Mangifera indica as Bioindicator of Mercury Atmospheric Contamination in an ASGM Area in North Gorontalo Regency, Indonesia

Environment Degradation, Health Threats, and Legality at the Artisanal Small-Scale Gold Mining Sites in Indonesia

Artisanal Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) activities, despite offering numerous economic incentives, inflict negative impacts on the environment and public health due to the use of mercury or cyanide. This study aims to compare three ASGM locations in Indonesia in terms of environmental impacts and potential health problems in the community. As part of this research, field surveys at three ASGM illegal locations with different conditions, observations, literature studies, and interviews with the community and stakeholders were conducted. At each of the survey sites, the potential threat to public health due to the use of mercury was determined to be high. Additionally, many of the environmental impacts detected were deemed to have reached a high-alert stage, in some cases even posing a level of extreme danger. Based on these results, it has become clear that a form of mining management which reduces the negative impacts on the surrounding environment and community health is needed. The suggestions put forward in this paper, including the call for greater control of ASGM, may also be applied in other developing countries which suffer from similar problems and conditions.

Transdisciplinary Communities of Practice to Resolve Health Problems in Southeast Asian Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Communities

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) has been a major part of people's livelihood in the rural areas of many developing countries, including those in Southeast Asia (SEA). Nevertheless, because of the use of mercury, ASGM activities have significant local and global adverse impacts on the environment and ASGM community health. Although there have been many monodisciplinary projects by academic researchers and governments to solve the environmental and health problems in SEA ASGM communities, they have not been sufficient to solve the complex socioeconomic problems. This review first outlines the nature of the SEA ASGM activities and the consequent environmental, community health, and socioeconomic problems and then introduces an approach using transdisciplinary communities of practice that involves both academic and nonacademic participants to relieve these wicked ASGM problems and to improve the environmental governance and community health in ASGM communities in SEA.

Atmospheric Hg Levels in Tree Barks Due to Artisanal Small-Scale Gold Mining Activity in Bunut Seberang Village in Indonesia

Mercury (Hg) is a useful heavy metal; however, it is toxic to both humans and the environment. Tree bark is an excellent bioindicator, which has been proven to be effective in studying the level of atmospheric Hg contamination. This study aimed to determine the distribution of evaporated Hg using the total weight of Hg (THg) in tree barks in Indonesia at the artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) area of Bunut Seberang Village and Lampung University, respectively. Samples were taken using purposive sampling, based on the criteria of forestry trees at a height level of 1.3 m above ground as wide as 100 cm2. The samples were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometry and Scanning electron microscopy to determine the levels of THg and to investigate the bark structures. Results showed that the highest THg values were found in a Magnolia champaca sample (56.5 µg), followed by Swietenia mahagoni (45.8 µg) and Swietenia mahagoni (33.5 µg). All species studied showed THg levels in the tree barks at an elevation from 30 to 320 m above sea level. The Hg amounts found in the sampled barks indicated the dispersion of Hg throughout the ASGM area, which signified hazardous atmospheric conditions in the area.

Indonesian Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining—A Narrative Literature Review

Indonesia is host to a long history of gold mining and is responsible for a significant contribution to world gold production. This is true not only with regard to large gold mining companies but also to small-scale mining groups comprised of people and enterprises that participate in the gold industry of Indonesia. More than two thousand gold mining locations exist in present day Indonesia. Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sites are spread out across thirty provinces in Indonesia, and have provided work opportunities and income for more than two million people. However, the majority of ASGM activities use rudimentary technologies that have serious impacts upon the environment, public health, and miners’ safety, which in turn generate socio-economic impacts for people residing around the mine sites. Moreover, many ASGMs are not licensed and operate illegally, meaning that they are immune to governmental regulation, and do not provide income to the regions and states via taxes. The possibility for more prudent management of ASGM operations could become a reality with the involvement and cooperation of all relevant parties, especially communities, local government, police, and NGOs.

Evaluation of the Total Mercury Weight Exposure Distribution Using Tree Bark Analysis in an Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Area, North Gorontalo Regency, Gorontalo Province, Indonesia

It is well known that atmospheric mercury (Hg) contaminates air, water, soil, and living organisms, including trees. Therefore, tree bark can be used for the environmental assessment of atmospheric contamination because it absorbs heavy metals. This study aimed to establish a new biomonitoring for the assessment of atmospheric Hg pollution. Reporting on atmospheric Hg contamination in an artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) area in North Gorontalo, Indonesia, we calculated the total weight of Hg (THg) and quantitatively measured the concentrations of Hg in the tree bark of Mangifera indica, Syzygium aromaticum, Terminalia catappa, and Lansium domesticum. The THg of Hg in the M. indica tree bark samples ranged from not detected (ND) to 74.6 μg dry weight (DW) per sample. The total Hg in the tree bark of S. aromaticum, T. catappa, and L. domesticum ranged from ND to 156.8, ND to 180, and ND to 63.4 μg DW, respectively. We concluded that topography significantly influences the accumulation of Hg together with local weather conditions. A mapped distribution of the THg suggested that the distribution of THg in the tree bark was not affected by the distance to the amalgamation site. Therefore, tree bark can be used as biomonitoring of atmospheric Hg contamination for the assessment of ASGM areas.

Mapping Atmospheric Mercury in Lampung Province, Indonesia Using Bark of Multipurpose Tree Species

The use of mercury in gold refining causes air pollution and results in the contamination of multipurpose tree species (MPTS). Tree bark has properties that cause it to store mercury for quite a long time. The purpose of this study was to determine mercury contamination of MPTS and map the mercury contamination distribution in the atmosphere using tree barks as bioindicators. Sampling was performed using purposive sampling. The mercury concentration was obtained by atomic absorption spectroscopy, and the highest THg contents were analyzed using a scanning electron microscope. The analysis was carried out by gauging total mercury (THg), distance, elevation to THg, and interpolation of THg at the research site. The results showed that there were 10 types of MPTS trees whose bark could accumulate mercury. The bark of the Tamarindus indica tree stored the greatest amount of THg (74.4 µg dry weight (DW)), followed by Persea americana (58.7 µg DW), and Annona muricata (44.2 µg DW), respectively. This result was influenced by the roughness of the bark and the location of the plants. No correlation was found between distance and elevation to THg on tree bark. The mercury interpolation in the atmosphere showed that mercury moves from the purification point to the southeast of the purification location.

Mercury Exposure in Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Communities in Sukabumi, Indonesia

BACKGROUND

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is one of the largest sources of mercury (Hg) pollution in Indonesia. In West Java Province, ASGM is found in Bogor, Cianjur, and Sukabumi Regencies.

OBJECTIVES

The present study aimed to evaluate Hg contamination effects and socioeconomic factors in communities living around ASGM operations in Sukabumi Regency.

METHODS

A quantitative method was used to describe socioeconomic ASGM communities. The concentrations of total mercury (T-Hg) in hair were measured in 71 respondents. This study also assessed perception of the use of Hg in the gold ore processing and their impact on the environment.

RESULTS

The population of gold miners in the studied three villages was 1300 households (25.77% from a total of 5044 households). Artisanal and small-scale gold mining involves both men and women employed as miners and gold amalgam processors, respectively. The average monthly income generated as much as Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) 272 000-2 000 000 (about 19-140 USD). Total Hg analysis was conducted for hair samples of 71 respondents (38 men, 33 women). The results showed an average T-Hg in men of 3.27±2.89 ppm, and women of 5.91±4.69 ppm. The level of T-Hg in the respondents was associated with distance to the ball mills and not related to distance to the mine site.

PARTICIPANT CONSENT

Obtained.

ETHICS APPROVAL

This study was approved by Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia.

COMPETING INTERESTS

The authors declare no competing financial interests.