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Detection and Recovery of Palladium, Gold and Cobalt Metals from the Urban Mine Using Novel Sensors/Adsorbents Designated with Nanoscale Wagon-wheel-shaped Pores
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Multiple metals exposure in a small-scale artisanal gold mining community.

Niladri Basu1, Dong-Ha Nam, Edward Kwansaa-Ansah

  • 1Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. niladri@umich.edu

Environmental Research
|March 15, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Urinary metal levels, including chromium and arsenic, were high in a Ghanaian gold mining community. These exposures were widespread, affecting over half the residents and were not linked to job, age, or diet.

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Toxicology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Small-scale gold mining communities often face environmental exposures.
  • Assessing heavy metal exposure is crucial for understanding health risks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize urinary metal levels in male residents of a Ghanaian small-scale gold mining community.
  • To identify specific metals exceeding health guideline values and U.S. reference ranges.

Main Methods:

  • Urinary metal concentrations were measured in 57 male participants.
  • Data were analyzed to compare levels against established health guidelines and reference ranges.
  • Associations with occupation, age, and diet were investigated.

Main Results:

  • Chromium and arsenic exceeded health guidelines in 52% and 34% of participants, respectively.
  • 10-40% of participants had urinary levels of Al, Cu, Mn, Ni, Se, and Zn outside the U.S. reference range.
  • No significant associations were found between metal levels and occupation, age, or diet, suggesting ubiquitous exposure.

Conclusions:

  • Residents of this gold mining community exhibit widespread exposure to concerning levels of urinary metals, particularly chromium and arsenic.
  • The ubiquitous nature of these exposures, independent of individual factors, highlights a significant community-wide environmental health concern.
  • Further investigation into the sources and health impacts of these metal exposures is warranted.