Characterization of potential mercury contamination in the ASGM area of Mandailing Natal, North Sumatera

A large amount of Hg is used for gold extraction through the amalgamation process in the Mandailing Natal derived from artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) area located in the North Sumatera Province, Indonesia. The objective of this work was to characterize the potential contamination of to...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:IOP conference series. Earth and environmental science 2021-11, Vol.882 (1), p.12062
Main Authors: Astika, H, Handayani, S, Damayanti, R, Surono, W, Maryono, Suciyanti, M, Octaviano, H A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aquatic ecosystems
Biota
Contamination
Fluvial sediments
Gold
Mercury
Mitigation
Rivers
Sampling
Sampling methods
Sediments
Soil contamination
Soil water
Soils
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Summary:A large amount of Hg is used for gold extraction through the amalgamation process in the Mandailing Natal derived from artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) area located in the North Sumatera Province, Indonesia. The objective of this work was to characterize the potential contamination of total Hg in water, sediments, and soil in this ASGM area. Sampling was done in two locations in West Panyabungan and Huta Bargot Districts using grab sampling method. Results showed that accumulation of Hg in the studied soils and sediments was the highest, but Hg in aquatic solution was below the detection limit of the analytical method of the studied community wells and rivers. The highest concentration of Hg was found in the river sediments of the Saba Padang irrigation (1,63 mg/kg), and in the soil of the plantation area of Huta Bargot (1,62 mg/kg) respectively. These concentrations may pose a serious problem for aquatic and land life, related ecosystems, and human health. For further study, there is a need to study Hg availability in riverine biota to better understand the cycling of Hg in this ASGM area. Understanding the ecological impacts can assist in the prioritizing of impact mitigation efforts.
ISSN:1755-1307
1755-1315
DOI:10.1088/1755-1315/882/1/012062