Investigating the relationship between speciation and oral/lung bioaccessibility of a highly contaminated tailing: contribution in health risk assessment.

Anthropogenic activities such as industrial, mining, or agricultural are the main sources of environmental contamination. One of the most problematic contaminations concerns metals and metalloids from mining activities. This contamination raises the question of the environmental risk induced and the spread of this pollution (geographical and trophic) and the associated health risk. The integrated, multi-analytical approach of this study conducted on the mining district of Cartagena-La Union (Murcia, Spain) as part of the Interreg SUDOE European project "Soil Take Care" aims to (i) precisely define the speciation of contaminants of interest (Zn, Pb, Cd, As), (ii) predict the environmental risk related to storage stability, and (iii) establish the link between the speciation of the bearing phases and the associated health risk. To do this, a representative zone in the Cartagena-La Union mining district close to the populations was chosen. A physic-chemical characterization of the samples was performed (pH, electrical conductivity, CEC, and total metal(loid) concentrations), and the mineralogy was determined using XRD and SEM-EDS. The environmental risk was highlighted from sequential BCR-type extractions and EN-12457 leaching tests. Finally, the health risk was defined using the PSF inhalation bioaccessibility test and UBM bioaccessibility protocol (based on an operational chemical methodology mimicking soil ingestion and its residence in the gastrointestinal tract of the human body). These analyses revealed 2 groups of samples with distinct behavior. The first group of samples presents relatively stable bearing phases, mainly found in the residual fraction (As and Pb), presenting only a low health risk (very low bioaccessible). The second group consists of Cd and/or Zn-bearing phases, mainly labile (resulting from dissolution/precipitation phenomena), while gastric bioaccessibility reaches more than 85%. Note that Pb, Cd, and Zn have the potential to cause non-carcinogenic risks to children and As and Pb present a carcinogenic risk for children and adults even if only the bioaccessible fraction is considered. It has therefore been shown that the meteoric alteration of the tailing induces a change in speciation leads to an increase in environmental and health risks. These results are essential because they highlight the need for an integrated approach in order to clearly highlight the presence of risks but also that this approach will allow a better understanding of the potential rehabilitation path of this site.

Giant biloma as a result of a blunt abdominal trauma: A case report.

A 58-year-old man with a history of a heavy alcohol intake was admitted to hospital for a 3-weeks history of abdominal discomfort, nausea, vomiting and an increased abdominal girth that appeared progressively after an abdominal trauma due to an accidental fall. On physical examination, jaundice was present and the abdomen was distended with no tenderness on palpation. Laboratory studies showed an increased white-cell count, an elevated C-reactive protein and abnormal liver-function tests. Abdominal ultrasonography showed a large fluid collection in the right side of the abdomen. An abdominal computed tomography scan revealed a gallbladder perforation communicating to a big subcapsular hepatic biloma of 9.5 by 25.0 by 35.0 centimeters, which was compressing the liver and other intraabdominal organs. Finally, our patient underwent an open cholecystectomy with drainage of the biloma, and a partial resection of the Glisson's capsule. Macroscopic and microscopic examination of the resected specimens confirmed the diagnosis of traumatic gallbladder perforation. Gallbladder traumatic injury is a rare entity. The diagnosis represents a challenge because of its low incidence, its association with other lesions of vital organs and the nonspecific and insidious symptoms that can produce. Treatment depends on the type and severity of the damage caused; nevertheless, cholecystectomy remains the treatment of choice in patients with rupture or avulsion of the gallbladder. To our knowledge, this is the first report in the English literature of an isolated blunt traumatic gallbladder injury that was associated with the development of a large biloma.

Giant biloma as a result of a blunt abdominal trauma: a case report

No disponible