancing the sustainability and robustness of critical material supply in electrical vehicle market: an AI-powered supplier selection approach," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 342(1), pages 921-958, November.
    20. Liu, Wei & Li, Xin & Liu, Chunyan & Wang, Minxi & Liu, Litao, 2023. "Resilience assessment of the cobalt supply chain in China under the impact of electric vehicles and geopolitical supply risks," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:5:p:4476-:d:1085846. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.