@article{PAR00008549,
  title = {{G}eochemical background, baseline and origin of contaminants from sediments in the mining-impacted {A}ltiplano and {E}astern {C}ordillera of {O}ruro, {B}olivia},
  author = {{T}apia, {J}. and {A}udry, {S}. and {T}ownley, {B}. and {D}uprey, {J}ean-{L}ouis},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{O}ruro, located in the {B}olivian {A}ltiplano, has been subjected to intense mining and smelting activities since {C}olonial times (17th {C}entury), yet the current geochemical composition of sediments and trace element behavior is practically unknown. {A} collection of 91 sediment samples retrieved from five sedimentary cores from {L}ake {U}ru {U}ru ({A}ltiplano) and {C}ala {C}ala {L}agoon ({E}astern {C}ordillera) subjected to a total digestion technique, with a compilation of a pre-existing database of trace element concentrations in soils and lacustrine sediments obtained from the {O}ruro {P}ilot {P}roject ({PPO}), facilitated the proposal of geochemical backgrounds and a present-time baseline for {A}s, {C}d, {C}u, {P}b, {S}b and {Z}n in sediments from this area. {R}esults obtained by statistics and geographical information system ({GIS}) analyses showed that the natural geochemical backgrounds of {A}s and {S}b are significantly enhanced in comparison to the {U}pper {C}ontinental {C}rust ({UCC}) concentrations, world background levels, and those of industrial sites and historical mining sites. {T}he use of a local enrichment factor ({EF}) normalized by the mean concentration within the {C}ala {C}ala lagoon ({CCLAC}) demonstrated that using {UCC} concentrations to calculate {EF}s ({EFUCC}) is inadequate for this highly mineralized environment and therefore is not supported. {R}egarding metals and metalloids, the strong multiplicity of sources in this environment makes it difficult to discriminate between natural and anthropogenic inputs into this endorheic drainage basin, although it is suggested that surficial soils are probably impacted by airborne particulates dispersed from the {V}into ({S}b-{S}n) smelter, while {L}ake {U}ru {U}ru is influenced by mining activities, particularly drainage waste of the {S}an {J}ose and {H}uanuni mines. {A}s a final contribution, a geochemical background and a present-time baseline for {B}olivian highlands sediments are provided, which will be helpful for the improvement of environmental legislation and for the future interpretation of geochemistry data in contamination and/or pollution studies in the altiplanic area.},
  keywords = {{O}ruro ; polymetallic-contamination ; {A}ltiplano ; {E}astern {C}ordillera ; {L}ake ; {U}ru {U}ru ; background ; baseline},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{G}eochemistry. {E}xploration {E}nvironment {A}nalysis},
  volume = {12},
  numero = {1},
  pages = {3--20},
  ISSN = {1467-7873},
  year = {2012},
  DOI = {10.1144/1467-7873/10-ra-049},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/{PAR}00008549},
}