ABSTRACT
Total concentrations of contaminants in soils may not be enough to understand the mobility and bioavailability of the elements. It is important to characterise the degree of association of contaminants in different physical and chemical phases of soil. Sequential chemical extractions use a series of successively aggressive reagents to extract metals associated with specific fractions of sediments, soils or mine wastes. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the mobility and retention behaviour of arsenic (As) in specific physical-chemical and mineral phases in mine tailings and soils in the surrounding area of the abandoned Ervedosa mine (Northern Portugal) by applying a seven-step sequential extraction procedure.
