Mercury pollution in the aquatic environment of Suriname

Paul Ouboter

National Zoological Collection(NZCS)/

Environmental Research Center (CMO)

Anton de Kom University of Suriname

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

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 10,00020,000 kg (est Veiga, 1997) 55% of mercury lost to atmosphere, 45% to streams

Method used in smaller streams

Environmental impacts
Deforestation Destruction of hydrology Increase of insolation due to deforestation Increase of turbidity, metals and nutrients in stream Change in aquatic vegetation Change in fish community Mercury pollution Mercury accumulation in food chain

Mercury bioaccumulates

What is the problem with mercury?

Mercury is volatile

Fish and wildlife in remote areas have elevated levels

Mercury levels globally rising

Mercury Mercury is is neurotoxic neurotoxic

Regular consumption of fish with elevated levels poses health risk Piscivorous wildlife impacted

Mercury bound to fine sediments

Mercury remains in ecosystems for ages

MERCURY RESEARCH IN SURINAME

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)

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?)

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)

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

Methods
Data based on 9 different projects carried out between 19982013, 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 of Greenstone Belt and 1 upstream of Greenstone Belt for fish consumption 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 to sampling protocol Fish caught using gill nets or bought from local fishermen Samples transported to laboratory on ice Mercury analyzed with mercury analyzer using cold-vapor atomic absorption Quality check for all analytic sessions

Hoplias aimara (anjoemara)

Piranha ( Serrasalmus rhombeus ) Serrasalmus rhombeus (piranha)

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

Mercury in water

Mercury in bottom sediment

Mercury in predatory fish

Serrasalmus rhombeus
3.5 3

2.5

Hg (mg/kg)

Gold mining areas Brokopondo Reservoir Piki Pada Upstream gold mining Western Suriname

1.5

0.5

0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 Standard length (cm )

Hoplias aimara
1.6 1.4

1.2

Hg (mg/kg)

Gold mining areas 0.8 Upstream gold mining Western Suriname 0.6

0.4

0.2

0 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 Standard length (cm )

WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF THE MERCURY

Natural mercury emission sources

Geologic weathering Volcanism Evaporation from waters Plant transpiration and decomposition

Anthropogenic mercury emission sources

Producers of mercury and its compounds Consumers of mercury and its compounds Burning of fossil fuels Pyrometallurgical processes Forest fires

Estimated annual anthropogenic Hg emissions ( in 103 kg Hg yr-1)

Gold mining Biomass Industry burning

Brazil
1. Lacerda & Marins, 1997 2. Meech et al., 1995

77.91 8.71 28.91 70 - 1702 88 - 1042

201 0.31 0.15-0.62

Suriname
1. Mol et al., 2001 2. UNEP, 2008

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 deposition and incorporation of anthropic Hg is negligible and soils could be considered as a major reservoir of natural Hg.

Mercury in core samples from floodplains

Mercury in core samples from floodplains

23,40*30 & 23,40*30 % 23,40*30 $ -.//01)+0 ' -.//01)+0 & -.//01)+0 % -.//01)+0 $ ()*)+),,) ' ()*)+),,) & ()*)+),,) % ()*)+),,) $ ! !"!# !"$ !"$# !"% !"%# !"& !"&# !"' !5# #5$! $!5$# $#5%! %!5%# %#5&! &!5&# &#5'! '!5'# '#5#!

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)

WHY HIGH MERCURY LEVELS IN UNDISTURBED AREAS?

Mechanism 1:

Mercury evaporated and transpirated in gold mining areas

Mercury vapor transported to SW by NE tradewind

Wet and dry depositing of mercury in central and SW Suriname

Most depositing occurs in areas with high precipitation (windward side of mountain ranges)

Mechanism 2:
In polluted rivers much of the mercury is bound to the high load of suspended sediments In pristine rivers the load of suspended sediments is less Mercurysediment complex will not easily pass biological membranes

Mercury is less biological available

Mercury is more biological available

Higher mercury levels in biota

Predicted mercury levels

IMPACT ON PUBLIC HEALTH

Pikin Saron Kwakugron Brownsweg Njun Jacobkondre

Pusugrunu

Mercury in hair
14

12

10

HG (UG/G)

Women Men Adults

Children (5-12 y)

Fish consumption surveys Brownsweg

Conclusions on mercury levels in aquatic ecosystems in Suriname

Levels in predatory fish often above norm for human consumption 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 areas in Central and Western Suriname Small-scale gold mining is the main cause of increased mercury levels, also in pristine areas Pristine areas are polluted by atmospheric transportation of mercury, precipitation and biological availability.

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

WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT THE PROBLEM?

Phase 1:
Additional research Increase awareness of population, esp. local communities Advocate restricted consumption of large predatory fish

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

Phase 3:
Rehabilitate mined-out areas

Present and future research on mercury levels:

Extension of human related projects to other communities 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

Acknowledgements
All persons assisting in the field and laboratory Financial support: WWF-Guianas Schure-Beijerinck-Popping Fund Tulane University Tropenbos Stinasu

Thank you!