Phytotoxicity and metal mobility in soils contaminated with mine tailings

The consumption of vegetables is essential for human health. However, in regions affected by mining activities, this practice may pose serious risks due to potential heavy metal contamination at the soil-plant interface. This study evaluated the phytotoxicity and metal mobility in lettuce cultivated in mine tailing-contaminated soils after the Córrego do Feijão dam failure (Brumadinho, Minas Gerais, Brazil). The increase in soil metal concentrations negatively influenced morphological parameters such as root and shoot length, fresh biomass, germination, chlorophyll content, and the pattern and frequency of stomata on the leaf surface. Translocation factors of Fe, Ni, Mn, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn from roots to shoots of lettuce indicated significant risks to human health. In shoots, the concentrations of As, Cd, Pb, and Cu exceeded the maximum permissible limits for human consumption in lettuce and other leafy Asteraceae by up to 407-, 98-, 5,483-, and 28-fold, respectively. These results highlight the urgent need for mitigation, remediation, and protective strategies to safeguard human and animal health in mining regions, particularly where mining, agriculture, and livestock production coexist.