The results of heavy element profiling of the gold ores and sediments associated with the artisanal gold mining activities of the Migori gold belt of Southwestern Nyanza, Kenya, were reported in this paper. The analysis was made to assess the occupational exposure of the miners as well as to investigate the environmental impact of toxic heavy metals. Gold ores and sediments from the artisanal gold processing were sampled in four artisanal gold mining areas: Osiri A, Osiri B, Mikei and Macalder (Makalda) and analyzed for heavy elemental content using (109)Cd radioisotope excited EDXRF spectrometry technique. Analysis consisted of direct irradiating of sample pellets. The concentrations of major elements detected were: titanium (711.41-10,766.67 mg/kg); cobalt (82.65-1,010.00 mg/kg); zinc (29.90-63,210 mg/kg); arsenic (29.30-8,246.59 mg/kg); gold (14.07-73.48 mg/kg); lead (16.31-14,999.40 mg/kg) and mercury (16.10-149.93 mg/kg). The average concentration of the heavy toxic metals i.e. arsenic, lead, titanium and zinc were found to be above 50 mg/Kg as recommended by World Health Organization.

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Analyses of water samples from Mikei, Osiri, Masara and Macalder (Makalda) gold mines of the Migori gold mining belt of Southwestern Kenya were done to determine the level of heavy metals using the Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence technique. The concentrations of the heavy metals were; copper (29.34 ± 5.01-14,975.59 ± 616.14 μg/L); zinc (33.69 ± 4.29-683.15 ± 32.93 μg/L); arsenic (958.16 ± 60.14-18,047.52 ± 175.00 μg/L) and lead (19.51 ± 5.5-214.53 ± 6.29 μg/L). High levels of arsenic and lead were noted. These heavy metals are not only dangerous to the lives of miners and the local inhabitants; they are also a threat to aquatic life since these waters finally find their way into Lake Victoria.