Heavy metals in sediments of the gold mining impacted Pra River basin, Ghana, West Africa

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dc.contributor.authorDonkor, A.K.
dc.contributor.authorBonzongo, J.-C.J.
dc.contributor.authorNartey, V.K.
dc.contributor.authorAdotey, D.K.
dc.date.accessioned2019-03-21T10:40:47Z
dc.date.available2019-03-21T10:40:47Z
dc.date.issued2005-11
dc.description.abstractTotal concentrations of Hg, Al, Fe, As, Pb, Cu, Cr, Ni, Mn, Co, V, and Zn were determined in surface sediments collected from 21 locations within the gold mining impacted Pra River basin in southwestern Ghana. Samples were collected during both the rainy and dry seasons. We hypothesized that in the rural southwestern portion of Ghana, the lack of industrial activities makes artisanal gold mining (AGM) by Hg amalgamation the main source of water resource contamination with heavy metals. Therefore, metals showing concentration trends similar to that of Hg in the studied system are likely impacted by AGM. We found that total-Hg (THg) concentrations in riverine sediments are rather low as compared to other aquatic systems that are impacted by similar mining activities. Measured THg concentrations ranged from 0.018 to 2.917 mg/kg in samples collected in the rainy season and from about 0.01 to 0.043 mg/kg in those collected during the dry season. However, the determination of the enrichment factor (EF) calculated using shale data as reference background values showed signs of severe contamination in most of the sampled sites. In the dry season, THg concentrations correlated positively and significantly to the concentrations of As (r = 0.864, p < 0.01), Cu (r = 0.691, p < 0.05), and Ni (r = 0.579, p < 0.05). Based on our previously stated hypothesis, this could then be an indication of the impact of AGM on ambient levels of these 3 elements. However, the determined concentrations of Cu, and Ni co-varied significantly with Al, suggesting that natural sources do account for the observed levels. Accordingly, both AGM and metal inputs from weathered natural deposits are likely co-responsible for the observed levels of Cu and Ni. In contrast, the lack of correlation between As and Al tends to suggest an impact of AGM on As levels. Overall, our data suggest that besides Hg and to some extent As, the impact of AGM on ambient levels of investigated metals in the gold mining impacted Pra River remains negligible. Finally, the increase in metal concentrations from the dry to the rainy season underlines the impact of changes in hydrologic conditions on levels and fate of metals in this tropical aquatic system. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Inc.en_US
dc.identifier.otherVol. 14(6): pp 479-503
dc.identifier.otherhttps://doi.org/10.1080/15320380500263675
dc.identifier.urihttp://ugspace.ug.edu.gh/handle/123456789/28770
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherSoil and Sediment Contaminationen_US
dc.subjectGhanaen_US
dc.subjectGold miningen_US
dc.subjectHeavy metalsen_US
dc.subjectMercuryen_US
dc.subjectSediment contaminationen_US
dc.subjectWest Africaen_US
dc.titleHeavy metals in sediments of the gold mining impacted Pra River basin, Ghana, West Africaen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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