Known and anticipated medical geology issues in Ghana

Purpose This paper aims to review the known and anticipated medical geology problems in Ghana, to highlight the impact of some trace elements on human health and to reveal some essential aspects of medical geology on health. Design/methodology/approach Literature and empirical studies relating to medical geological issues in Ghana were reviewed. Secondary data were used in the present study such as case studies, reports, geological bulletins and published research studies. Findings High levels of heavy metals including arsenic, cadmium and mercury in gold extraction processes through artisanal small-scale mining have contributed to high concentrations of toxic elements in the environment. The distribution and availability of these elements in the environment are facilitated by the geological, chemical and local environmental activities that are irregularly spread exposing people mining areas to pollutions. Exposures to these elements in above and below baseline levels contributed to health implications including fluorosis, intellectual or developmental disability and death in some regions of Ghana. Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases linked to mining activities were also presented in this study. Similarly, non-communicable diseases can affect many people if correct measures are not considered. Following the geometric increase in mining activities, it is anticipated that deleterious environmental and health impacts associated with mining may persist in mining areas in Ghana. Reported implications and continuous contamination of water bodies in mining areas could result in high pollution levels beyond treatment for human use or destroy aquatic habitats and aquatic lives through acid drainage. Above-threshold concentrations of heavy metals in soils could bio-accumulate in crops, and this could pose deleterious public health implications on consumers. Continuous effects posed on the environment and public health may prompt communities, regulatory institutions and government to reduce or ban mineral development. Originality/value This review has significantly revealed potential public health issues from the impact on the natural environment and recommends that medical geologists work together with medical workers to devise preventive and therapeutic techniques to address many geology-related-health issues in Ghana.

Impacts of Quarrying Activities on Human Health in Boki Area Cross River State Nigeria

Field investigation, trace elements geochemistry, borehole and groundwater data were employed to determine the level of contamination or pollution of heavy and trace elements in abandoned quarrying, agricultural sites and its adjourning communities which are leads and other parts of Boki Local Government Area which have massive basement rocks as prospects for quarry establishment. This preliminary study on geosphere-biosphere becomes useful in medical geology as rock-soil-water-human interactions, and relationships are important and obvious. The mining pits depths range from 30.5 m to 50.0 m, while the boreholes depths is 41.0 m to 45.0 m and the thickness of regolith soil weathered Feralsols soil and less weathered Acrisols soil, varies from 22.0 m to 35.0 m in places. The Geochemical data obtained indicates Ba, Th, Ce, Zn, Zr are high in all rocks while Cr and Ni are generally low. In the water samples, some borehole values for the faecal pollution are high and indicates the water is contaminated, CaCO₃, Mg are high, while NO₂, F are low, when compared with established data from WHO standards, they indicates anomalies. The high Ba contents in a previous laboratory animals study shows it can cause nephropathy, but not carcinogenic or genotoxic. The identified boreholes water that are contaminated should be disinfected before use. For a sustainable quarry development in the area, there should be an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) with a clear baseline data, reclamation, remedial and rehabilitation procedures before abandonment at the end of the life of the quarries.