Geo-Spatial Characterization of Soil Mercury and Arsenic at a High-Altitude Bolivian Gold Mine

Glen D. Johnson; Brian Pavilonis; Jack Caravanos; Jean Grassman

doi:10.1007/s00128-017-2213-4

Geo-Spatial Characterization of Soil Mercury and Arsenic at a High-Altitude Bolivian Gold Mine

Glen D. Johnson, Brian Pavilonis, Jack Caravanos, Jean Grassman

Global Public Health

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Soil mercury concentrations at a typical small-scale mine site in the Bolivian Andes were elevated (28–737 mg/kg or ppm) in localized areas where mercury amalgams were either formed or vaporized to release gold, but was not detectable beyond approximately 10 m from its sources. Arsenic was measurable, exceeding known background levels throughout the mine site (77–137,022 ppm), and was also measurable through the local village of Ingenio (36–1803 ppm). Although arsenic levels were high at all surveyed locations, its spatial pattern followed mercury, being highest where mercury was high.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	259-264
Number of pages	6
Journal	Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
Volume	100
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-017-2213-4
State	Published - Feb 1 2018

Keywords

Arsenic
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining
Mercury
Soil metal contamination

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Toxicology
Pollution
Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

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title = "Geo-Spatial Characterization of Soil Mercury and Arsenic at a High-Altitude Bolivian Gold Mine",

abstract = "Soil mercury concentrations at a typical small-scale mine site in the Bolivian Andes were elevated (28–737 mg/kg or ppm) in localized areas where mercury amalgams were either formed or vaporized to release gold, but was not detectable beyond approximately 10 m from its sources. Arsenic was measurable, exceeding known background levels throughout the mine site (77–137,022 ppm), and was also measurable through the local village of Ingenio (36–1803 ppm). Although arsenic levels were high at all surveyed locations, its spatial pattern followed mercury, being highest where mercury was high.",

keywords = "Arsenic, Artisanal and small-scale gold mining, Mercury, Soil metal contamination",

author = "Johnson, {Glen D.} and Brian Pavilonis and Jack Caravanos and Jean Grassman",

note = "Funding Information: Acknowledgements This study was funded by the CUNY Collaborative Incentive Research Grant Program (Grant #2026, Round 20) and was made possible by Guido Condarco from Fundaci{\'o}n Plagbol, La Paz Bolivia, who established all local connections and transportation.",

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AU - Johnson, Glen D.

AU - Pavilonis, Brian

AU - Caravanos, Jack

AU - Grassman, Jean

N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgements This study was funded by the CUNY Collaborative Incentive Research Grant Program (Grant #2026, Round 20) and was made possible by Guido Condarco from Fundación Plagbol, La Paz Bolivia, who established all local connections and transportation.

PY - 2018/2/1

Y1 - 2018/2/1

N2 - Soil mercury concentrations at a typical small-scale mine site in the Bolivian Andes were elevated (28–737 mg/kg or ppm) in localized areas where mercury amalgams were either formed or vaporized to release gold, but was not detectable beyond approximately 10 m from its sources. Arsenic was measurable, exceeding known background levels throughout the mine site (77–137,022 ppm), and was also measurable through the local village of Ingenio (36–1803 ppm). Although arsenic levels were high at all surveyed locations, its spatial pattern followed mercury, being highest where mercury was high.

AB - Soil mercury concentrations at a typical small-scale mine site in the Bolivian Andes were elevated (28–737 mg/kg or ppm) in localized areas where mercury amalgams were either formed or vaporized to release gold, but was not detectable beyond approximately 10 m from its sources. Arsenic was measurable, exceeding known background levels throughout the mine site (77–137,022 ppm), and was also measurable through the local village of Ingenio (36–1803 ppm). Although arsenic levels were high at all surveyed locations, its spatial pattern followed mercury, being highest where mercury was high.

KW - Arsenic

KW - Artisanal and small-scale gold mining

KW - Mercury

KW - Soil metal contamination

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Geo-Spatial Characterization of Soil Mercury and Arsenic at a High-Altitude Bolivian Gold Mine

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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