Mercury and arsenic in the gold mining regions of the Ankobra River basin in Ghana
Autor: | A. Rambaud, A. A. Adimado, D. Amoureux, S. Tellier, Marc Babut, C. Beinhoff, M. Potin-Gautier, W. Bannerman |
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Přispěvatelé: | Laboratoire de Chimie Analytique Bio-Inorganique et Environnement (LCABIE), Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour (UPPA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) |
Rok vydání: | 2003 |
Předmět: |
Gold mining
Drainage basin General Physics and Astronomy chemistry.chemical_element 010501 environmental sciences 01 natural sciences 03 medical and health sciences 0302 clinical medicine [CHIM.ANAL]Chemical Sciences/Analytical chemistry 030212 general & internal medicine Arsenic 0105 earth and related environmental sciences Hydrology geography geography.geographical_feature_category business.industry Sediment Tailings 6. Clean water Mercury (element) chemistry 13. Climate action Environmental science Water quality business Surface water |
Zdroj: | Journal de Physique IV Proceedings Journal de Physique IV Proceedings, EDP Sciences, 2003, 107 (I), pp.107-110 Scopus-Elsevier |
ISSN: | 1155-4339 1764-7177 |
DOI: | 10.1051/jp4:20030255 |
Popis: | International audience; The river Ankobra flows through the principal gold mining centres in Western Ghana, draining a total area of 8272 km2 to join the Atlantic ocean. Mercury is used by thousands of small-scale miners in the region to amalgamate gold. Ores mined in some deep shafts and surface mines are arsenopyrites and the region is marked by the presence of heaps of arsenic - rich mine tailings from both past and recent activities. This study was conducted to assess the impact of mining activities on the distribution and speciation of arsenic and mercury in the aquatic environment of the Ankobra River. In all, water (filtered and non-filtered) and bed sediments were collected from various locations within the watershed. Principal parameters investigated include total mercury, arsenic (III), arsenic (V), monomethylarsonic acid (MMAA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMAA). Seasonal and spatial variations of these parameters were investigated. Quality control systems were adopted at both the environmental and analytical stages of the study. In general, areas close to the mining centres are the most polluted. As (V)/As (III) ratios in water are reversed after the first 100-km of the river length with the onset of industrial influence downstream. |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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