Distinguished University Professor of chemistry at Mercer
University will be presenting a talk this coming Monday, March 5, at 4
PM in SH 215
Mercury and its related compounds are potent toxins,
and Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) is the largest source
of anthropogenic mercury emissions on the planet. Millions of people in
developing nations around the world use mercury to amalgamate gold in
extracted ore. The amalgam is then heated to evaporate the mercury and
reveal the sponge gold, which can then be sold to gold shops in urban
areas. Miners rarely use personal protective equipment or mercury
capture devices, releasing large quantities of mercury vapor into the
environment. This problem is compounded when gold shops reheat the
amalgam, releasing mercury into residential areas in the surrounding
city. To combat this problem, the Kiefer laboratory has developed a
rapid mapping system employing portable Atomic Absorption Spectrometers
linked with Global Positioning Systems to map mercury concentrations in
urban areas. These maps identify neighborhoods with high concentrations
of mercury in the air related to ASGM activities, and are utilized to
provide miners, gold shop owners, and the community with education on
chemical hygiene and responsible mercury use. In addition, this work has
led to the development of new mercury capture systems that have been
designed and tested in ASGM communities. This talk will highlight
ongoing programs monitoring gold shops in Peru and Ecuador.
