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Human health risks due to air mercury exposure produced by artisanal and small-scale gold mining activities in Portovelo, Ecuador

Abstract:

Ecuador's main gold mining activities, located in the southern region, are characterized by large veins of ore that have been exploited since the colonial era. Mercury pollution generated during amalgamation and cyanidation in artisanal and smallscale gold mining processing centres threatens human health. The aim of this chapter is to assess the effects of mercury exposure on health in terms of toxic risk (hazard quotient,HI) in the El Pache (Portovelo district) mining community. This chapter presents data on atmospheric mercury concentrations from sampled areas around processing plants and when miners burn gold-mercury amalgams and zinc shavings after cyanidation. Sampled individuals were from the mining community living and working around processing centres, made up of administrative staff, miners, women, and children, who are exposed to mercury by air inhalation. Samples were taken in 2007, 2008, 2011, and 2012 during winter and summer. The most important specific conditions considered for the calculation of risk were concentration at the source, concentration at the point of exposure, target identification, pathways and exposure modes, and exposure time. Results show that human health risk due to mercury exceeds the limits of acceptability (HQ 1).