Mercury contamination associated with small-scale gold mining in Tanzania and Zimbabwe

Straaten, Peter van

doi:10.1016/s0048-9697(00)00553-2

Cited by 198 publications

(70 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…12 For every gram of gold produced through small-scale gold mining, 1.2 -1.5 g of mercury is emitted to the environment, of which 70 -80% is to the atmosphere. 21 Small-scale gold miners are probably unaware of the dangers of using mercury in the amalgamation process but, lacking capital, they may have no alternative. This may lead to participants in small-scale mining operations ignoring issues related to health, safety and environmental management.…”

Section: Implications Of Elevated Mercury Levels Found In Biological mentioning

confidence: 99%

Mercury exposure in a low-income community in South Africa

2010

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Section: Implications Of Elevated Mercury Levels Found In Biological mentioning

confidence: 99%

Mercury exposure in a low-income community in South Africa

2010

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“…Sampling and analytical techniques also varied from ours, because the main interest of these studies often was assessment of potential human exposure to mercury through fish consumption. In addition, some studies were conducted close to known mercury point-source emissions emanating from gold ore pro-cessing centers in Tanzania, on the southern shores of Lake Victoria (van Straaten, 2000). No comparisons can be made between the fish from our study sites because of the small sample size from Lake Mburo and the difference in size of the sampled fish from each lake.…”

Section: Mercurymentioning

confidence: 99%

Mercury and Persistent Organic Pollutant Concentrations in African Fish Eagles, Marabou Storks, and Nile Tilapia in Uganda

Hollamby

Afema-Azikuru²,

Sikarskie

et al. 2004

Journal of Wildlife Diseases

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The purpose of this research was to evaluate persistent organic pollutant (POP) and mercury concentrations in tissues of African fish eagles (Haliaeetus vocifer) and Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) from Lake Victoria near Entebbe and Lake Mburo, Uganda. Marabou stork (Leptoptilos crumeniferus) nestlings from urban Kampala (40 km from Entebbe) also were sampled for POPs and mercury. Total mercury was measured in the breast feathers of eight nestling and 10 adult African fish eagles from Lake Mburo, 10 nestling and five adult African fish eagles from Lake Victoria near Entebbe, and 20 nestling marabou storks from Kampala from June 2002 through January 2003. Mercury concentrations in all samples were below levels associated with adverse effects in similar species. Mercury concentrations were significantly higher in eagle adults and nestlings from Entebbe than in adults and nestlings from Lake Mburo (PՅ0.05). No significant differences (PՆ0.05) were found in mercury concentrations between sexes or between the entire fish eagle population sampled at Entebbe and marabou stork nestlings sampled at nearby Kampala. Plasma samples from the same birds were analyzed for 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane, aldrin, hexachlorocyclohexane (␣-HCH), dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor and their metabolites, as well as total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Nile tilapia whole-body cross sections collected from Lake Mburo (nϭ3) and Lake Victoria near Entebbe (nϭ8) also were analyzed for these POPs and mercury. No samples contained POPs or PCBs at the limits of detection except for 4,4Ј-1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethylene in five adult eagle plasma samples (0.0026Ϯ0.0015 ppm wet weight) and five Nile tilapia samples (0.002Ϯ0.001 ppm wet weight) from Entebbe.

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“…Besides, near neutral pH conditions and soil organic material tend to reduce Hg mobility (Van Straaten 2000). Gold amalgamation practiced illegally in the region has been reported as a possible source of Hg (Rakotondrabe et al 2017).…”

Section: Sources and Geochemical Behaviour Of Trace Metals In Streamwmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal Hydrological Inputs of Major Ions and Trace Metal Composition in Streams Draining the Mineralized Lom Basin, East Cameroon: Basis for Environmental Studies

et al. 2017

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Purpose The aim of this study is to assess the seasonal variation in major ion distribution patterns and identify the origin and geochemical behavior of some trace metals of streamwaters bathing the mineralized Lom Basin. Methods Eighty-one water samples were collected during the dry and wet seasons and analyzed for major ions using AAS and 12 trace metals (Fe, Mn, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Pb, Hg) by ICP-MS. Results All physicochemical parameters besides pH and Cl -varied narrowly between both seasons. No seasonal variability was observed for Cl -given its conservative nature, while NO 3 -levels decreased in the wet period due to the dilution effect. Similarly, SO 4 2-concentrations were low for both seasons reflecting the dissolution of low sulphide minerals associated with gold deposits. In contrast, the concentration of Ca 2? , Mg 2? , Na ? , K ? and HCO 3 -slightly increased during the wet season as they are flushed from the soil layers by rain. Water samples had very low concentrations (\ 1 lg/l) of V, Cr, Co, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb and significant concentrations of Fe and Mn.Conclusions The seasonal regime of streamwater chemistry is controlled by groundwater supply of major cations and HCO 3 -from chemical weathering, leaching of ions from surface soil layers during precipitation and dilution of nitrate by surface runoff during the wet season. In this tropical basin, low acidity and trace metal loadings revealed lateritic weathering of sulphides, entrapment of trace metals in Fe and Mn oxides and leaching into deep groundwater. Although the streams have not been impacted, these findings may guide policymakers for water chemistry evaluation in Cameroon.

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Mercury contamination associated with small-scale gold mining in Tanzania and Zimbabwe

Cited by 198 publications

References 15 publications

Mercury exposure in a low-income community in South Africa

Mercury exposure in a low-income community in South Africa

Mercury and Persistent Organic Pollutant Concentrations in African Fish Eagles, Marabou Storks, and Nile Tilapia in Uganda

Seasonal Hydrological Inputs of Major Ions and Trace Metal Composition in Streams Draining the Mineralized Lom Basin, East Cameroon: Basis for Environmental Studies

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