Trace elements distributions at Datoko-Shega artisanal mining site, northern Ghana

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• 作者：Emmanuel Arhin ; Apea Ohene Boansi ; M. S. Zango
• 关键词：Mining ; Elevated concentrations ; Exposure ; Epidemiology ; Depletion ; Health
• 刊名：Environmental Geochemistry and Health
• 出版年：2016
• 出版时间：February 2016
• 年：2016
• 卷：38
• 期：1
• 页码：203-218
• 全文大小：3,380 KB
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• 作者单位：Emmanuel Arhin (1)
  Apea Ohene Boansi (1)
  M. S. Zango (1)
  
  1. Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University for Development Studies, P. O. Box 24, Navrongo, Ghana
  
• 刊物类别：Earth and Environmental Science
• 刊物主题：Earth sciences
  Geochemistry
  Atmospheric Protection, Air Quality Control and Air Pollution
  Public Health
  
• 出版者：Springer Netherlands
• ISSN：1573-2983

文摘

Environmental geochemistry classifies elements into essential, non-essential and toxic elements in relationship to human health. To assess the environmental impact of mining at Datoko-Shega area, the distributions and concentrations of trace elements in stream sediments and soil samples were carried out. X-ray fluorescence analytical technique was used to measure the major and trace element concentrations in sediments and modified fire assay absorption spectrometry in soils. The results showed general depletion of major elements except titanium oxide (TiO₂) compared to the average crustal concentrations. The retention of TiO₂ at the near surface environment probably was due to the intense tropical weathering accompanied by the removal of fine sediments and soil fractions during the harmattan season by the dry north-east trade winds and sheet wash deposits formed after flash floods. The results also showed extreme contamination of selenium (Se), cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg), plus strong contaminations of arsenic (As) and chromium (Cr) in addition to moderate contamination of lead (Pb) in the trace element samples relative to crustal averages in the upper continental crust. However Hg, Pb and Cd concentrations tend to be high around the artisanal workings. It was recognised from the analysis of the results that the artisanal mining activity harnessed and introduces some potentially toxic elements such as Hg, Cd and Pb mostly in the artisan mine sites. But the interpretation of the trace element data thus invalidates the elevation of As concentrations to be from the mine operations. It consequently noticed As values in the mine-impacted areas to be similar or sometimes lower than As values in areas outside the mine sites from the stream sediment results. Keywords Mining Elevated concentrations Exposure Epidemiology Depletion Health