ABSTRACT
The dramatic upsurge of artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) activities in Ghana has resulted in environmental degradation, water pollution and human exposure to mercury-the main hazardous element used in gold extraction. This study evaluated the degree of human exposure to mercury based on the concentrations found in the air and soil samples taken at a resolution of 1 km2 across Konongo, a historic mining town in Ghana's Ashanti Region. The highest atmospheric mercury concentration was 193 ng/m3, which is much higher than the levels the European Union and Japan allowed, which are 10 ng/m3 and 40 ng/m3, respectively. The concentration in the soil was 3.6 mg Hg/kg, which is around ten times higher than the background concentration in nature. Additionally, the soil concentrations were higher above the worrisome levels of soil contamination in agricultural land (4 mg/kg) and industrial areas (16 mg/kg), respectively. Soils are extremely contaminated with mercury at sites artisanal mining activities take place. The concentrations of mercury in the air and soils were significantly higher (p < 0.5) at locations of prominent mining activities compared to areas not close to mining sites. The inhabitants of the Konongo community are therefore exposed to mercury, most likely emitted from artisanal mining activities. A non-carcinogenic risk is posed to the people by inhaling mercury vapour through the air and vapourisation from the soil. Children are exposed to a higher risk than adults as they receive higher daily doses of mercury than adults.
