Assessing occupational mercury exposures and behaviours of artisanal and small-scale gold miners in Burkina Faso using passive mercury vapour badges
Assessing occupational mercury exposures and behaviours of artisanal and small-scale gold miners in Burkina Faso using passive mercury vapour badges
复制标题
DOI：
10.1016/j.envres.2016.06.004
复制
发表时间：
2017-01-01
影响因子：
8.3
通讯作者：
Telmer, Kevin
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Black, Paleah;Richard, Myrianne;Telmer, Kevin
手工和小规模采金业是布基纳法索的一项重要经济活动，但它与严重的汞暴露和健康问题有关。本研究的目的是使用汞蒸气监测器徽章和调查问卷，在一个具有代表性的地点评估汞蒸气暴露水平和职业行为。据我们所知，这是第一次报告个体手工开采金矿活动中出现汞蒸气暴露。研究人群为个体和小规模采金业工人，他们填写了一份调查问卷（n=100）或使用市售被动汞蒸气采样器参与了职业接触评估（n=44）。在露天燃烧事件中，汞的职业暴露量很高，燃烧者的时间加权平均暴露量为7026 +/- 6857 μ g/m3，旁观者为1412 +/- 2870 μ g/m3。烧伤现场的大多数人（82%）超过了100微克/立方米的允许接触限值（PEL），11%超过了10，000微克/立方米的立即危及生命和健康的水平（IDLH）。即使是不在场的对照工人也超过了PEL（24%），这可能是由于遗留的汞污染产生了潜在的汞排放到大气中。同样，86%的烧伤矿工和59%的对照工人的8小时TWA超过了推荐暴露限值（REL）。文件记录了几种可能导致汞接触的职业行为。这项研究证实了以前的研究，即汞合金燃烧过程中的汞暴露量非常高，并证明了使用被动蒸汽监测徽章而不是昂贵且后勤困难的生物监测方法的可行性。特别是随着各国开始遵守《水俣公约》，迫切需要采取减少和消除汞的干预措施，以减少手工和小规模采金业社区的汞接触。(C)2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is a crucial economic activity in Burkina Faso, however it is associated with significant mercury exposure and health concerns. The aim of the present study was to assess the level of mercury (Hg) vapour exposures and occupational behaviours at a representative site using Hg vapour monitor badges and questionnaires. To our knowledge this is the first time that personal exposure to Hg vapour during ASGM activities has been reported. The study population were ASGM workers who completed a questionnaire (n=100) or participated with an occupational exposure assessment using commercially available passive Hg vapour samplers (n=44). Occupational exposure to Hg was high during open-air burn events with a time weighted average (TWA) exposure of 7026 +/- 6857 mu g/ m(3) for burners, and 1412 +/- 2870 mu g/m3 for bystanders. Most (82%) of the people present at the burn exceeded the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 100 mu g/m(3), and 11% exceeded the level considered to be Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) of 10,000 mu g/m(3). Even control workers who were not present at the burn exceeded the PEL (24%), likely due to legacy Hg contamination producing latent Hg releases to the atmosphere. Similarly, 86% of the miners at the burn and 59% of control workers had an 8-h TWA that exceeded the Recommended Exposures Limit (REL). Several occupational behaviours that may contribute to Hg exposures were documented. This study corroborates previous studies suggesting that Hg exposure during amalgam burning is very high, and demonstrates the plausibility of using passive vapour monitoring badges rather than costly and logistically difficult biomonitoring methods. Mercury reduction and elimination interventions are strongly needed to reduce Hg exposure in ASGM communities, particularly as countries come into compliance with the Minamata Convention. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.