Mercury Levels in Groundwater Near Artisanal Small-Scale Gold Mines in Migori County, Kenya.
| dc.contributor.author | Omondi, George Zachary O. | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-02-14T06:04:33Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-02-14T06:04:33Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2024-11 | |
| dc.description | A Thesis Submitted In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Master of Environmental Health in the School of Health Sciences, Kenyatta University. November, 2024 Supervisors; 1.Jackim Nyamari 2.Judy Mugo. | |
| dc.description.abstract | In Migori County, Artisanal and small scale gold mining (ASGM) is an economic activity that uses mercury during the amalgamation process to obtain gold. The waste generated in form of soil tailings and pan-pond water contains mercury and is located close to community boreholes. The waste from the mines can lead to mercury contamination in groundwater. Boreholes are one of the most used sources of drinking water in Migori County. Ingestion of contaminated water is one of the ways mercury can get into the human body. A research done by Center of Environmental Justice and Development in 2017 showed that mercury is present in human hair from people around Masara mine, Migori County. Therefore, the study sought to establish the mercury levels in groundwater near Artisanal Small-Scale Gold Mines in Migori County. Specifically, the study determined mercury concentration in groundwater from boreholes, soil tailings and pan-pond water located near five mine sites during dry and wet seasons. The five mines were: -Masara, Osiri Matanda, Macalder, Kitere and Kehancha. The study used cross sectional-analytical study design. The research focused on boreholes found within a distance of 6 km from the five mines. Out of the 46 boreholes mapped, 15 (32% of 46) were proportionately sampled to obtain groundwater samples during dry and wet seasons. From the five mines targeted, 20 pan-pond water and soil tailings were collected in both dry and wet season as per respective sampling protocols applied. Mercury level from the samples was determined by use of Inductively Coupled Plasma –Mass Spectroscopy (7900 ICP-MS) at KEPHIS laboratory. Paired t-test was used to compare the means of the levels of mercury in groundwater obtained within the two different seasons. Measures of central tendency was used to describe the sets of data obtained after laboratory analysis of samples. The study established that during the dry season, all of the boreholes had groundwater mercury levels higher than the recommended limit by KEBS of 0.001 mg/L. There was a decrease in the levels of mercury in groundwater as distances from the mine increases. However, during the wet season, all of the boreholes had mercury levels below the limit of detection. The study established a significant difference on the levels of mercury in groundwater between wet and dry seasons at a 95% confidence level. In the mines, the study found that mercury levels in soil tailings and pan-pond water were above the NEMA effluents discharge standards of 0.05 mg/kg and 0.05 mg/L respectively in the dry season. During the wet season, all pan-pond water achieved the recommended mercury level of NEMA effluents discharge limits while the soil tailings had mercury levels above the recommended limit. This study recommends a need to implement mine waste remediation and, the borehole owners, licensed water service providers near the mines to continuously conduct groundwater heavy metal analysis during the dry season to protect their health. The county government to develop water related policies to ensure safe water services to the community. | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | Kenyatta University | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/29582 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Kenyatta University | |
| dc.title | Mercury Levels in Groundwater Near Artisanal Small-Scale Gold Mines in Migori County, Kenya. | |
| dc.type | Thesis |