mercury pollution in the aquatic environment of suriname

7/28/2019 Mercury Pollution in the Aquatic Environment of Suriname

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Mercury pollution in the aquatic

environment of Suriname

Paul Ouboter

National Zoological Collection(NZCS)/

Environmental Research Center (CMO)

Anton de Kom University of Suriname


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Small-scale gold mining

in Suriname

First gold rush 1880-1910

Present gold rush 1980-present

25,000 to 35,000 gold miners (est. GMD

2000)

Production 10,000-20,000 kg gold/year (est.

Veiga, 1997)

Many gold miners are mining illegally

Most miners are Maroons and Brazilians

Mining concentrated in Greenstone Belt


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Small-scale gold mining

in Suriname

Small-scale operations have recently

changed into medium-scale operations

Mercury used for amalgamation, usually in

combination with sluice boxes or dredges

Usually no tailing ponds used

Mercury lost to environment 10,000-20,000 kg (est Veiga, 1997)

55% of mercury lost to atmosphere, 45%

to streams


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Method used in smaller streams


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Environmental impacts

Deforestation

Destruction of hydrology

Increase of insolation due to deforestation

Increase of turbidity, metals and nutrients instream

Change in aquatic vegetation

Change in fish community

Mercury pollution

Mercury accumulation in food chain


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Mercury is

neurotoxic

Mercury remains inecosystems for ages

Regular consumptionof fish with elevatedlevels poses health

risk

Piscivorous wildlifeimpacted

Mercury bio-accumulates

Mercury isvolatile

Mercury levels

globally rising

Fish and wildlife inremote areas have

elevated levels

Mercury is

neurotoxic

Mercury bound to

fine sediments

What is the problem with mercury?


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MERCURY RESEARCH IN

SURINAME


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Mercury research other organizations/authors

OAS project on introduction of retorts (incl. some

measurements) (Pollack, de Kom, Quik & Zuilen, 1998)

Mercury levels in gold-miners (de Kom, van der Voet &

de Wolff, 1998)

Mercury in communities at the Lawa River (Cordier,

Grasmick, Paquier-Passelaigue, Mandereau, Weber &Jouan, 1998)

Mercury in fish (Mol, Ramlal, Lietar & Verloo, 2001)

Mercury in gold-mining sites (Arets, v.d. Meer, v.d. Brink,

Tjon, Atmopawiro & Ouboter, 2006)


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Mercury research other organizations/authors

(cont.)

Mercury in pregnant women and new-borns (Mohan,

Tiller, van der Voet & Kanhai, 2005)

Mercury in communities in the interior (Peplow &

Augustine, 2007)

Mercury in the coastal and urban atmosphere (Mller,

Wip, Warneke, Holmes, Dastoor & Notholt, 2012)

Mercury in communities (Min. public health; to start?)


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Projects NZCS/CMO Mercury pollution in the Commewijne River

(Quik & Ouboter, 2000; WWF-Guianas) Mercury pollution in the gold mining areas

(Ouboter, Landburg, White, Mol, v.d. Lugt &

Quik, 2007; WWF-Guianas)

Atmospheric transportation of mercury (Ouboter,

Mol & Quik, 2003; Schure-Beijerinck-Popping

Fund)

Mercury source in the Fallawatra Formation(Landburg, 2005; NZCS/CMO)


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Projects NZCS/CMO (cont.)

Mercury poisoning of Brownsweg villagers (Ouboter &

Landburg, 2010; WWF-Guianas) Mercury levels in Western Suriname (NZCS/CMO)

Environmental and community levels of mercury in

Kwakoegron and Pikin Saron (e.g. Hawkins, Lichtveld &

Ouboter, 2011; Tulane University) Mercury levels in sediment cores of floodplain rivers

(NZCS/CMO)

Mercury levels in mud flats before the coast of Suriname

(NZCS/CMO & Tulane University)

Publication incl. most of these projects: Ouboter, Landburg,

Quik, Mol & v.d. Lugt, 2012


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Methods Data based on 9 different projects carried out between 1998-

2013, including 60 localities:

14 localities in Greenstone Belt 18 localities downstream Greenstone Belt

7 control localities upstream of gold mining

17 localities in central and western Suriname

4 localities at the coast of Suriname

5 communities, 3 in Greenstone Belt, 1 downstream ofGreenstone Belt and 1 upstream of Greenstone Belt for fishconsumption study and mercury in hair

Measurement of water quality in the field (pH, conductivity,dissolved oxygen, temperature, turbidity)

Sampling of water, sediment and fish tissue according tosampling protocol

Fish caught using gill nets or bought from local fishermen

Samples transported to laboratory on ice

Mercury analyzed with mercury analyzer using cold-vaporatomic absorption

Quality check for all analytic sessions


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Hoplias aimara(anjoemara)


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Serrasalmus rhombeus (piranha)Piranha (Serrasalmus rhombeus)


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Why investigate mercury in aquatic

ecosystems ?

Air and water are transportation

mechanisms; provide one-moment in time

data

Terrestrial soil data spatially very variable

Mercury bound to sediment in aquatic

environment

Mercury bio-accumulated in fish

M i t


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Mercury in water


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Mercury in bottom sediment


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Mercury in predatory fish


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Serrasalmus rhombeus

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

Standard length (cm)

Hg(mg/kg) Gold mining areas

Brokopondo Reservoir

Piki Pada

Upstream gold mining

Western Suriname

H li i


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Hoplias aimara

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Standard length (cm)

Hg(mg/kg

)

Gold mining areas

Upstream gold mining

Western Suriname


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WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF

THE MERCURY


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Natural mercury emission sources

Geologic weathering

Volcanism

Evaporation from waters Plant transpiration and decomposition


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Anthropogenic mercury emission

sources

Producers of mercury and its compounds

Consumers of mercury and its compounds

Burning of fossil fuels Pyrometallurgical processes

Forest fires


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Estimated annual anthropogenic Hg

emissions ( in 103 kg Hg yr-1)

Goldmining

Biomassburning

Industry

Brazil1. Lacerda & Marins,

1997

2. Meech et al., 1995

77.9170 - 1702

8.7188 - 1042

28.91

Suriname1. Mol et al., 2001

2. UNEP, 2008

201 0.31 0.15-0.62


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Where does the mercury come

from in Suriname??

Gold mining ?

Naturally in base rock, sediment and soil ?

Roulet et al.(1998): the natural burden of the soils is much

more important than potential new inputs of anthropic Hg from

goldmining or biomass burning, representing more than 97%

of the Hg accumulated in soils. Consequently, the depositionand incorporation of anthropic Hg is negligible and soils could

be considered as a major reservoir of natural Hg.


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M i l f


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Mercury in core samples from

floodplains


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Mercury in core samples from floodplains

! !"!# !"$ !"$# !"% !"%# !"& !" !"'()*)+),,) $()*)+),,) %()*)+),,) &()*)+),,) '

-.//01)+0 $-.//01)+0 %-.//01)+0 &-.//01)+0 '

23,40*30 $23,40*30 %23,40*30 & !5#

#5$!$!5$#

$#5%!

%!5%#

%#5&!

&!5

'!

'!5'#

'#5#!


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Results show:

Relatively high mercury levels in

undisturbed Western Suriname

No correlation between mercury levels and

distance from Greenstone Belt

No mercury source in Fallawatra formation

Mercury in core samples indicate an

anthropogenic origin Mercury in floodplain of Coppename River

(undisturbed) on average higher than in

Saramacca River (gold mining)


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WHY HIGH MERCURY LEVELS

IN UNDISTURBED AREAS?


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Mercuryevaporated

and

transpiratedin goldmining areas

Mercuryvapor

transportedto SW by NE

tradewind

Wet and drydepositing ofmercury in

central andSWSuriname

Mechanism 1:

Most depositing occurs in areas with high

precipitation (windward side of mountain

ranges)


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In polluted

rivers muchof themercury is

bound to thehigh load of

suspendedsediments

Mercury-sediment

complex willnot easily

passbiological

membranes

Mercury isless

biologicalavailable

In pristine

rivers theload ofsuspended

sediments isless

Mercury ismorebiologicalavailable

Highermercury

levels in biota

Mechanism 2:

Predicted mercury levels


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Predicted mercury levels


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IMPACT ON PUBLIC HEALTH


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Pikin Saron

Kwakugron

Brownsweg

Njun Jacobkondre

Pusugrunu

M i h i


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Mercury in hair

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

HG(UG/G)

Women

Men

Adults

Children (5-12 y)


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Fish consumption surveys Brownsweg

C l i l l i


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Conclusions on mercury levels in

aquatic ecosystems in Suriname

Levels in predatory fish often above norm for humanconsumption in most of Suriname

Levels in bottom sediments often high

Highest levels in Brokopondo Reservoir

Increased levels in human population

Also high levels in shallow sea and pristine areasin Central and Western Suriname

Small-scale gold mining is the main cause ofincreased mercury levels, also in pristine areas

Pristine areas are polluted by atmospherictransportation of mercury, precipitation andbiological availability.

I t f l l


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Impacts of mercury on local

communities

Drinking water usually below norm

(suspended sediments biggest problem)

Predatory fish often above norm for

human consumption

Mercury may remain in system for long

time

Mercury may interfere with public health

and, in worst case scenario also with

development of communities in interior


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WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT

THE PROBLEM?


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Phase 1:

Additional research

Increase awareness of population, esp.

local communities

Advocate restricted consumption of large

predatory fish


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Phase 2:

Regulate and control gold mining

operations

Train gold miners in methods without

mercury (and other environmental

measures)

Prohibit the import and use of mercury


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Phase 3:

Rehabilitate mined-out areas

Present and future research on


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Present and future research on

mercury levels:

Extension of human related projects to othercommunities in the interior

Investigate correlation between mercury in fish

and humans and water chemistry (turbidity, pH

and DOC)

Investigate mercury levels in mud flats at the

coast


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Acknowledgements

All persons assisting in the field andlaboratory

Financial support:

WWF-Guianas Schure-Beijerinck-Popping Fund

Tulane University

Tropenbos

StinasuThank you!

mercury pollution in the aquatic environment of suriname

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