Mercury Pollution in Ghana: A Case Study of Environmental Impacts of Artisanal Gold Mining in Sub-Saharan Africa

Bonzongo, J.C.; Donkor, Augustine; Nartey, VK; Lacerda, Luiz Drude de

doi:10.1007/978-3-662-07060-4_12

Cited by 10 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…Soil Hg in Kejetia (medians in 2010 and 2011, respectively: 2.16 and 3.05 µg/g; range: 0.096–330 µg/g), were similar to soil Hg levels from two ASGM villages in Zamfara, Nigeria (medians: 2.4 and 2.9 µg/g; range: 0.7–15.2 µg/g) [ 19 ]. Mean Kejetia household soil Hg (15.55 µg/g) in 2011 was higher than measured in studies of 19 other ASGM areas across Ghana except for one study of four sites in the Western and Central Regions, which measured soil from active amalgamation and burning sites and found mean soil Hg levels of 0.93, 6.09, 21.6, and 185.93 µg/g [ 7 , 57 ]. Our study, however, focused on common areas where people spent their time to more appropriately reflect personal exposures for community residents.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 86%

“…Our study, however, focused on common areas where people spent their time to more appropriately reflect personal exposures for community residents. In other studies across Ghana, 21 out of 25 (84%) ASGM sampling sites measured mean soil levels below the Canadian Soil Quality Guideline for residential areas at 6.6 µg/g Hg, and 3 out of 25 (12%) were below 0.1 µg/g Hg [ 7 , 51 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 ]. Household soil Hg in Gorogo (0.041 ± 0.023 µg/g) was lower than observed in other non-ASGM areas (means ranging from 0.099 to 0.170 µg/g) [ 7 , 51 , 64 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

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Mercury Exposure Assessment and Spatial Distribution in A Ghanaian Small-Scale Gold Mining Community

Rajaee

Long

Renne

et al. 2015

IJERPH

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Mercury is utilized worldwide in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) and may pose a risk for miners and mining communities. While a number of studies have characterized mercury in ASGM communities, most have focused on a single media and few have taken a holistic approach. Here, a multiple media exposure assessment and cross-sectional study of mercury was conducted in 2010 through 2012 in northeast Ghana with a small-scale gold mining community, Kejetia, a subsistence farming community, Gorogo, and an urban ASGM gold refinery in Bolgatanga. The objective was to assess mercury in a range of human (urine and hair) and ecological (household soil, sediment, fish, and ore) samples to increase understanding of mercury exposure pathways. All participants were interviewed on demographics, occupational and medical histories, and household characteristics. Participants included 90 women of childbearing age and 97 adults from Kejetia and 75 adults from Gorogo. Median total specific gravity-adjusted urinary, hair, and household soil mercury were significantly higher in Kejetia miners (5.18 µg/L, 0.967 µg/g, and 3.77 µg/g, respectively) than Kejetia non-miners (1.18 µg/L, 0.419 µg/g, and 2.00 µg/g, respectively) and Gorogo participants (0.154 µg/L, 0.181 µg/g, and 0.039 µg/g) in 2011. Sediment, fish, and ore Hg concentrations were below guideline values. Median soil mercury from the Bolgatanga refinery was very high (54.6 µg/g). Estimated mean mercury ingestion for Kejetia adults from soil and dust exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reference dose (0.3 µg Hg/kg·day) for pica (0.409 µg Hg/kg·day) and geophagy (20.5 µg Hg/kg·day) scenarios. Most participants with elevated urinary and household soil mercury were miners, but some non-miners approached and exceeded guideline values, suggesting a health risk for non-mining residents living within these communities.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 86%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Mercury Exposure Assessment and Spatial Distribution in A Ghanaian Small-Scale Gold Mining Community

Rajaee

Long

Renne

et al. 2015

IJERPH

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“…Samples were generally below the Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines (6.6 µg/g or residential soil; and 50 µg/g for industrial soil [ 25 ]). Some individual soil samples greatly exceeded guidelines (e.g., 185.9 µg/g Hg, abandoned Tarkwa mine site; 330.0 µg/g, ASGM community in the Upper East Region) [ 26 , 27 ] in certain cases. Mercury concentrations did not follow any obvious trend by season or temporally.…”

Section: An Assessment Of the Ecological Health Issuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Mercury concentrations did not follow any obvious trend by season or temporally. Most sites in southern Ghana have mean mercury concentrations below those observed in northeast Ghana, with a couple exceptions in the Wassa West District near Tawkwa, Western Region [ 26 ]. Concentrations were highest from samples taken on-site of ASGM activities (n = 8 sites; mean range: 0.792 to 185.9 µg/g), followed by studies in ASGM and LSGM areas (n = 17 sites; mean range: 0.020 to 2.40 µg/g), and non-mining areas (n = 6 sites; mean range: not detectable to 0.170 µg/g).…”

Section: An Assessment Of the Ecological Health Issuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrated Assessment of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining in Ghana—Part 2: Natural Sciences Review

Rajaee

Obiri

Green

et al. 2015

IJERPH

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This paper is one of three synthesis documents produced via an integrated assessment (IA) that aims to increase understanding of artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in Ghana. Given the complexities surrounding ASGM, an integrated assessment (IA) framework was utilized to analyze socio-economic, health, and environmental data, and co-develop evidence-based responses with stakeholders. This paper focuses on the causes, status, trends, and consequences of ecological issues related to ASGM activity in Ghana. It reviews dozens of studies and thousands of samples to document evidence of heavy metals contamination in ecological media across Ghana. Soil and water mercury concentrations were generally lower than guideline values, but sediment mercury concentrations surpassed guideline values in 64% of samples. Arsenic, cadmium, and lead exceeded guideline values in 67%, 17%, and 24% of water samples, respectively. Other water quality parameters near ASGM sites show impairment, with some samples exceeding guidelines for acidity, turbidity, and nitrates. Additional ASGM-related stressors on environmental quality and ecosystem services include deforestation, land degradation, biodiversity loss, legacy contamination, and potential linkages to climate change. Though more research is needed to further elucidate the long-term impacts of ASGM on the environment, the plausible consequences of ecological damages should guide policies and actions to address the unique challenges posed by ASGM.

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“…This may be due to lack of financial support for scientific research, environmental policy, and regulations for control and monitoring in the environment. In countries where they exist, agencies responsible lack the required capacity to ensure compliance and enforcement of regulation (Bozongo et al 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pesticide residues in fruits at the market level in Accra Metropolis, Ghana, a preliminary study

Bempah

Donkor

2010

Environ Monit Assess

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A number of pesticide residues in fruits were monitored at five markets in the Accra Metropolis for almost a year. Locally produced fruits (pawpaw and tomato) and imported apple were purchased from these selected markets in the metropolis and analyzed for pesticide residues by gas chromatography equipped with electron capture detector. In all, 320 sampled fruits were extracted and analyzed for pesticide residues, mainly organochlorines (γ-HCH, δ-HCH, aldrin, heptachlor, γ-chlordane, heptachlor epoxide, α-endosulfan, p,p'-DDE, endrin, β-endosulfan, o,p'-DDT, endrin aldehyde, p,p'- DDT, endrin ketone, and methoxychlor). The data revealed that 32.8% of the fruit samples analyzed contained residues of the monitored insecticides above the accepted maximum residue limit (MRL) whereas 48.7% were below the MRL. Nonetheless, the continuous consumption of such fruits with modest pesticide levels can accumulate and could result in deadly chronic effects.

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Mercury Pollution in Ghana: A Case Study of Environmental Impacts of Artisanal Gold Mining in Sub-Saharan Africa

Cited by 10 publications

References 53 publications

Mercury Exposure Assessment and Spatial Distribution in A Ghanaian Small-Scale Gold Mining Community

Mercury Exposure Assessment and Spatial Distribution in A Ghanaian Small-Scale Gold Mining Community

Integrated Assessment of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining in Ghana—Part 2: Natural Sciences Review

Pesticide residues in fruits at the market level in Accra Metropolis, Ghana, a preliminary study

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