Concerns related with the presence of heavy metals in soils. Characterization and assessment of consequences

The final aim of this project has been to assess the consequences of the presence of trace metals with possible toxic implications in the soils of contaminated areas, particularly in the context of mining-affected sites. The project has been centered in two sites: the Almaden mercury mining district, characterized by a heavy contamination of soils and other environmental compartments by mercury, in a wide area with a total extension of some 100 km2; and the San-Quintin-Valle de Alcudia Pb-Zn-Ag district. The assessment has included soil-to-plant transfer studies, ecotoxicology, determination of enzymatic activities, as well as characterization and variability of the microbiological communities present in such sites.