Mercury contamination in selected foodstuffs and potential health risk assessment along the artisanal gold mining, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

Abstract

This study investigates the mercury (Hg) contaminations in soil and foodstuffs along the artisanal gold mining areas, Gilgit-Baltistan Province, Pakistan. For this purpose, soils were analyzed for Hg concentrations and evaluated for the enrichment/contamination using enrichment factor or contamination factors (CF). The CF values ranged from 18.9 to 153 showed multifold higher levels of Hg contamination as compared to background or reference site. Foodstuffs including vegetables, seeds or grains and fish muscles showed Hg accumulation. Results revealed that Hg concentrations in foodstuffs were higher than the critical human health value set by European Union. The Hg in foodstuffs was consumed and, therefore, evaluated for the risk assessment indices using the daily intake (DI) and health risk index (HRI) for the exposed human population both children and adults. Results of this study revealed that cumulative HRI values through foodstuffs consumption were <1 (within safe limit), but if the current practices continued, then the Hg contamination could pose potential threat to exposed population in near future.

Health Studies in the Context of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining: A Scoping Review

“…An integrated approach was applied in more than half of the studies (n = 74). For instance, a combination of two (n = 48) and three (n = 20) types of health issues were identified and six studies incorporated all four types of health issues [87][88][89][90][91] in their reports. Health effects from gold extraction activities alone were investigated in 84% [149/176] of the studies.…”

Review: Risiko Stunting pada Anak yang Tinggal di Area Pertambangan Emas Skala Kecil

“…Air yang tercemar merkuri yang digunakan untuk irigasi juga menyebabkan tercemarnya tanaman pangan, seperti beras. Selain itu, merkuri dapat terbioakumulasi di dalam tubuh ikan, sehingga masyarakat yang tinggal di sekitar wilayah PESK yang biasa mengkonsumsi ikan sebagai sumber protein, dapat juga terpapar (Riaz et al, 2018).…”

“…Risiko paparan merkuri ini juga diperparah dengan tingginya kadar merkuri yang terakumulasi dalam ikan dan persediaan makanan lainnya di sekitar PESK (Esdaile and Chalker, 2018). Dilaporkan Indeks risiko kesehatan pada anak-anak yang berada disekitar PESK lebih tinggi dibandingkan orang dewasa dengan rerata jumlah Hg yang lebih tinggi pada anak-anak dibandingkan orang dewasa (Riaz et al, 2018).…”

Potentially toxic elements contamination in water and evaluation for risk assessment in the Rawalpindi, Pakistan

“…Essential elements such as nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) are required in a specific amount for normal function of living beings, while their higher concentration could induce harmful effects [11,12]. Toxic elements include lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As) and mercury (Hg) are hazardous for living beings even in minute concentration [13,14]. The harmful effects of these PTE are headache, abdominal pain, vomiting, irritability, hypertension, nausea, kidney, liver and intellectual problems, mental retardation, anemia, nerve damages and problem, heart problem, teratogenesis and carcinogenesis [15].…”