A Systematic Review of Heavy Metals of Anthropogenic Origin in Environmental Media and Biota in the Context of Gold Mining in Ghana

Table 4

Levels of heavy metals in rivers/streams by region in Ghana.

(a)

Reference	Community	As	Hg	Fe	Mn	Cd	Zn	Cr	Cu	Pb
Ashanti region
Boadu et al. 2000 [25]	Rivers at Konongo and surrounding towns and villages: Odumase, Patrienso and Obenemase
	River Owerri	271 (140–390) μgL^−1
	River Awerekye	35 (30–40) μgL^−1
Tay and Momade 2006 [26]	10 streams in northern parts of Ashanti Gold belts		32 μgL^−1	115 μgL^−1		4.4 μgL^−1				6 μgL^−1
	Dry season (Feb 2000)		660 (190–1330) μgL^−1	1080 (280–2,120) μgL^−1	185 (70–300) μgL^−1	9 (<1–13) μgL^−1		70 μgL^−1		90 μgL^−1
	Wet season (June 2000)		320 (100–700) μgL^−1	1,150 (200–2,360) μgL^−1	20 (10–30) μgL^−1	44 (<1–70) μgL^−1
Akabzaa et al. 2007 [24]	Obuasi and its environ:	1891 μgL^−1	1.8 μgL^−1	1719 μgL^−1	285.4 μgL^−1	<0.2 μgL^−1	12 μgL^−1		8.6 μgL^−1	4.6 μgL^−1
	4 rivers in communities within the operating area of AGC	1113 (<10–3071) μgL^−1	9.5 μgL^−1	2935 (358–5603) μgL^−1	693.7 (472–1525) μgL^−1	<2 μgL^−1	30.5 (14–69) μgL^−1		18.3 (2–27) μgL^−1	515 μgL^−1
	3 rivers in communities immediately downstream	6452.5 (310–18910) μgL^−1	1 μgL^−1	6912.2 (259–17190) μgL^−1	913.4 (146–2584) μgL^−1	2 μgL^−1	39 (19–120) μgL^−1		35.3 (12–86) μgL^−1	105 μgL^−1
Akabzaa et al. 2007 [24]	Vicinity of Obuasi mine	3137 (9–18910) μgL^−1	8 (1–18) μgL^−1	5032 (259–17190) μgL^−1	758 (146–2584) μgL^−1	2 μgL^−1	34 (3–120) μgL^−1		23 (<0.1–86) μgL^−1	14 (1–57) μgL^−1
Adomako et al. 2008 [74]	River Subin	13.9 (07–160) μgL^−1				12.5 (2–50) μgL^−1	6600 (4280–10200) μg^−1	6 (10–19) μgL^−1	1330 (1320–7040) μgL^−1
Armah et al. 2010 [5]		434 μgL^−1; IQ-UQ (136–1135) μgL^−1	302 μgL^−1; IQ-UQ (2–646) μgL^−1	705 μgL^−1; IQ-UQ (242–1208) μgL^−1	892 μgL^−1; IQ-UQ (459–2152) μgL^−1	674 μgL^−1; IQ-UQ (418–1350) μgL^−1	139 μgL^−1; IQ-UQ (3–667) μgL^−1		603 μgL^−1; IQ-UQ (245–1831) μgL^−1	0.69 UQ (0.06–2.10) μgL^−1
Amedjoe et al. 2012 [63]		41 (39) μgL^−1		127 (98) μgL^−1			2 (1) μgL^−1		2.5 (2.3) μgL^−1
Western region
Serfor-Armah et al. 2006 [28]		384 (33) μgL^−1
Kortatsi 2006 [88]		300 (1000) μgL^−1	4600 (3700) μgL^−1	170900 (306500) μgL^−1	41900 (36400) μgL^−1		168000 (38700) μgL^−1	300 (100) μgL^−1	2400 (4100) μgL^−1	1100 (1400) μgL^−1
Asante et al. 2007 [15]		18 (0.5–73) μgL^−1			682 (11.1–2530) μgL^−1	0.04 (0.04–0.08) μgL^−1	138 (3.43–1500) μgL^−1	0.52 (0.10–1.2) μgL^−1	1.3 (0.97–9.17) μgL^−1	0.85 (0.02–3.71) μgL^−1
Asante et al. 2007 [15]		18 μgL^−1	BDL		682 μgL^−1	0.04 μgL^−1	138 μgL^−1	0.52 μgL^−1	2.65 μgL^−1	0.85 μgL^−1
Boamponsem et al. 2010 [29]	Tarkwa gold mining district
	Angonabeng	1220 μgL^−1	148 μgL^−1		1780 μgL^−1	1110 μgL^−1
	Bediabewu	52.2 μgL^−1	52.2 μgL^−1		804 μgL^−1	1110 μgL^−1
Adokoh et al. 2011 [70]		0.016 μgL^−1	0.002 μgL^−1			0.016 μgL^−1
Armah et al. 2011 [65]	Abunpuni; Angonabeng; Adisakrom; Bediabewu; Domeabra; Nkwantakrom; Teberebie	4 (4.1) μgL^−1		144 (279.2) μgL^−1	100 (228.3) μgL^−1	2 (2.9) μgL^−1				5.7 (0.3) μgL^−1

(b)

Reference	Community	Al	Ni	Co	V	Cr	Se	Sb	Sr	Mg	Rb
Western region
Serfor-Armah et al. 2006 [28]								14 (0.1) μgL^−1
Kortatsi 2006 [88]		12700 (47200) μgL^−1	1100 (1400) μgL^−1		100 (100) μgL^−1	300 (100) μgL^−1	300 (100) μgL^−1		27900 (22000) μgL^−1	7900 (4300) μgL^−1
Asante et al. 2007 [15]				1.3 (1.9) μgL^−1	0.46 (0.57) μgL^−1	0.52 (0.34) μgL^−1			214 (359) μgL^−1		4.65 (3.68) μgL^−1
Asante et al. 2007 [15]				1.3 (0.05–6.9) μgL^−1	0.46 (0.02–2.0) μgL^−1	0.52 (0.10–1.2) μgL^−1	BDL	2.0 (<0.01–15) μgL^−1	214 (22.6–2240) μgL^−1		4.65 (1.93–15.5) μgL^−1
Boamponsem et al. 2010 [29]	Tarkwa gold mining district
	Angonabeng			409 μgL^−1	37 μgL^−1			4140 μgL^−1
	Bediabewu			230 μgL^−1	37.8 μgL^−1			1070 μgL^−1
Adokoh et al. 2011 [70]		0.964 μgL^−1
Armah et al. 2011 [65]	Abunpuni; Angonabeng; Adisakrom; Bediabewu; Domeabra; Nkwantakrom; Teberebie		0.4 (0.3) μgL^−1

(c)

Reference	Community	μgL^−1
		As	Hg	Fe	Mn	Cd	Zn	Cr	Cu	Pb
Eastern region
Karikari and Ansa-Ansare 2006 [79]	Densu Basin covering Akwadum, Mangoase, Asuboi, Pakro and Ashalaja			964 (614–1190)	291 (264–337)		57 (14–100)		80 (28–274)	18 (<5–39)
Ansa-Asare and Asante 2000 [85]				61.4 (5–157)	60.7 (2–263)	1.4 (<1–2.6)	68.6 (1–89.2)			1.4 (0.1–2.6)
Boadu et al. 2000 [25]	Konongo and its surrounding areas: Odumase, Patriensa, Obenemase
	River Owerri	27.3 (13–43)
	River Awirekye	3.5
Nartey et al. 2005 [83]	Seven streams in the Akwapim Ridge (Otobri, Kobi, Opiafo, Amankrate, Kwati, Ademi, Elemi)			714.3	614.3		200
Central region
Dankwa and Biney 2005 [46]				2.09		<0.01				0.47
Donkor et al. 2006 [33]			20536
Fianko et al. 2007 [61]	Rivers supplying water to Iture Estuary
	Sorowie					4	180			6.45
	Kakum					3.2	200.1			2.65
Boamponsem et al. 2010 [29]	Kakum	1			145
Adokoh et al.  2011 [70]	Benya Lagoon	0.106	0.003		1.706	0.051
	Fosu lagoon		0.002		1.477	0.036
	Narkwa Lagoon	0.068	0.002		1.112	0.0425
Bentum et al.; 2011 [86]	Fosu Lagoon			1150	2230		20.9		26.4
Tay et al. 2010 [80]	Greater Accra			1.65 (0.20)	0.942 (0.06)	0.006 (0.001)	0.113 (0.010)		0.268 (0.06)	0.02 (0.0)