,
Ousmanou Bia,
Inès Estelle Nkenmogne Kamdem,
Eric Noubissie*,
Emmanuel Tessier,
David Amouroux,
Martin Benoit Ngassoum
The gold extraction process by mercury amalgamation is recognized worldwide as a process presenting an environmental and health risk linked to mercury contamination of the geo and biosphere close to the gold panning site. The aim of this work is to assess the risk of contamination by mercury of populations living in the locality of Bétaré-oya, which is subject to the phenomenon of small-scale artisanal mining. In order to achieve this, a small social survey was carried out on two gold extraction sites in the locality of Bétaré-oya. Samples of sediment, water and fish were also taken from these sites. After characterization, these samples underwent the total mercury was determined by an automatic mercury analyzer. Moreover, the methyl mercury was extracted from the samples and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer coupled to gas chromatography and by gas chromatography coupled to an electron capture detector. The results obtained showed total mercury concentrations varying from 386 to 5072 µg/kg in sediments and from 24.6 to 8451 ng/L in water. Methyl mercury was measured at concentrations ranging from 7.62 to 165 µg/kg in sediments, from 2.54 to 15 µg/L and from 45.4 to 90.8 µg/kg in fish. Well water (15.0 ± 2.4 µg/L of methyl mercury) which is consumed by the populations of the study site, and fish contaminated with an average concentration of 68 µg/kg of Methyl mercury, represent the main vectors of the risk of direct contamination of the populations of the locality of Bétaré-oya by this pollutant.
| Published in | World Journal of Applied Chemistry (Volume 9, Issue 3) |
| DOI | 10.11648/j.wjac.20240903.11 |
| Page(s) | 33-43 |
| Creative Commons |
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited. |
| Copyright |
Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group |
Gold Panning, Methyl Mercury, Sediment, Water, Fish, Health Risk, Bétaré-Oya
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APA Style
Mahmoudou, M., Bia, O., Kamdem, I. E. N., Noubissie, E., Tessier, E., et al. (2024). Preliminary Assessment of Mercury and Methyl Mercury Contamination of Sediments, Water and Fish from the Bétaré-oya Gold Extraction Site (Cameroon). World Journal of Applied Chemistry, 9(3), 33-43. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjac.20240903.11
ACS Style
Mahmoudou, M.; Bia, O.; Kamdem, I. E. N.; Noubissie, E.; Tessier, E., et al. Preliminary Assessment of Mercury and Methyl Mercury Contamination of Sediments, Water and Fish from the Bétaré-oya Gold Extraction Site (Cameroon). World J. Appl. Chem. 2024, 9(3), 33-43. doi: 10.11648/j.wjac.20240903.11
AMA Style
Mahmoudou M, Bia O, Kamdem IEN, Noubissie E, Tessier E, et al. Preliminary Assessment of Mercury and Methyl Mercury Contamination of Sediments, Water and Fish from the Bétaré-oya Gold Extraction Site (Cameroon). World J Appl Chem. 2024;9(3):33-43. doi: 10.11648/j.wjac.20240903.11
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Download@article{10.11648/j.wjac.20240903.11,
author = {Mouniratou Mahmoudou and Ousmanou Bia and Inès Estelle Nkenmogne Kamdem and Eric Noubissie and Emmanuel Tessier and David Amouroux and Martin Benoit Ngassoum},
title = {Preliminary Assessment of Mercury and Methyl Mercury Contamination of Sediments, Water and Fish from the Bétaré-oya Gold Extraction Site (Cameroon)
},
journal = {World Journal of Applied Chemistry},
volume = {9},
number = {3},
pages = {33-43},
doi = {10.11648/j.wjac.20240903.11},
url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjac.20240903.11},
eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.wjac.20240903.11},
abstract = {The gold extraction process by mercury amalgamation is recognized worldwide as a process presenting an environmental and health risk linked to mercury contamination of the geo and biosphere close to the gold panning site. The aim of this work is to assess the risk of contamination by mercury of populations living in the locality of Bétaré-oya, which is subject to the phenomenon of small-scale artisanal mining. In order to achieve this, a small social survey was carried out on two gold extraction sites in the locality of Bétaré-oya. Samples of sediment, water and fish were also taken from these sites. After characterization, these samples underwent the total mercury was determined by an automatic mercury analyzer. Moreover, the methyl mercury was extracted from the samples and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer coupled to gas chromatography and by gas chromatography coupled to an electron capture detector. The results obtained showed total mercury concentrations varying from 386 to 5072 µg/kg in sediments and from 24.6 to 8451 ng/L in water. Methyl mercury was measured at concentrations ranging from 7.62 to 165 µg/kg in sediments, from 2.54 to 15 µg/L and from 45.4 to 90.8 µg/kg in fish. Well water (15.0 ± 2.4 µg/L of methyl mercury) which is consumed by the populations of the study site, and fish contaminated with an average concentration of 68 µg/kg of Methyl mercury, represent the main vectors of the risk of direct contamination of the populations of the locality of Bétaré-oya by this pollutant.
},
year = {2024}
}
TY - JOUR T1 - Preliminary Assessment of Mercury and Methyl Mercury Contamination of Sediments, Water and Fish from the Bétaré-oya Gold Extraction Site (Cameroon) AU - Mouniratou Mahmoudou AU - Ousmanou Bia AU - Inès Estelle Nkenmogne Kamdem AU - Eric Noubissie AU - Emmanuel Tessier AU - David Amouroux AU - Martin Benoit Ngassoum Y1 - 2024/08/06 PY - 2024 N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjac.20240903.11 DO - 10.11648/j.wjac.20240903.11 T2 - World Journal of Applied Chemistry JF - World Journal of Applied Chemistry JO - World Journal of Applied Chemistry SP - 33 EP - 43 PB - Science Publishing Group SN - 2637-5982 UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.wjac.20240903.11 AB - The gold extraction process by mercury amalgamation is recognized worldwide as a process presenting an environmental and health risk linked to mercury contamination of the geo and biosphere close to the gold panning site. The aim of this work is to assess the risk of contamination by mercury of populations living in the locality of Bétaré-oya, which is subject to the phenomenon of small-scale artisanal mining. In order to achieve this, a small social survey was carried out on two gold extraction sites in the locality of Bétaré-oya. Samples of sediment, water and fish were also taken from these sites. After characterization, these samples underwent the total mercury was determined by an automatic mercury analyzer. Moreover, the methyl mercury was extracted from the samples and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer coupled to gas chromatography and by gas chromatography coupled to an electron capture detector. The results obtained showed total mercury concentrations varying from 386 to 5072 µg/kg in sediments and from 24.6 to 8451 ng/L in water. Methyl mercury was measured at concentrations ranging from 7.62 to 165 µg/kg in sediments, from 2.54 to 15 µg/L and from 45.4 to 90.8 µg/kg in fish. Well water (15.0 ± 2.4 µg/L of methyl mercury) which is consumed by the populations of the study site, and fish contaminated with an average concentration of 68 µg/kg of Methyl mercury, represent the main vectors of the risk of direct contamination of the populations of the locality of Bétaré-oya by this pollutant. VL - 9 IS - 3 ER -
Department of Applied Chemistry, National School of Agro-Industrial Sciences (ENSAI), University of Ngaoundere, Ngaoundéré, Cameroon
Department of Applied Chemistry, National School of Agro-Industrial Sciences (ENSAI), University of Ngaoundere, Ngaoundéré, Cameroon
Department of Applied Chemistry, National School of Agro-Industrial Sciences (ENSAI), University of Ngaoundere, Ngaoundéré, Cameroon
Department of Applied Chemistry, National School of Agro-Industrial Sciences (ENSAI), University of Ngaoundere, Ngaoundéré, Cameroon; Department of Chemical Engineering, University Institute of Technology (IUT), University of Ngaoundéré, Ngaoundéré, Cameroon
National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), Institute of Analytical Sciences and Physical Chemistry for the Environment and Materials (IPREM), University of Pau and Countries of Adour (UPPA), Pau, France
National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), Institute of Analytical Sciences and Physical Chemistry for the Environment and Materials (IPREM), University of Pau and Countries of Adour (UPPA), Pau, France
Department of Applied Chemistry, National School of Agro-Industrial Sciences (ENSAI), University of Ngaoundere, Ngaoundéré, Cameroon
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