Heavy metal pollution from artisanal gold mines (a review).

Abstract

Mining activities can lead to the generation of large quantities of heavy metals which are released in an uncontrolled manner causing a widespread contamination of the ecosystem. Though some heavy metals are classified as essential for normal life physiological processes, higher concentration above the stipulated levels have deleterious effect on health and biota. The unwanted release of environmental contaminants predisposed by mining activities has reached an alarming proportion that deserves attention because heavy metals have proven to be a major threat on the environment and human health. The toxic effect of these metals even though they do not have any biological role, remains present in some or the other form harmful for the human body and its proper functioning and hence the purpose of this study was to determine the degree of heavy metal contamination around gold mining site and their bio-toxic effect to people living around the gold mining sites. This review paper focuses on the certain heavy metal environment pollution and their bio-toxic effect to man.