The Effect of Heavy Metals in Mining Emissions on Worker’s Blood Lead Levels: A Case Study of The Gumushane Zn-Pb Mine, Turkey

Öz

The wastewater from mining facilities contains toxic elements such as arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and lead (Pb). If not disposed of correctly, it can lead to environmental pollution in case of accidents or overflow. Lead-zinc mining activities pose a significant risk of high blood lead levels (BLLs) among workers. Therefore, monitoring the blood lead levels of workers exposed to these heavy metals, especially lead, is crucial. This study aims to determine the levels of potentially harmful elements in the wastewater dam of the largest Zn-Pb mine in the Black Sea Region. It also seeks to assess the environmental and human health risks comprehensively. Additionally, the study aims to establish a relationship between the levels of lead in the mining wastewater in Gumushane and the lead levels accumulated in the blood of workers exposed to this metal. The study analyzed heavy metals such as As, Zn, Cu, Sb, and Pb in mining wastewater using Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS). The results indicated high levels of Pb in the studied wastewater. Furthermore, the blood lead levels of workers in the mining area (n=30; mean: 7.42 μg/dL) exceeded background levels (>40 μg/dL). These results suggest a significant relationship between the presence of lead in wastewater and high lead levels in the blood of individuals with high exposure to concentrated lead.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• blood lead levels (BLLs),
• heavy metals,
• mining
• wastewater
• ICP-MS

Kaynakça

1. Alakabak C. (1993). Değişik Atomik AbsorpsiyonSpektrofotometri Yöntemleriyle Kurşun Düzeylerinin Araştırılması, Gülhane Askeri Tıp Akademisi, Sağlık Bilimleri Enstitüsü, 88-93.
2. Alpaslan, M. N., Dölgen, D., Boyacıoğlu, H., & Sarptaş, H. (2010). İçme Suyundan Kimyasal Yöntemlerle Arsenik Giderimi. Su Kirlenmesi Kontrolü Dergisi. 20(1), 15-25.
3. Batool N.A. Yousafzai, M.S. Murad, S. Shahid, A. (2017). Lead toxicity and evaluation of oxidative stress in humans, PSM Biol. Res., 2 (2),79-82.
4. Bertram, J., Ramolla, C., Esser, A., Schettgen, T., Fohn, N., & Kraus, T. (2022). International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Blood Lead Monitoring in a Former Mining Area in Euskirchen. Volunteers across the Entire Population. 19, (1-15).
5. Buchet, J. P., Lauwerys, R., Roels, H., Bernard, A., Brauex, P., Claeys,F., Ducoffre, G., DePlaen, P., Staessen, J., Amery, A., Lijnen, P., Thijs, L., Rondhia, D., Sartor, F., Saint, A., & Remy, L. (1990). Heavy metals in mining. Nick The Lancet.(7),336, 699.
6. Byun, G., Kim, S., Kim, S. Y., Park, D., Shin, M. J., & Lee, J. T. (2020). Blood Lead Concentrations and Mortality in Korean Adults: the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey with Mortality Follow-Up. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 21(17), 68-98.
7. Charkiewicz, A. E. & Backstrand, J. R. (2020). Lead Toxicty and Pollution in Poland. International Journal of Enviromental Research and Public Health. 17, 4385.
8. Chiroma, T. M., Ebewele, R. O. & Hymore, F. K. (2014).Comparative Assessment of heavy metal levels in soil, vegetables and urban grey water used for irrigation in Yola and Kano. International Refereed Journal of Engineering and Science 3(2), 1–9.

9. Ellenhorn M. J. (1997). Metals and Related Compounds. "Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Poisoning" (Ed. M.J. Ellenhorn, G. Ordog, S. Schonwald ve J. Wasserberger) de, Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, 1563-1579.
10. Goyer, R.A., Clarkson, T.W. (2001). Toxic Effects of Metals, "Casarett and Doull's Toxicology, The Basic Science of Poisons" (Ed. C.D. Klaassen)'de, 6. Baskı, McGraw-Hill Companies, ine., Medical Publishing Division, USA, s. 827-834.
11. Granero, S. , & Domingo, J. L. (2002). Levels of metals in soils of Alcala' de Henares, Spain: human health risks. Environment International. 28(3), 159-164.
12. Greener J. Environ. Manag. Public Saf., 2 (4) (2013), pp. 172-179
13. Hill S.J, Cornelis R., Caruso J., Crews H., Heumann K., (2005). Speciation of lead. In: Handbook of Elemental Speciation II. John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, 239-246.
14. Jarup, L. (2003).Hazards of heavy metal contamination. British Medical Bulletin.68(1), 167–182.
15. Kabata-Pendias A and Mukherjeee A, (2007). Trace elements from soil to human. Springer, 550-555.
16. Kartal, G., Güven, A., Kahvecioğlu, Ö., & Timur, S. (2004). Metallerin çevresel etkileri.II. TMMOB Metalurji Mühendisleri Odası Dergisi. (137), 46-53.
17. Korn, M.G, Andrade, J.B., Jesus , D.S., Lemos, V.A., Bandeira, M.L., Dos Santos W.N., Bezerra, M.A, Amorim F.A, Souza A.S and Ferreira S.L. (2006). Separation and preconcentration procedures for the determination of lead using spectrometric techniques: A review. Talanta. (69), 16-24.
18. Lars, J. (2003). Ağır Metal Kontaminasyonunun Tehlikeleri. British Medical Bulletin. 68 (1), 167–182.
19. Martin, S., Griswold W. (2009). Human Health Effects of Heavy Metals, Center for Hazardous Substance Research, Kansas State University; Issue 15.
20. Mevzuat. (2013). Kimyasal Maddelerle Çalışmalarda Sağlık ve Güvenlik Önlemleri Hakkında Yönetmelik, Ek 2, Biyolojik Sınır Değerler ve Sağlık Gözetimi Önlemleri, Resmî Gazete Tarihi: 12.08.2013 Resmî Gazete Sayısı: 28733.
21. MTA (2023). Maden Tetkik ve Arama Genel Müdürlüğü. İl maden potansiyelleri, 1-5.
22. OECD (1993). Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Lead Background And National Experience With Reducing Risk. Risk Reduction Monograph.(67)1-295.
23. Özbolat, G., & Tuli, A. (2016). Ağır Metal Toksisitesinin İnsan Sağlığına Etkileri. Archives Medical Review Journal. 25(4), 502-521.
24. Poyraz, B. (2014). Farklı Lokasyonlardan Alınan İçme Sularında Ağır Metal Analizi. Düzce Üniversitesi Bilim ve Teknoloji Dergisi. 2 (1),16-27.
25. Sardar K., Ali S, HameedS., AfzalS. S. Fatima, M.B. Shakoor, H.M. TauqeerHeavy metals contamination and what are the impacts on living organisms
26. Shorrocks, V. M. (1984). Copper and Human Health. USA, Copper Development Association Press.55-58.
27. Thirunavukkarasu, O. S., Subramanian, K. S., Chaalal, O., & Islam, M. R. (2005). Arsenic Removal İn Drinking Water- Impacts and Novel Removal Technologies. Energy sources. (27), 209-219.
28. UNEP (2008). Interim review of scientific information on lead. Version of March 2008,United Nations Environment Programme. (21),45-65.
29. URL (2024).Role of Heavy Metals in the Incidence of Human Cancers | IntechOpen. https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/76911 Access date 10.09.2024.
30. US ATSDR United States Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, (2007). Toxicological profile for lead. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 1-582.
31. US EPA/Global (2014). Program of action, Why the Marine Environment Needs Protection From Heavy Metals UNE/GPA Coordination Office,45-78.
32. USEPA (2000). Lead compounds. U.S.Environmental Protection Agency (9),104-111.
33. Uyanık, F. (2000). Bazı İz Elementlerin Organizmadaki Başlıca Fonksiyonları ve Bağışıklık Üzerine Etkileri. Sağlık Bilim Dergisi. (9), 49-58.
34. Uysal H.(1987).Akümülatör Üreten İşyerlerinde Hava Kurşun Konsantrasyonu ile Kişilerin Kurşundan Etkilenmesini Belirlemede Kullanılan Bazı Parametreler Arasındaki Bağıntının Araştırılması, Hacettepe Üni. Sağlık Bilimleri Enstitüsü, 57-66.
35. Violante A., Cozzolino V., Perelomov Caporale, Pigna M. (2010). Mobility and bioavailability of heavy metals and metalloids in soil environments J. Soil Sci. Plant Nutr., 10 (3) 268-292.
36. Virág L., Erdodi F., Gergely P. (2016). Bioinorganic Chemistry for Medical Students Scriptum, University of Debrecen, Hungary, 24-33.
37. WHO (1992). Our planet, our health, report of the WHO comission on health and Environment, World Health Organization, Health and Environment, 22-24.
38. WHO (1995). Inorganic lead, report of the WHO, Environmental health criteria, World Health Organization, lead, 65-168.
39. WHO (2010). Hardness in drinking-water, report of the WHO background document for development of WHO Guidelines For Drinking-Water Quality. 1-10.
40. Zhushan, F. & Shuhua, X. (2020). The Effects of Heavy Metals on Human Metabolism. Toxicol. Mech. Meth. 30, 167-176.