An investigation of mercury distribution in the soils around gold mining area at Dar-Mali locality, river Nile State, Sudan

Year 2018, Volume: 7 Issue: 4, 365 - 372, 01.10.2018

Mushtaha Ali Abdalla Elhagwa Jamal Elfaki

https://doi.org/10.18393/ejss.467595

Cited By: 3

Abstract

An artisanal gold mining region located in North of
Atbara (Dar-Mali locality), River Nile State, Sudan (17.82289 to 17.82389N and
33.99974 to 34.02127E) has been studied with the aim to evaluate
the soil contamination with mercury
(Hg) using two parameters; (i) Comparison
of the Hg concentration with the mean concentrations in world soils, (ii)
Enrichment Factor (EF). The results revealed that, the concentrations
of the Hg are varying in the studied area
and the highest concentrations were obtained inside the mining basins used for gold
extraction (2.62 mg kg^-1 soil) it is around 29 times more than mean Hg concentration in world soils, while the
lower concentrations are found at recent Nile River terrace (0.10 mg kg^-1
soil). The results also indicated that the soil samples collected from inside
mining basins had a highest E.F value (352.84) that means, this site must be
closed and remediation process should be started immediately. While the E.F
value of recent Nile River terrace site was 8.74, means, all studied sites have
significant contamination with Hg. The
mobility of Hg may have influenced by
northeast wind, or water runoff from mining zone to nearest areas at same wind
direction or water flow direction.

Keywords

Sudan, River Nile State, Hg concentration, gold mining, enrichment factor, mining basins

References

• Ali, M., Elhagwa, A., Elfaki, J., Sulieman, M., 2017. Influence of the artisanal gold mining on soil contamination with heavy metals: A case study from Dar-Mali locality, North of Atbara, River Nile State, Sudan. Eurasian Journal of Soil Science 6(1): 28-36.
• Cooke, J.A., Johnson, M.S., 2002. Ecological restoration of land with particular reference to the mining of metals and industrial minerals: a review of theory and practice. Environmental Reviews 10(1): 41-71.
• Donkor, A.K., Bonzongo, J.J.C., Nartey, V.K., Adotey, D.K., 2005. Heavy metals in sediments of the gold mining ımpacted Pra River Basin, Ghana, West Africa. Soil and Sediment Contamination 14(6): 479-503.
• Dragović, S., Mihailović, N., Gajić, B., 2008. Heavy metals in soils: Distribution, relationship with soil characteristics and radionuclides and multivariate assessment of contamination sources. Chemosphere 72(3): 491-495.
• Elfaki, J.T., Gafer, M.A., Sulieman, M.M., Ali, M.E., 2016b. Hydrometer method against pipette method for estimating soil particle size distribution in some soil types selected from Central Sudan. International Journal of Engineering Research and Advanced Technology 2(2): 25-41.
• Elfaki, J.T., Gafer, M.O., Sulieman, M.M., Ali, M.E., 2016a. Assessment of calcimetric and titrimetric methods for calcium carbonate estimation of five soil types in central Sudan. Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection 4(1): 120-127.
• Elfaki, J.T., Sulieman, M.M., Nour, A.M., Ali, M.E., 2015. Short-term changes in ınorganic nitrogen concentrations during storage at different temperatures of three different soils of the Nile River terraces, North of Sudan. Advances in Environmental Biology 9(24):397-402.
• FAO, 2006. Guidelines for soil description, Fourth edition. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy. Available at [access date: 14.12.2017]: http://www.fao.org/3/a-a0541e.pdf
• Fernandes, A.B., Barros, F.L., Peçanha, F.M., Wiggers, G.A., Frizera, V.P., Ronacher, S.M., Stefanon, I., 2012. Toxic effects of mercury on the cardiovascular and central nervous systems. Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology Article ID 949048
• Gosar, M., Žibret, G., 2011. Mercury contents in the vertical profiles through alluvial sediments as a reflection of mining in Idrija (Slovenia). Journal of Geochemical Exploration 110(2): 81–91.
• Guedron, S., Grangeon, S., Lanson, B., Grimaldi, B., 2009. Mercury speciation in a tropical soil association; consequence of gold mining on Hg distribution in French Guyana. Geoderma 153(3-4): 331-346.
• Horvat, M., Nolde, N., Fajon, V., Jereb, V., Logar, M., Lojen, S., Jacimovic, R., Falnago, I., Liya, Q., Faganeli, J., Drobne, D., 2003. Total mercury, methylmercury and selenium in mercury polluted areas in the province Guizhou, China. Science of The Total Environment 304 (1-3): 231–256.
• Ledin, M., Pedersen, K., 1996. The environmental impact of mine wastes – Roles of microorganisms and their significance in treatment of mine wastes. Earth-Science Reviews 41(1–2): 67–108.
• Link, D.D., Walter, P.J., Kingston, H.M., 1997. EPA Methods 3015A and 3051A: Validation studies for updated microwave leach methods. Waste Testing & Quality Assurance Symposium (WTQA '97). July 6-9, 1997, Arlington, VA, USA. pp. 55-60.
• Marx, E.S., Hart, J., Stevens, R.G., 1999. Soil test interpretation guide. Oregon State University Extension Service circular EC-1478. OR: Oregon State University. Corvallis, USA. Available at [access date: 14.12.2017]: http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1957/14361/ec1478.pdf?sequence=3
• Mason, R.P., Sheu, G., 2002. Role of the ocean in the global mercury cycle. Global Biogeochemical Cycles 16(4): 40–1-40-14.
• Molina, J.A., Oyarzun, R., Esbrí, J.M., Higueras, P., 2006. Mercury accumulation in soils and plants in the Almaden mining district, Spain: one of the most contaminated sites on Earth. Environmental Geochemistry and Health 28(5): 487–498.
• Mortazavi, G., Mortazavi. S.M.J., 2015. Increased mercury release from dental amalgam restorations after exposure to electromagnetic fields as a potential hazard for hypersensitive people and pregnant women. Reviews on Environmental Health 30(4): 287-292.
• Olivero, J., Solano, B., 1998. Mercury in environmental samples from a waterbody contaminated by gold mining in Colombia, South America. Science of The Total Environment 217(1-2): 83-89.
• Rhoades, J.D., 1996. Salinity: Electrical conductivity and total dissolved solids. In: Methods of Soil Analysis Part 3—Chemical Methods. Sparks, D.L., Page, A.L., Helmke, P.A., Loeppert, R.H.(Eds.). SSSA Book Series 5.3. Soil Science Society of America, American Society of Agronomy, Madison, WI, USA. pp. 417-435.
• Schuster, E., 1991. The behavior of mercury in the soil with special emphasis on complexation and adsorption processes - a review of the literature. Water Air & Soil Pollution 56(1): 667–680.
• Sinnott, R.W., 1984. Virtues of the Haversine. Sky and Telescope 68(2): 159.
• Skyllberg, U., Bloom, P.R., Qian, J., Lin, C.M., Bleam, W.F., 2006. Complexation of Mercury(II) in soil organic matter:  EXAFS evidence for linear two-coordination with reduced sulfur groups. Environmental Science and Technology 40(13): 4174–4180.
• USDA, 2014a. Keys to Soil Taxonomy. United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Available at [access date: 14.12.2017]: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/PA_NRCSConsumption/download?cid=stelprdb1252094&ext=pdf
• USDA, 2014b. Kellogg Soil Survey Laboratory Methods Manual. Soil Survey Investigations Report No. 42, Version 5.0, United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Soil Survey Center, Kellogg Soil Survey Laboratory, USA. Available at [access date: 14.12.2017]: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb1253872.pdf
• Wong, J.W.C., 1996. Heavy metal contents in vegetables and market garden soils in Hong Kong. Environmental Technology 17(4): 407-410.
• Yin, R., Feng, X., Li, X., Yu, B., Du, B., 2014. Trends and advances in mercury stable isotopes as a geochemical tracer. Trends in Environmental Analytical Chemistry 2: 1–10.