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Kurniawan IA, Kyaw WT, Abdurrachman M, Kuang X, Sakakibara M. Change in Values of Illegal Miners and Inhabitants and Reduction in Environmental Pollution after the Cessation of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining: A Case of Bunikasih, Indonesia. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6663. [PMID: 37681803 PMCID: PMC10487221 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20176663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) harms the environment and human health, because it requires mercury (Hg). Therefore, this study uses a questionnaire survey to identify the effects of the medical checkup findings, group discussion, and educational seminar on the values of illegal miners and residents in Bunikasih, Indonesia, regarding the environmental and health effects of Hg. Transdisciplinary communities of practice (TDCoP) were formed to pursue alternative livelihoods than illegal ASGM. Environmental pollution after ASGM closure was assessed. The questionnaire showed that respondents changed their views on Hg's effects and were willing to stop ASGM practices. In an environmental impact assessment study, tea leaf samples were obtained between the ASGM activity location and village housing in two periods during ASGM closure to identify the concentrations of Hg, lead, and arsenic. Their mean concentration values in Period 1 (2) were 0.54 ± 0.14, 0.66 ± 0.09, and 0.34 ± 0.12 mg kg-1 (0.08 ± 0.04, 0.34 ± 0.14, and 0.07 ± 0.06 mg kg-1), respectively, indicating a decrease in environmental pollution. In conclusion, the government-driven cessation of ASGM in the study area shows a reduction in environmental pollution, and the change in the perception of the participants regarding the ASGM and TDCoP approaches help to make these changes permanent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Idham Andri Kurniawan
- Geological Engineering Department, Faculty of Earth Sciences and Technology, Bandung Institute of Technology, Bandung 40132, Indonesia;
| | - Win Thiri Kyaw
- Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Kyoto 603-8047, Japan; (W.T.K.); (M.S.)
| | - Mirzam Abdurrachman
- Geological Engineering Department, Faculty of Earth Sciences and Technology, Bandung Institute of Technology, Bandung 40132, Indonesia;
| | - Xiaoxu Kuang
- Chaozhou Branch of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Chaozhou 521000, China;
| | - Masayuki Sakakibara
- Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Kyoto 603-8047, Japan; (W.T.K.); (M.S.)
- Faculty of Collaborative Regional Innovation, Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan
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Hood CO, Radjoko J, Mensah SY, Horvat M. Spatial distribution of Hg in Pra River Basin, Southwestern Ghana using HF acid combination method. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:604. [PMID: 37086341 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11122-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The study assessed the spatial distribution of total mercury (THg) in soils, sediments, mining wastes, and Au-rich Hg-contaminated tailings from artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) from Offin, Lower and Upper Pra, Birim, and Anum Rivers, Pra River Basin, Southwestern Ghana. THg measurement using Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (CVAAS) after acid digestion with HNO3/HCl/HF and k0-INAA, as a reference method, and both provided comparable results. A digestion method, HNO3/HClO2/H2SO4 acid mixture before CVAAS provided lower results, which indicates that the use of HF is of fundamental importance in THg analysis based on acid digestion and its omission may significantly underestimate the presence of Hg in soils and sediments. THg in soils, sediments, Au-rich Hg-contaminated tailings, and mining wastes from the river basin were liberated into a solution for measurement using HNO3/HCl/HF. The study revealed Offin and Lower Pra Rivers showed high distribution (ranges; mg Hg kg-1) of THg in soils (103-770) and sediments (0.20-20.8), respectively; Upper Pra and Anum rivers showed the lowest THg in soils (2.20-3.20) and sediments (0.004-0.02), respectively. About 76.0% of THg in sediments was lower than the USEPA guideline of 0.2 mg Hg kg-1. The highest mean THg (mg Hg kg-1) in Au-rich Hg-contaminated tailings (1673 ± 4.8, n = 4) and mining wastes (17.3-21.5) were from the river Offin. The study showed Offin (Dunkwa-on-Offin site 1) and Lower Pra (Beposo Township) rivers are Hg hotspots that need attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiana Odumah Hood
- Department of Environmental Science, School of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.
| | - Jaćimović Radjoko
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova Cesta 39, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Samuel Yeboah Mensah
- Department of Physics, School of Physical Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Milena Horvat
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova Cesta 39, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Tampushi LL, Onyari JM, Muthama NJ. Environmental distribution and risk of exposure of Heavy Metal Pollutants from Lolgorian Artisanal Gold Mining in Kenya. BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2022; 109:310-316. [PMID: 35786733 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-022-03575-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The aim of the study was to assess the distribution of heavy metals in the environmental compartments from artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) activities from Lolgorian, Kenya. The investigation was carried out using Inductively-Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES). Mercury (p > 0.05) (p = 0.755), arsenic (p = 0.182), and lead (p = 0.430) mean concentrations in soil, water, sediments, and ore were not significantly different. The mean mercury, lead, and arsenic concentrations in the water were 0.66 mg/L, 0.46 mg/L, and 1.25 mg/L, respectively. In sediments, the mean values of Cr (66.65 mg/kg), Zn (45.62 mg/kg), Hg (24.63 mg/kg), Pb (22.35 mg/kg), Cd (0.90 mg/kg), and Mn (613.10 mg/kg) were found to be significantly higher. A positive correlation between ore-tailings (r = 0.971109), tailings-sediment (r = 0.9441036), and ore-sediment (r = 0.9441036), was observed indicating the presence of harmful heavy metals in the environment in excess of national and World Health Organization (WHO) recommended threshold, posing a high risk of multiple human exposure pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonard L Tampushi
- Department of Earth & Climate Sciences, Faculty of Science & Technology, University of Nairobi, P.O Box 30197-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - John M Onyari
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science & Technology, University of Nairobi, P.O Box 30197, 00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Nzioka J Muthama
- Department of Earth & Climate Sciences, Faculty of Science & Technology, University of Nairobi, P.O Box 30197-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
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Mercury Pollution from Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining in Myanmar and Other Southeast Asian Countries. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19106290. [PMID: 35627826 PMCID: PMC9142007 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19106290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is one of the most harmful metals and has been a public health concern according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is the world’s fastest-growing source of Hg and can release Hg into the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere. Hg has been widely used in ASGM industries throughout Southeast Asia countries, including Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Thailand. Here, 16 relevant studies were systematically searched by performing the PRISMA flow, combining the keywords of “Hg”, “ASGM”, and relevant study areas. Mercury concentrations exceeding the WHO and United States Environmental Protection Agency guideline values were reported in environmental (i.e., air, water, and soil) and biomonitoring samples (i.e., plants, fish, and human hair). ASGM-related health risks to miners and nonminers, specifically in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Myanmar, were also assessed. The findings indicated severe Hg contamination around the ASGM process, specifically the gold-amalgamation stage, was significantly high. To one point, Hg atmospheric concentrations from all observed studies was shown to be extremely high in the vicinity of gold operating areas. Attentions should be given regarding the public health concern, specifically for the vulnerable groups such as adults, pregnant women, and children who live near the ASGM activity. This review summarizes the effects of Hg in Myanmar and other Southeast Asian countries. In the future, more research and assessment will be required to investigate the current and evolving situation in ASGM communities.
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Chamba-Eras I, Griffith DM, Kalinhoff C, Ramírez J, Gázquez MJ. Native Hyperaccumulator Plants with Differential Phytoremediation Potential in an Artisanal Gold Mine of the Ecuadorian Amazon. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:plants11091186. [PMID: 35567187 PMCID: PMC9099852 DOI: 10.3390/plants11091186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
In tropical forests of southern Ecuador, artisanal gold mining releases heavy metals that become xenobiotic with indefinite circulation and eventual bioaccumulation. Restoration and rehabilitation of degraded mining sites represent a major ecological, technological and economic issue. In this study, we estimate the capacity of two native woody plants to accumulate cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and mercury (Hg), with the goal of developing effective strategies for phytoremediation of mining sites. Individuals of Erato polymnioides and Miconia sp., as well as their rhizospheric soils, were sampled from a natural zone (NZ) of montane cloud forest, used as a control, and a polluted zone (PZ) subjected to active gold mining. Concentrations of the four heavy metals were analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Cd, Zn and Hg concentrations were higher in soils of PZ than NZ. Bioaccumulation (BCF) and translocation factors (TF) showed that Miconia sp. has potential for Cd and Zn phytostabilization, E. polymnioides has potential for Cd and Zn phytoextraction, and both species have potential for Hg phytoextraction. Despite the low productivity of these species, their adaptability to the edaphoclimatic conditions of the region and the possibility of using amendments to increase their biomass could compensate for the effectiveness of these species in reclaiming soils contaminated by mining.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Chamba-Eras
- Departamento de Química, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano Alto s/n, Loja 1101608, Ecuador;
| | - Daniel M. Griffith
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano Alto s/n, Loja 1101608, Ecuador; (D.M.G.); (C.K.)
| | - Carolina Kalinhoff
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano Alto s/n, Loja 1101608, Ecuador; (D.M.G.); (C.K.)
| | - Jorge Ramírez
- Departamento de Química, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano Alto s/n, Loja 1101608, Ecuador;
| | - Manuel Jesús Gázquez
- Departamento de Física Aplicada, Escuela Superior de Ingeniería, Universidad de Cádiz, Campus de Puerto Real avenida, República Saharahui s/n, 11510 Puerto Real, Spain;
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Evaluation of the PGPR Capacity of Four Bacterial Strains and Their Mixtures, Tested on Lupinus albus var. Dorado Seedlings, for the Bioremediation of Mercury-Polluted Soils. Processes (Basel) 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/pr9081293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Soil contamination by mercury, which is one of the most toxic heavy metals due to its bioaccumulative capacity, poses a risk to the environment as well as health. The Almadén mining district in Ciudad Real, Spain is one of the most heavily-polluted sites in the world, making the soils unusable. Bioremediation, and more specifically phyto-rhizoremediation, based on the synergistic interaction established between plant and Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR), improves the plant’s ability to grow, mobilize, accumulate, and extract contaminants from the soil. The objective of this study is to evaluate the plant growth-promoting ability of four PGPR strains (and mixtures), isolated from the bulk soil and rhizosphere of naturally grown plants in the Almadén mining district, when they are inoculated in emerged seeds of Lupinus albus, var. Dorado in the presence of high concentrations of mercury. After 20 days of incubation and subsequent harvesting of the seedlings, biometric measurements were carried out at the root and aerial levels. The results obtained show that the seeds treatment with PGPR strains improves plants biometry in the presence of mercury. Specifically, strain B2 (Pseudomonas baetica) and B1 (Pseudomonas moraviensis) were those that contributed the most to plant growth, both individually and as part of mixtures (CS5 and CS3). Thus, these are postulated to be good candidates for further in situ phyto-rhizoremediation tests of mercury-contaminated soils.
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Anselm OH, Cavoura O, Davidson CM, Oluseyi TO, Oyeyiola AO, Togias K. Mobility, spatial variation and human health risk assessment of mercury in soil from an informal e-waste recycling site, Lagos, Nigeria. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2021; 193:416. [PMID: 34120239 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-021-09165-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Spatial variations and mobility of mercury (Hg) and Hg associations with other potentially toxic elements (PTEs) were studied in soil samples from Alaba, the largest e-waste recycling site in Nigeria and West Africa. Total Hg concentration was determined in surface soil samples from various locations using cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAAS) following microwave-assisted acid extraction, while sequential extraction was used to determine operationally defined mobility. The concentrations of the PTEs arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) metals were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) following microwave-assisted digestion with aqua regia. Total Hg concentration ranged from < 0.07 to 624 mg/kg and was largely dependent on the nature and intensity of e-waste recycling activities carried out. Mobile forms of Hg, which may be HgO (a known component of some forms of e-waste), accounted for between 3.2 and 23% of the total Hg concentration, and were observed to decrease with increasing organic matter (OM). Non-mobile forms accounted for >74% of the total Hg content. In the main recycling area, soil concentrations of Cd, Cd, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn were above soil guideline values (Environment Agency in Science Report, 2009; Kamunda et al., 2016). Strong associations were observed between Hg and other PTEs (except for Fe and Zn) with the correlational coefficient ranging from 0.731 with Cr to 0.990 with As in April, but these correlations decreased in June except for Fe. Hazard quotient values > 1 at two locations suggest that Hg may pose health threats to people working at the e-waste recycling site. It is therefore recommended that workers should be investigated for symptoms of Hg exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oluwaseun H Anselm
- Department of Chemistry, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, Ogun State, Nigeria
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
| | - Olga Cavoura
- Department of Public Health Policy, School of Public Health, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece.
| | - Christine M Davidson
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
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Influence of Mining Activities on Arsenic Concentration in Rice in Asia: A Review. MINERALS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/min11050472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Crop and livestock farming on contaminated soil has been found to induce the accumulation of trace elements in edible parts of plants, with subsequent risk to human and animal health. Since rice crop is a major source of energy in worldwide diets and is consumed by more than 3 billion people, the soil–rice pathway is regarded as a prominent route of human exposure to potentially toxic elements. This study provides an overview of arsenic contamination in paddy rice from mining-impacted areas in several Asian countries that are primary rice consumers. From this review, it may be concluded that mining activities, along with the associated residual waste, significantly contribute to arsenic contamination of this food crop as rice samples from these regions were highly contaminated, with the highest total arsenic concentrations recorded being 3–4 times higher than the maximum levels proposed by the Codex Alimentarius Commission. While the contamination in China, Korea, Indonesia, and Thailand appeared to be slightly affected by mining activities, the elevated levels of arsenic in rice from mining areas in India, Bangladesh, and Vietnam could be derived from arsenic-contaminated groundwater.
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Qian X, Yang C, Xu X, Ao M, Xu Z, Wu Y, Qiu G. Extremely Elevated Total Mercury and Methylmercury in Forage Plants in a Large-Scale Abandoned Hg Mining Site: A Potential Risk of Exposure to Grazing Animals. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2021; 80:519-530. [PMID: 33740088 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-021-00826-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Ninety-five wild forage plants (belonging to 22 species of 18 families) and their corresponding rhizosphere soil samples were collected from wastelands of a large-scale abandoned Hg mining region for total Hg (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) analysis. The forage plant communities on the wastelands were dominated by the Asteraceae, Crassulaceae, and Polygonaceae families. The THg and MeHg concentrations in the forage plants varied widely and were in the range of 0.10 to 13 mg/kg and 0.19 to 23 μg/kg, respectively. Shoots of Aster ageratoides showed the highest average THg concentration of 12 ± 1.1 mg/kg, while those of Aster subulatus had the highest average MeHg concentrations of 7.4 ± 6.1 μg/kg. Both the THg and MeHg concentrations in the aboveground plant parts exhibited positive correlations with the THg (r = 0.70, P < 0.01) and MeHg (r = 0.68, P < 0.01) concentrations in the roots; however, these were not correlated with the THg and MeHg concentrations in their rhizosphere soils. The species A. ageratoides, A. subulatus, and S. brachyotus showed strong accumulation of Hg and are of concern for herbivorous/omnivorous wildlife and feeding livestock. Taking the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) values for IHg recommended by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA in Summary and conclusions of the seventy-second meeting of the joint FAO/WHO expert committee on food additives Rome, Italy, 2010) for human dietary exposure of 4 ng/g into account, the daily intake of IHg by a 65 kg animal grazing on 1.0 kg of forage (dry weight) would be between 190 and 13,200 μg, three to five orders of magnitude higher than the permitted limit, suggesting a potential risk of exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Qian
- College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
| | - Chendong Yang
- College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaohang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, People's Republic of China
| | - Ming Ao
- College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhidong Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, People's Republic of China
| | - Yonggui Wu
- College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Karst Georesources and Environment, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, People's Republic of China.
| | - Guangle Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, People's Republic of China.
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