Fig 1.
Conceptual illustration of the fate pathways of mining-related emissions of heavy metals and metalloids in the environment potentially leading to exposures for human and ecological receptors.
Fig 2.
Study area in the Krugersdorp mining area with 1–3 indicating soil sampling sites.
Table 1.
Health risk parameters and values used.
Table 2.
Toxicological parameters for heavy metals and metalloids used in health risk assessment.
Fig 3.
Mean particle size distribution of soil samples from each site (n = 24).
Table 3.
Mean relative abundance of minerals identified in samples.
Fig 4.
Concentrations of heavy metals and metalloids in samples of tailings contaminated soils.
Fig 5.
Heavy metal and metalloid contamination factors and ecological risk factors at the three tailings sites.
Fig 6.
Distribution of pathways contributing to potential human exposure following an assumed emission of different heavy metals and metalloids of 1 kg per day to natural soil.
Fig 7.
Distribution of potential human toxicity (left y-axis) and freshwater ecotoxicity (right y-axis) impacts following an assumed emission of different heavy metals and metalloids of 1 kg per day to natural soil.
Table 4.
Average daily intake of heavy metals and metalloids by adults and children and the respective hazard quotients.
Fig 8.
Chronic hazard index (CHI) for each metal and metalloid at the three study sites.