scholarly journals Chronic Effect Analysis of Mercury Exposure on Communities Around Small Scale Gold Mining in Indonesia Using Human Biomonitoring (HBM) Method

2020 ◽  
Vol 148 ◽  
pp. 04001
Author(s):  
Haryo Mubiarto ◽  
Herto Dwi Ariesyady ◽  
Siska Widya Dewi Kusumah ◽  
Juli Soemirat
Keyword(s):  
Gold Mining ◽  
Daily Intake ◽  
Human Biomonitoring ◽  
Mercury Exposure ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Mining Activities ◽  
Chronic Effect ◽  
Hair Mercury ◽  
Tolerable Weekly Intake ◽  
Mercury Intoxication

In general, small-scale gold mining activities that are spread throughout Indonesia practicing amalgamation technique. The amalgamation process in the mining activities can result in environmental degradation due to tailing waste containing mercury that are discharged into the environment and will distributed and bioaccumulated through food chain. Mercury exposure to human can give a chronic effect. Measuring mercury concentration in biomarkers such as nail and hair is a method to indicate the mercury poisoning level. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze mercury concentrations in nail and hair as chronic exposure biomarkers. Besides, we also conducted Human Biomonitoring (HBM) analysis to assess mercury intoxication in the communities. Moreover, we analyzed mercury concentrations in water, rice, fish, and food crops samples to understand their association with mercury concentrations in nail and hair through a Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) analysis. This research was conducted in 4 districts in Indonesia which has a significant number of small-scale gold mining activities. The results showed that the maximum concentration of T-Hg in the nail and hair of the workers was 58.48 µg/g and 55.97 µg/g, respectively. Based on HBM analysis, in several districts, more than 60% of the workers has been intoxicated by mercury. Meanwhile, Average Daily Intake (ADI) and PTWI were significantly correlated with concentration mercury in the nail and hair. Mercury concentrations in worker’s hair was significantly correlated with working experience. We identified that the age and residence duration were the major predictor of concentration mercury in nail and hair, respectively.

scholarly journals Mercury Levels in Human Hair and Farmed Fish near Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Communities in the Madre de Dios River Basin, Peru

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aubrey L. Langeland ◽  
Rebecca D. Hardin ◽  
Richard L. Neitzel
Keyword(s):  
River Basin ◽  
Gold Mining ◽  
Total Mercury ◽  
Mercury Level ◽  
Mercury Exposure ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Farmed Fish ◽  
Mining Communities ◽  
Hair Mercury ◽  
Madre De Dios

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) has been an important source of income for communities in the Madre de Dios River Basin in Peru for hundreds of years. However, in recent decades, the scale of ASGM activities in the region has increased dramatically, and exposures to a variety of occupational and environmental hazards related to ASGM, including mercury, are becoming more widespread. The aims of our study were to: (1) examine patterns in the total hair mercury level of human participants in several communities in the region and compare these results to the 2.2 µg/g total hair mercury level equivalent to the World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee of Food Additives (JECFA)’s Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI); and (2), to measure the mercury levels of paco (Piaractus brachypomus) fish raised in local aquaculture ponds, in order to compare these levels to the EPA Fish Tissue Residue Criterion of 0.3 µg Hg/g fish (wet weight). We collected hair samples from 80 participants in four communities (one control and three where ASGM activities occurred) in the region, and collected 111 samples from fish raised in 24 local aquaculture farms. We then analyzed the samples for total mercury. Total mercury levels in hair were statistically significantly higher in the mining communities than in the control community, and increased with increasing distance away from the Madre de Dios headwaters (as the crow flies), did not differ by sex, and frequently exceeded the reference level. Regression analyses indicated that higher hair mercury levels were associated with residence in ASGM communities. The analysis of paco fish samples found no samples that exceeded the EPA tissue residue criterion. Collectively, these results align with other recent studies showing that ASGM activities are associated with elevated human mercury exposure. The fish farmed through the relatively new process of aquaculture in ASGM areas appeared to have little potential to contribute to human mercury exposure. More research is needed on human health risks associated with ASGM to discern occupational, residential, and nutritional exposure, especially through tracking temporal changes in mercury levels as fish ponds age, and assessing levels in different farmed fish species. Additionally, research is needed to definitively determine that elevated mercury levels in humans and fish result from the elemental mercury from mining, rather than from a different source, such as the mercury released from soil erosion during deforestation events from mining or other activities.

scholarly journals Artisanal and small-scale gold mining activities and mercury exposure in Gorontalo Utara Regency, Indonesia

2020 ◽  
Vol 102 (10) ◽  
pp. 521-542
Author(s):  
Yayu Indriati Arifin ◽  
Masayuki Sakakibara ◽  
Sayaka Takakura ◽  
Mohamad Jahja ◽  
Fitryane Lihawa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gold Mining ◽  
Mercury Exposure ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Mining Activities

scholarly journals Penyakit Parkinson Akibat Merkuri pada Pekerja Penambangan Emas Skala Kecil

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 170-176
Author(s):  
Alif Maulida Habibia ◽  
Ferry Yundiarto ◽  
Hen Sania ◽  
Karimah Permata Arinda Putri ◽  
Wia Bunga Ramadhan
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Substantia Nigra ◽  
Gold Mining ◽  
Neuronal Damage ◽  
Mercury Exposure ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Mercury Intoxication ◽  
Gold Miners ◽  
The Impact

Introduction: Parkinson's disease is one of the fastest-growing diseases in terms of prevalence, disability, and mortality. Exposure to environmental toxic substances, such as mercury (Hg) can increase the risk of neuronal damage and neurodegenerative diseases. Purpose: The purpose of writing this article is to determine the impact of mercury exposure on the incidence of Parkinson's disease in small-scale gold mining workers. Methods: The author searches for material through the Google Scholars, NCBI, and ScienceDirect search pages by limiting the journals published in 2015-2020. In this review, the authors conducted a study of 33 scientific articles. Results: The small-scale gold mining industry is the largest source of mercury emissions in the world. Mercury gas has a negative impact on the lungs, kidneys, liver, and nervous system. Gold miners have a very high likelihood of being exposed to metallic mercury and suffering occupational mercury intoxication. Discussion: Mercury is known to be a neurotoxin that can cause neuron death and damage to the substantia nigra and other basal ganglia nuclei. Acute mercury exposure can cause tremors, memory loss, respiratory distress, and even death. Gold miners are a group that is exposed to a lot of mercury and suffers from work-induced mercury intoxication. Conclusion: Mercury-induced parkinsonism can be identified because of its predilection for accumulation and palladium and striatum damage such as damage to the substantia nigra pars in Parkinson's disease.

scholarly journals Health Impact Assessment of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Area in Myanmar, Mandalay Region: Preliminary Research

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (18) ◽  
pp. 6757
Author(s):  
Win Thiri Kyaw ◽  
Xiaoxu Kuang ◽  
Masayuki Sakakibara
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Function ◽  
Gold Mining ◽  
Pulmonary Function Tests ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Mining Area ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Hair Mercury ◽  
Mercury Intoxication ◽  
Chronic Mercury Intoxication

Increasing artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in developing countries has raised health concerns in mining communities. A preliminary health survey was conducted in Thabeikkyin Township, Mandalay Region, Myanmar, in February 2020 to assess the health conditions of an ASGM community. Respiratory function and other clinical assessments were evaluated in miners and non-miners, and participants’ hair was analyzed for heavy metals. Respiratory function of miners was similar to that of non-miners. However, miners’ respiratory function declined with longer mining activity duration. In total, 3 out of 18 miners showed neurological signs and symptoms of chronic mercury intoxication. The median concentration of the hair mercury was significantly higher in miners than non-miners (P = 0.01), and 9 out of 18 miners and 2 out of 11 non-miners showed the warning level of mercury. We found that, despite an association between declining respiratory function and length of time mining, only a minority of miners showed clinical features of chronic mercury intoxication. Further clinical surveys with a larger sample size are necessary to determine the broader health status of this community. In addition, clinical indicators such as pulmonary function tests are recommended as additional criteria for the diagnosis of mercury intoxication.

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