Human exposure to lead and other potentially harmful elements associated with galena mining at New Zurak, central Nigeria

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• 作者：U.A. Lar ; ^{ualexanderlar@yahoo.co.uk} ; ^{laru@unnijos.edu.ng} ; ^{alexlar@hotmail.co.uk} ; ^{chiazor4christ@yahoo.com} ; C.S. Ngozi-Chika ; E.C. Ashano
• 关键词：Pb ; Mining ; Contamination ; Water ; Vegetables ; Human health
• 刊名：Journal of African Earth Sciences
• 出版年：2013
• 出版时间：August, 2013
• 年：2013
• 卷：84
• 期：Complete
• 页码：13-19
• 全文大小：1196 K

文摘

Galena mining in New Zurak, central Nigeria is currently increasing in intensity, with widespread artisanal mining taking place alongside mechanised mining. These activities are causing immeasurable damage to the environment. The prolonged human exposure and ingestion of Pb and other potentially harmful elements (PHEs) such as U, Cd, Se, Zn and As that are released from ores during these (mining) activities is a cause of great concern to populations that live in the vicinity of these mine fields. Many of the communities make their living from subsistence farming, growing food from the surroundings, and obtaining drinking water from nearby surface and sub-surface water resources. An overall assessment of the degree of contamination or toxicity of Pb and other PHEs was carried out using the indices of geoaccumulation (I_geo) and contamination factors (CFs), in the different media sampled - farmland soils, uncultivated lands, mine tailings/dumps, natural waters and vegetables. Results reveal that the mine tailings and dumps are highly contaminated with Pb and other PHEs followed in decreasing degree of contamination by the uncultivated lands, farmlands and natural waters. These findings suggest that release of Pb and other PHEs from the galena mining activity has contributed significantly to the enrichment of these elements in the surrounding environment, including the natural water bodies, and are disposed to subsequent entry into the human body through the food chain. As such these PHE accumulations pose significant risks to the environment and human health, especially of children and pregnant women who are the most vulnerable groups in the area. In order to forestall a reoccurrence of the Zamfara Pb poisoning episode in northwestern Nigeria in 2010, where more than 400 children died, the authorities concerned should ensure that mining in New Zurak is done in a more environmentally friendly manner, ensuring the maintenance of an environmental quality adequate for good health and well-being of the surrounding mining communities.