Evaluation of the Effect of Gold Mining on the Water Quality in Monterrey, Bolívar (Colombia)

Abstract

Gold mining uses chemicals that are discharged into rivers without any control when there are no good mining practices, generating environmental and public health problems, especially for downstream inhabitants who use the water for consumption, as is the case in Monterrey township, where the Boque River water is consumed. In this study, we evaluate Boque River water quality analyzing some physicochemical parameters such as pH, heavy metals, Hg, and cyanide; bioassays (Lactuca sativa, Hydra attenuata, and Daphnia magna), mutagenicity (Ames test), and microbiological assays. The results show that some physicochemical parameters exceed permitted concentrations (Hg, Cd, and cyanide). D. magna showed sensitivity and L. sativa showed inhibition and excessive growth in the analyzed water. Mutagenic values were obtained for all of the sample stations. The presence of bacteria and somatic coliphages in the water show a health risk to inhabitants. In conclusion, the presence of Cd, Hg, and cyanide in the waters for domestic consumption was evidenced in concentrations that can affect the environment and the health of the Monterrey inhabitants. The mutagenic index indicates the possibility of mutations in the population that consumes this type of water. Bioassays stand out as an alert system when concentrations of chemical contaminants cannot be analytically detected.

Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM): Management and Socioenvironmental Impacts in the Northern Amazon of Ecuador

“…The parish of El Dorado de Cascales is one of the areas with the highest mining activity in the northern Amazon region of Ecuador and, like other regions of the country such as the Andean [63] and Littoral [49,62] regions and other countries in the region [64][65][66], one of the main problems is the lack of control of mining activities by local, regional and national government authorities. The lack of employment and entrepreneurial opportunities makes people in these areas characterized by high gold concentrations to engage in this activity, so much so that there are even people from other regions and from neighboring Colombia who are tempted by this activity.…”

Exploring the Impact of Mining on Community Health and Health Service Delivery: Perceptions of Key Informants Involved in Gold Mining Communities in Burkina Faso

“…Several adverse effects on the health of mine workers [10] and the population surrounding mining sites have been described in the literature [11][12][13]. Examples of destructive health impacts include elevated rates of HIV/AIDS [14], endemic diseases such as malaria [15], mental health problems [16,17], and conditions triggered by environmental impacts such as toxic chemicals [18][19][20][21]. In addition, NREP sites often experience a high influx of migrants due to the creation of new jobs and secondary businesses [22,23].…”

Ecological and Health Risk of Soils, Sediments, and Water Contamination

“…They found that a significantly positive correlation between metal concentration and antioxidants catalase and superoxide dismutase was established, supporting the potential ecological risk as a result of heavy metals pollution in the River Kaduna. Martín et al evaluated the water quality of Boque River in Colombia contaminated by gold mining drainage by bioassays (Lactuca sativa, Hydra attenuata, and Daphnia magna), mutagenicity (Ames test), and microbiological assays, in addition to physiochemical parameters such as pH, heavy metals, Hg, and cyanide [12]. They found Hg, Cd, and cyanide exceeded the permitted concentrations in Colombia and D. magna showed sensitivity and L. sativa showed inhibition and excessive growth in the analyzed water.…”