International Journal of Ecotoxicology and Ecobiology

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Concentration of Total Mercury in the Blood, Urine and Hair of Gold Panners, Gold Traders, People Living in and Around Gold Panning Sites in the Territory of Fizi, DRC

Received: Dec. 28, 2019    Accepted: Jan. 07, 2020    Published: Jan. 16, 2020
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Abstract

This study covered a demographic sample of 384 people including gold panners, gold traders, people living in and around the gold panning sites in the Fizi territory who were selected from the total population of 17900 people using the stratified sampling technique. The main objective of this study was to determine total mercury content in samples of biological matrixes (blood, urine and hair) provided by the above-mentioned individuals over a 16-month cycle (August and December 2016 to August and December 2017). Total mercury was determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) for each biological matrix studied. The results found revealed that only people residing in the reference site or non-mining site (Lulimba) had the lowest total mercury levels in compliance with WHO standards for all biological matrix studied (blood, hair and urine). In fact, for these entire biological matrixes, gold panners presented the highest total mercury levels, followed in turn by gold traders, subjects living near gold-mercury (Au-Hg) amalgamation incineration sites and gold trading houses, and villagers living in the gold panning sites. In view of the above, it is necessary to consider adequate solutions that can protect people from mercurial toxicity. To this end, particular attention would be focused on the scrupulous application of safety standards in relation to the handling of mercury in general and other toxic products in particular, the conduct to be followed during the incineration of gold-mercury amalgam, etc.

DOI 10.11648/j.ijee.20200501.11
Published in International Journal of Ecotoxicology and Ecobiology ( Volume 5, Issue 1, March 2020 )
Page(s) 1-12
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

Keywords

Gold Panners, Gold Traders, Fizi Territory, Blood, Urine, Hair, Gold Panning Sites, Eastern Democratic Republic of Cong

References
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[7] M. A. H, Détermination du mercure: méthode par spectrophotométrie d’absorption atomique, formation de vapeur. Centre d’expertise en analyse environnementale du Québec, 2006.
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[10] WHO, Report on indicators to evaluate and track the health impacts of mercury and identify vulnerabale populations., Geneva, Switzerland, 2010.
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[18] Vieira, S., Almeida, R., Holanda I., Mussy, M., Galvao R., Crispin, P., J. Dorea, and W. Bastos, Total and methyl-mercury in hair and milk of mothers living in the city of Porto Velho and in villages along the Rio Madeira, Amazon, Brazil. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health 2013.216 (6): p. 682-689.
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Nsambu Mukondwa Pascal, Musibono Eyul’Anki Dieudonné, Mputu Kanyinda Jean-Noël. (2020). Concentration of Total Mercury in the Blood, Urine and Hair of Gold Panners, Gold Traders, People Living in and Around Gold Panning Sites in the Territory of Fizi, DRC. International Journal of Ecotoxicology and Ecobiology, 5(1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijee.20200501.11

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    ACS Style

    Nsambu Mukondwa Pascal; Musibono Eyul’Anki Dieudonné; Mputu Kanyinda Jean-Noël. Concentration of Total Mercury in the Blood, Urine and Hair of Gold Panners, Gold Traders, People Living in and Around Gold Panning Sites in the Territory of Fizi, DRC. Int. J. Ecotoxicol. Ecobiol. 2020, 5(1), 1-12. doi: 10.11648/j.ijee.20200501.11

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    AMA Style

    Nsambu Mukondwa Pascal, Musibono Eyul’Anki Dieudonné, Mputu Kanyinda Jean-Noël. Concentration of Total Mercury in the Blood, Urine and Hair of Gold Panners, Gold Traders, People Living in and Around Gold Panning Sites in the Territory of Fizi, DRC. Int J Ecotoxicol Ecobiol. 2020;5(1):1-12. doi: 10.11648/j.ijee.20200501.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijee.20200501.11,
      author = {Nsambu Mukondwa Pascal and Musibono Eyul’Anki Dieudonné and Mputu Kanyinda Jean-Noël},
      title = {Concentration of Total Mercury in the Blood, Urine and Hair of Gold Panners, Gold Traders, People Living in and Around Gold Panning Sites in the Territory of Fizi, DRC},
      journal = {International Journal of Ecotoxicology and Ecobiology},
      volume = {5},
      number = {1},
      pages = {1-12},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijee.20200501.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijee.20200501.11},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijee.20200501.11},
      abstract = {This study covered a demographic sample of 384 people including gold panners, gold traders, people living in and around the gold panning sites in the Fizi territory who were selected from the total population of 17900 people using the stratified sampling technique. The main objective of this study was to determine total mercury content in samples of biological matrixes (blood, urine and hair) provided by the above-mentioned individuals over a 16-month cycle (August and December 2016 to August and December 2017). Total mercury was determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) for each biological matrix studied. The results found revealed that only people residing in the reference site or non-mining site (Lulimba) had the lowest total mercury levels in compliance with WHO standards for all biological matrix studied (blood, hair and urine). In fact, for these entire biological matrixes, gold panners presented the highest total mercury levels, followed in turn by gold traders, subjects living near gold-mercury (Au-Hg) amalgamation incineration sites and gold trading houses, and villagers living in the gold panning sites. In view of the above, it is necessary to consider adequate solutions that can protect people from mercurial toxicity. To this end, particular attention would be focused on the scrupulous application of safety standards in relation to the handling of mercury in general and other toxic products in particular, the conduct to be followed during the incineration of gold-mercury amalgam, etc.},
     year = {2020}
    }
    

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    T1  - Concentration of Total Mercury in the Blood, Urine and Hair of Gold Panners, Gold Traders, People Living in and Around Gold Panning Sites in the Territory of Fizi, DRC
    AU  - Nsambu Mukondwa Pascal
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    JF  - International Journal of Ecotoxicology and Ecobiology
    JO  - International Journal of Ecotoxicology and Ecobiology
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    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2575-1735
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijee.20200501.11
    AB  - This study covered a demographic sample of 384 people including gold panners, gold traders, people living in and around the gold panning sites in the Fizi territory who were selected from the total population of 17900 people using the stratified sampling technique. The main objective of this study was to determine total mercury content in samples of biological matrixes (blood, urine and hair) provided by the above-mentioned individuals over a 16-month cycle (August and December 2016 to August and December 2017). Total mercury was determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) for each biological matrix studied. The results found revealed that only people residing in the reference site or non-mining site (Lulimba) had the lowest total mercury levels in compliance with WHO standards for all biological matrix studied (blood, hair and urine). In fact, for these entire biological matrixes, gold panners presented the highest total mercury levels, followed in turn by gold traders, subjects living near gold-mercury (Au-Hg) amalgamation incineration sites and gold trading houses, and villagers living in the gold panning sites. In view of the above, it is necessary to consider adequate solutions that can protect people from mercurial toxicity. To this end, particular attention would be focused on the scrupulous application of safety standards in relation to the handling of mercury in general and other toxic products in particular, the conduct to be followed during the incineration of gold-mercury amalgam, etc.
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Author Information
  • Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Doctoral Cycle, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo; Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment, Evangelical University in Africa, Bukavu, D R of Congo; General Agronomy section, High Institute of Agronomic and Veterinary Studies of Mushweshwe, Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo

  • Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Doctoral Cycle, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

  • Section