This study investigates the distribution of total mercury (T-Hg) and methylmercury (MeHg) in the soil and water around the artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) area along the Cikaniki River, West Java, Indonesia. The concentration of T-Hg and MeHg in the forest soil ranged from 0.07 to 16.7 mg kg and from <0.07 to 2.0 μg kg, respectively, whereas it ranged from 0.40 to 24.9 mg kg and from <0.07 to 56.3 μg kg, respectively, in the paddy field soil. In the vertical variation of the T-Hg of forest soil, the highest values were observed at the soil surface, and these values were found to decrease with increasing depth. A similar variation was observed for MeHg and total organic carbon content (TOC), and a linear relationship was observed between them. Mercury deposited on the soil surface can be trapped and retained by organic matter and subjected to methylation. The slope of the line obtained for the T-Hg vs. TOC plot became larger near the ASGM villages, implying a higher rate of mercury deposition in these areas. In contrast, the plots of MeHg vs. TOC fell along the same trend line regardless of the distance from the ASGM village. Organic carbon content may be a predominant factor in controlling MeHg formation in forest soils. The T-Hg concentration in the river water ranged from 0.40 to 9.6 μg L. River water used for irrigation can prove to be a source of mercury for the paddy fields. The concentrations of Hg and Hg in river water showed similar variations as that observed for the T-Hg concentration. The highest Hg concentration of 3.2 μg L can be attributed to the waste inflow from work sites. The presence of Hg in river water can become a source of mercury present in the atmosphere along the river. MeHg concentration in the river water was found to be 0.004-0.14% of T-Hg concentration, which was considerably lower than the concentrations of other Hg species. However, MeHg comprised approximately 0.2% of the T-Hg in paddy field soil. Mercury deposited from the atmosphere and the river water can be subjected to methylation. Paddy fields are very important ecosystems; therefore, the effect of MeHg on these ecosystems and human beings should be further investigated.

This study was conducted to understand the environmental behavior of mercury released by artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) activities. For this purpose, we attempted to assess the effect of diffused mercury on mercury concentrations in soil, demonstrate the presence of methylmercury in soil affected by the deposited mercury and determine the reactions associated with methylmercury production. The vertical profiles of mercury were obtained from two sites in the forest of the ASGM village in Pongkor (West Java, Indonesia) and from two sites in Mount Halimun-Salak National Park, which is approximately 12 km from the ASGM village. The highest total mercury concentration, 8.9 mg kg −1 , was observed for soil samples collected at the ASGM village. The mercury was concentrated at the surface or in the subsurface layers, and the concentrations were several times to more than ten times higher than the lowest values observed in the deeper layers at each site. Even in the national park, the highest concentration of 1.9 mg kg −1 was observed in the upper soil layer. These results suggest that the primary source of mercury in the forest soil is atmospheric deposition; fallen plant leaves also deliver accumulated mercury to the soil surface. The organic mercury percentages of the total mercury were 0.2 ± 0.1% for the national park and 0.3 ± 0.2% for ASGM sites. The vertical variation in organic mercury concentration did not always match that in total mercury concentration, which suggested that the formation of methylmercury in soil was closely related to the decomposition of organic matter near the surface. The soil surface is an important reaction field for methylmercury production in forested areas.

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