Assessment of Water Resources Pollution Associated with Mining Activities in the Parac Subbasin of the Rimac River

Abstract

The objective of this study is to evaluate the contamination of water resources in the Parac subbasin. The existing contamination by heavy metals due to the presence of mining companies is of great concern to the population that inhabits the area since health is being affected. A methodology has been used as an integrated approach based on pollution assessment indices. Five surface water samples and seven groundwater samples were collected in the Parac subbasin, in the vicinity of the Tamboraque tailings. Physicochemical parameters and heavy metals (Al, As, Br, Pb, Fe, Cd, Mn, Hg, B, Ni, Cu, and Se) were analyzed. The mean concentrations of Al, As, Ba, Cu, Fe, Pb, and Zn were 0.3 mg/L, 0.02 mg/L, 0.02 mg/L, 0.05 mg/L, 0.8 mg/L, 0.04 mg/L, and 0.12 mg/L respectively. HPI, HEI, and Cd indices were averaged around 1378.5, 134.5, and 126.5 respectively, HPI and Cd values were above 100 as a critical contamination index value, which indicates that the water samples are critically contaminated with respect to the heavy metals studied. The total variance was 88.11% of the water quality with two components according to the ACP analysis. Al, As, Cu, Fe, Pb, Zn, and Mn showed a high positive charge on PC1 (69.68%) while Ba and Mo had a high positive charge on PC2 (18.12%). The intensity of distribution of metals As, Fe, Mn, and Pb in surface and groundwater is an environmental concern and a more complete monitoring network is needed for the sustainable management of water resources.