Exposure risks of inorganic pollutants in environmental samples from an abandoned marble quarry and the implications for sustainable development goals

Abstract

Abandoned mines and quarries are the most common types of mines that contaminate land, water and sediment. A large majority of mines continually release inorganic pollutants and other potentially toxic elements (PTEs) into the environment. Many abandoned mines and quarries exist today in Nigeria and most developing nations, and they produce large amounts of contaminants that have a variety of negative effects on the environment. These effects include soil, water, and sediment pollution, the displacement of natural habitats and biota, negative impact on the landscape, and changes in groundwater levels. As a result of exposure to inorganic pollutants and other PTEs, the human health and ecological risk assessment calculates the individual, population, and environmental risks connected to the amount of adverse health impacts, such as fatalities, malignancies, or diseases. It appears that in order to maintain environmental safety, environmental agencies and research institutes should properly monitor inorganic and other environmental pollutants caused by closed mines and quarries in order to educate the public about their impacts on people and the environment. As a result, this review paper discusses the effects of inorganic pollutants and other PTEs on people and the environment, their levels, the effects of PTEs contamination on the Sustainable Development Goals SDGs 2030, the effects of abandoned mines and quarries on human health, and ecological risk assessments.