Occurrence and distribution of heavy metals in three rivers on the Bolivian high plateau
The basin of the Poopó Lake, situated on the Bolivian high plateau, is severely contaminated by the mineral extraction and processing activities within the area. Many rivers in the area contain high concentrations of arsenic, lead and cadmium both in the water and the sediment phase. Moreover, huge amounts of mineral waste are situated in the area. In this study the environmental conditions of thr