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Impact of the Illegal Gold Mining Activities on Pra River of Ghana on the Distribution of Potentially Toxic Metals and Naturally Occurring Radioactive Elements in Agricultural Land Soils

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Abstract

Mining sectors in the developing world are located in villages, where farming is the prime source of income. This generates the likelihood of adverse spillovers to agriculturalists through rivalry for main inputs (i.e. land, labor, water, and environmental pollution). To explore this concern, gold mining sites on the Pra River of Ghana and nearby farmland soils were sampled and analyzed to evaluate the levels of potentially toxic metals (PTM) and naturally occurring radioactive elements (NORE) and appraise the potential ecological risk of PTM in soil samples. Cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometer was used to analyze the contents of total mercury (THg) while inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy was used to determine the total concentrations of Ni, Cr, Pb, Co, Cu, Cd, Zn, and As. Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis technique was used to detect the NORE concentrations in the soil samples. Geochemical indices were used to help evaluate the environmental risks. Toxic metals and radioactive elements concentrations in mining soil samples varied in the range: THg (0.37–0.59 mg/kg d.w.), As (4.68–19.69 mg/kg d.w.), Pb (6.67–23.02 mg/kg d.w.), Cd (0.103–0.315 mg/kg d.w.), Co (5.06–15.03 mg/kg d.w.), Cr (22.19–46.97 mg/kg d.w.), Cu (15.43–38.05 mg/kg d.w.), Ni (11.42–38.33 mg/kg d.w.), Zn (20.27–97.64 mg/kg d.w.), Al (34,739.33–51,037.07 mg/kg d.w.), Th (77.97–136.10 mg/kg d.w.), and U (< 34.14–102.31 mg/kg d.w.). The levels of PTM and NORE in farmland soil samples ranged from THg (0.09–0.49 mg/kg d.w.), As(0.45–7.01 mg/kg d.w.), Pb (3.01–7.01 mg/kg d.w.), Cd (0.01–0.10 mg/kg d.w.), Co (3.12–8.65 mg/kg d.w.), Cr (9.35–22.11 mg/kg d.w.), Cu (8.83–18.07 mg/kg d.w.), Ni (8.12–16.08 mg/kg d.w.), Zn (9.63–42.33 mg/kg d.w.), Al (23,011.65–34,110.71 mg/kg d.w.), Th (< 47.17–57.061 mg/kg d.w.), and U (< 34.14–42.99 mg/kg d.w.). High levels of NORE, THg, and As were detected in some of the farmland sites. Radioactive elements were enriched in all the soil samples detected, while THg, As, Co and Zn were enriched in some of the soil samples analyzed. Mercury exhibited a moderate level of monomial ecological risk in some farmland soil samples while the other PTMs showed low risk in all farmland soil samples. This study has proved that farmland soils contain concentrations of U, Th, THg, and As that can harm the eco-agrosystem and these hazardous elements can be transferred to humans and animals through the food chain process. It is believed that mining activities on the river and phosphate fertilizer applications on farmlands are the major influence.

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The dataset used during the current study is available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to acknowledge the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) and Ghana Food and Drugs Authority for non-financial supports.

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  1. Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia

    Ebenezer Aquisman Asare

  2. Department of Nuclear Science and Applications, Graduate School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences, University of Ghana, AE1, Kwabenya-Accra, Ghana

    Ebenezer Aquisman Asare

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Asare, E.A. Impact of the Illegal Gold Mining Activities on Pra River of Ghana on the Distribution of Potentially Toxic Metals and Naturally Occurring Radioactive Elements in Agricultural Land Soils. Chemistry Africa 4, 1051–1068 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42250-021-00285-1

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