TÍTULO DEL PROYECTO: Diagnóstico y propuestas para la recuperación ambiental de áreas afectadas por actividades industriales y mineras; implicaciones para la Ría de Huelva (RESTOREHU)
ENTIDAD SOLICITANTE: Universidad de Huelva
INVESTIGADOR/A PRINCIPAL 1: Juan Pedro Bolívar Raya
INVESTIGADOR/A PRINCIPAL 2: Pablo José Hidalgo Fernández
PROYECTO: Proyectos de Transición Ecológica y Transición Digital
1. PROJECT SUMMARY
This project is presented by the Center for Natural Resources, Health, and Environment (RENSMA), being its main challenge to assess
and update the environmental quality of the Estuary of Huelva and its surroundings, Ría de Huelva (RH), and to release a technical
solution proposal for its remediation. The RH represents a clear example of severely contaminated ecosystem, existing two main sources
of pollution: 1) both the abandoned mining areas and active ones located at the Iberian Pyrite Belt (IPB), and 2) a complex formed by basic
industries, popularly called Polo Industrial de Huelva (PIH), sited in the Ría de Huelva surroundings. The main concern of RH is the high
degradation of its soils, saltmarshes, and habitats, being a very suitable area to apply the environmental objectives gathered in the
Taxonomical regulations. This geographical area is composed by several protected areas of the Natura 2000 Network such as Estuario del
Río Tinto, Estero de Domingo Rubio, Reserva de la Biosfera de Marismas del Odiel, and the Espacio Marino del Tinto y del Odiel. These
zones have a high biodiversity of flora and fauna containing extremely fragile habitats, and their degradation is mainly due to old industrial
releases from the PIH, and the Tinto and Odiel rivers since they collect the Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) leachates coming from IPB.
The main objective stablished of this project is to develop a diagnose of the current state of both environmental quality of the estuary ofHuelva and its surroundings, to achieve a proposal for its best remediation and restoration. For that specific aims were proposed:1) to doan inventory and valorization proposal of both mining and industrial waste; 2) development of a practical treatment system of the leachatesto be implemented within the planned restoration actions; 3) To explore the potential of acidophilic photosynthetic microorganisms (APM)of the IPB for the bioremediation of AMD waters; 4) to develop an inventory of degraded areas in the estuary of Huelva and give proposalsfor their ecological restoration; 5) to collect, update and analyze the evolution of the metals bioaccumulation in birds from RH; 6) To studythe interrelations between the real pollution and the health risks perception.
The former project objectives are clearly related to four of the thematic areas of the ecological transition established in the framework tofacilitate sustainable investment, and amending (Regulation EU, 2019/2088): c) the sustainable use and protection of water and marineresources (objectives 2,5); d) the transition to a circular economy (objectives 1,3,5,6); e) pollution prevention and control (objectives1,2,4,5); f) the protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems (objectives 3,4).
The results of this project will generate new knowledge through on new cleaning technologies for industrial effluents and acid miningwaters, helping for a best sustainable circular economy scenario through the waste valorization and new tools for ecosystem restoration.And will have a very positive impact on the economy, environment, and human health of the area of Huelva city and surroundings. Andregarding the social impact, the results will be very useful to the responsible institutions for the Ría de Huelva resources and healthpopulation management.
2. OBJECTIVES, METHODOLOGY AND WORK PLAN
2.1. Objectives
Considering the issues discussed in the section 1, the general objective of the project is focused on the interdisciplinary diagnosis of the environmental quality of the Estuary of Huelva, making specific proposals to remediate the impacted natural areas, as well as the valorization of the main industrial and mining wastes in the Huelva’s province.
To achieve this general objective, the following specific objectives have been proposed:
0. Update and coordinate the research team in the issues of the project.
1. To do an inventory and characterization of both industrial and mining wastes involved in the province of Huelva, for finally to release proposals for their valorization.
a. To make an inventory of the mining wastes (legacy sites), mainly those produced by the gossan treatment coming from the calcination pyrite to the sulphuric acid obtention, and selection of the study cases.
b. To make an inventory of the industrial wastes stored in the PIH, especially those coming from pigment production, oil refining, copper smelting and phosphoric acid plants (phosphogypsum, PG)
c. Waste physicochemical and mineralogical characterization to select the best technologies and processes to its valorization.
d. From the results obtained on the previous objective, to stablish the potential best ways and processes for the valorization of the waste quantitatively most important, especially for the PG and the mining waste from the gossan treatment and calcination pyrite.
2. To evaluate the impact of phosphogypsum leachates in the Estuary of Huelva and to develop a system to treat these leachates to be implemented within the planned restoration actions.
3. To develop an inventory, characterization, and assessment of the degraded areas in the estuary of Huelva, and release proposals for their ecological restoration.
4. To review and collect the available data about the bioaccumulation of metals in birds from the Odiel Natural Reserve, and to update them during the project to compare the evolution of these pollutants along at least the last two decades.
5. To explore the potential of acidophilic photosynthetic microorganisms (APM) of the Iberian Pyrite Belt for the bioremediation of acid mine drainage waters.
a. To analyze the capacity of APM for neutralizing the acidic pH and reducing the content in metallic species in AMD.
b. To develop lab-scale semicontinuous processes for AMD bioremediation by APM.
c. To evaluate the energy yield obtained from the produced AMD biomass.
6. To study the interrelations between the real pollution, the perceived one and the health risk perception by humans.
a. To compare the mental health of a representative human sample from the city of Huelva with another equivalent city (in sociodemographic terms, level of studies and unemployment) with a non-polluted environmental quality.
b. To analyze whether the human risk perception of low environmental quality is associated with levels of internal pollutants and health problems.
c. To analyze whether the human decision-making process through the Delay Discounting paradigm is related to the perception of low environmental quality.
d. To determine whether psychological resilience acts as a mediating factor on the risk perception of low environmental quality and mental health.
7. To design and to implement a plan for dissemination of the results and conclusions of the project.
2.2. Work Methodology
Task 0: Scientific update regarding the problem of the project.
Task 1.1. Inventory of the mining wastes contained in “legacy sites”, and of the industrial waste produced and/or stored in the PIH.
Task 1.2. Physicochemical and mineralogical characterization of the identified wastes.
Task 1.3. Proposal of potential ways and processes for the most significant wastes.
Work Package 2: Impact assessment of the phosphogypsum leachates on the Estuary of Huelva and development of a cleaning treatment system for these leachates to be implemented within the planned restoration actions.
Task 2.1. Hydraulic and chemical connection between phosphogypsum stack and the Estuary of Huelva.
Task 2.2. Development of a passive system for the treatment of the phosphogypsum leachates.
Work Package 3: Inventory and assessment of degraded areas in the estuary of Huelva; proposals for ecological restoration.
Task 3.1. Assessment of ecological restoration in the Estuary of Huelva.
Task 3.2. Assessment of alien invasive flora in the Estuary of Huelva.
Work Package 4: Analysis of the bioaccumulation of metals in biological samples of spoonbills (Platalea leucorodia) from the Odiel Nature Reserve.
Task 4.1. Current knowledge of the presence of metals in spoonbills organs from the Odiel Marshes Nature Reserve and comparison with other areas.
Task 4.2. Measurement of metals in biological samples from the Odiel Marshes Nature Reserve and evaluation of the biota pollution.
Work Package 5: Bioremediation of contamination in environments affected by AMD; role for photosynthetic microbiota obtained from the river network of the Iberian Pyrite Belt.
Task 5.1. Capacity of the acidophilic photosynthetic microorganisms (APM) for neutralizing the acidic pH and reducing the content in metallic species in AMD.
Task 5.2. Development of lab-scale semicontinuous processes for AMD bioremediation by APM.
Work package 6: To study the interrelations between the real pollution, the perceived one and the health risk perception.
Task 6.1. Design questionnaire and pilot study.
Task 6.2. Sampling procedure and data collection.
Task 6.3. Statistical analysis
Work Package 7. Dissemination of the results and conclusions of the project
3. SCIENTIFIC-TECHNICAL IMPACT
a) Scientific-technical impact
The scientific-technical impact expected with this project is aimed at generating new knowledge through an integrated and multidisciplinary study about the identification, inventory, and characterization of the degraded areas and waste disseminated along the estuary of Huelva. Analysing of the impacts on the ecosystems and human health social perception will be carried out. This research project also intends to optimize low-cost treatment systems for the mining and industrial leachates to reduce the pollutant load released to the estuary. These treatments have demonstrated to be a powerful tool to minimizing the potential impact of the abandoned mining and industrial activities on the environment. The characterization of industrial and mining wastes would allow their revaluation in civil engineering and as a potential source of metals of industrial and technological interest. RESTOREHU project falls clearly within the environmental objectives compiled in the Taxonomical rules: c) sustainable use and protection of marine and hydric resources, d) transition to a circular economy, e) pollution prevention and control and f) protection and recovery of biodiversity and ecosystems.
The most remarkable issues are:
• The multidisciplinary trait of the research team will be very enriching, promoting and enhancing the working lines of research units of RENSMA, and consolidating future collaborations between the researchers.
• The project RESTOREHU will contribute to deepening in the understanding of the different constraints of the estuary of Huelva.
• Generation of new high-quality data from the different work packages of RESTOREHU focused on the estuary of Huelva: heavy metals in birds, soil and water, inventory of alien invasive species, photogrammetric data, etc.
• Knowledge improvement of the processes for both industrial acid effluents and acid mining waters cleaning.
• Inventory and database of wastes in Huelva, joined to their potential valorization processes, will help to achieve a sustainable circular economy.
• Inventories and characterizations of the different work packages, proposals for environmental remediation, control of landfills and degraded areas (“legacy sites”) will be very useful for the management by the administration (local, regional and national).
• The basic and applied knowledge will help to construct full-scale plants for decontamination of polluted industrial and mine acid waters in the area and in other similar polluted areas along the World.
• In conclusion, the impact on the economy, environment, and human health of the area of Huelva city will be highly positive.
b) Dissemination and internationalization plan of the results
This plan will be based on one hand, in scientific dissemination. It will be based on 6-8 JCR articles in specific journals depending on the work package. It is also considered the dissemination of the results of RESTOREHU in 6-8 national and international scientific conferences. In addition, many members of the research team participate as teachers in official master’s degrees, which will allow young researchers to know the results of RESTOREHU; there is even the option to carry out Master Thesis.
On the other hand, it is proposed a dissemination plan to the society. It will be based on a web site that will be implemented in the main site of the RENSMA Center. Different workshops will be carried out inviting to managers and responsible of administration to share the main results and solutions. The results will be also disseminated by means of interviews with the research team members in the media: radio, TV, press, etc. Additional dissemination will be carried out in social networks, including Twiter, Facebook, etc. And finally, a layman’s report will be released that summarize the main results of the project for a general audience covering 5-10 pages.
c) Plan for transferring the results of the project
• Patents of the process for acid industrial wastewater treatment and permeable reactive barrier for removing pollutants.
• Guide for valorization of waste in civil engineering and to obtain elements from mining wastes.
• Collaboration with the involved entities to transfer the main results of the project: (i) City Council and Regional Government of Andalusia (ii) Ministry for Ecological Transition. (iii) Nuclear Safety Council (iv) Autoridad Portuaria de Huelva, (v) Paraje Natural Marismas del Odiel, (vi) Gestión Integral de Aguas de Huelva, (vii) Companies from the Huelva Industrial Complex, and others not included here.
• The results of this proposal will contribute to decision-making by these institutions regarding mitigation and adaptation of the present status of the estuary of Huelva.
4. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACT
Pollution and environmental degradation are typical concerns that critically impact on society and economy. Regarding the social impact, the results may be of interest to users and to different institutions with competence in the management of estuarine resources, ranging from the municipal level, such as the Autoridad Portuaria de Huelva, the Paraje Natural Marismas del Odiel, to the regional level, town councils of the surrounding cities, the Consejería de Agricultura, Ganadería, Pesca y Desarrollo Sostenible de la Junta de Andalucía and national level, the Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y el Reto Demográfico.
In the case of the Autoridad Portuaria de Huelva, the results of the project would be very useful since they are responsible for dredging the sediments in the main channel of the estuary to maintain its navigability. It is therefore understood that the Autoridad Portuaria de Huelva is interested in knowing the dynamics of pollutants within the estuary and how they can be taken into consideration with the aim of optimizing the dredging of metal-rich sediments.
On the other hand, all the protected sites of the study area, including several localtions of the Nature 2000 Network, being the Paraje Natural Marismas del Odiel and Reserva de la Biosfera, the most relevant, will be especially interested in minimizing the discharge of the contaminants from abandoned mining in the Iberian Pyrite Belt to improve the sanitary quality of their ecosystems. Thus, future R&D contracts with these entities are being expected, and the results of the projects (guides and tools for preservations and diversity restoration of natural reserves) will be very useful for the managers of these protected areas.
The expectable results of the project will improve the welfare of the population, the conservation of the natural resources and enhance the quality of the environment of impacted sites by human activities. In addition, the development RESTOREHU will produce interactions between the team project members that increase the competitivity and scientific productivity of the Center for the Natural Resources, Health and Environment (RENSMA), located in Huelva, creating added value for the society. The results of the project also catalysis the employment generation and transfer of knowledge into the society since the tools and guidelines produced will be used by companies and administrations involved in the management of the natural reserves and remediation of the commented impacted areas.
With respect to health concern, it is estimated that in Spain around one third of the primary care consultations are related to mental health, with most of them related to depressive or anxiety states, being these health disorders that produce the greatest loss of quality-adjusted life years. Regarding the economic cost, it should be noted that that these psychological disorders in Spain reach a high proportion of the sanitary costs. The investment in the treatment of mental disorders, such as depression anxiety, and the intervention of these disorders is not only a social and welfare issue, but also an economic one. Despite the multiple causes that can underlie mental health, more and more researchers are recognizing the pollution issues and climate change. The recognition of these factors has been one of the briefings of the European Parliament. In this sense, the European Union has pointed out that impact of climate change and pollution is an under-researched area, and therefore there is a need to further develop knowledge and prioritize research in this area.
4. RESULTS