Work

Environmental Cyanide Pollution from Artisanal Gold Mining in Burkina Faso: Human Exposure Risk Analysis Based on a Conceptual Site Model

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in Burkina Faso increasingly relies on cyanide, intensifying concerns about environmental contamination and human exposure. This study assessed free cyanide levels in water and soil across three ASGM sites—Zougnazagmiline, Guido, and Galgouli. Water samples (surface and groundwater) and topsoil (0–20 cm) were analyzed using the pyridine–pyrazolone method. Data were statistically and spatially processed using SPSS version 29.0 and the Google Earth Engine in conjunction with QGIS version 3.34, respectively. A site conceptual model (SCM) was also developed, based on the literature review, field observations, and validation by multidisciplinary experts in public health, toxicology, ecotoxicology, environmental engineering, and the mining sector, through a semi-structured survey. The results showed that 9.26% of the water samples exceeded the WHO guideline (0.07 mg/L), with peaks of 1.084 mg/L in Guido and 2.42 mg/L in Galgouli. At Zougnazagmiline, the water type differences were significant (F = 64.13; p < 0.001), unlike the other sites. In the soil, 29.36% of the samples exceeded 0.5 mg/kg, with concentrations reaching 9.79 mg/kg in Galgouli. A spatial analysis revealed pollution concentrated near the mining areas but spreading to residential and agricultural zones. The validated SCM integrates pollution sources, transport mechanisms, exposure routes, and vulnerable populations, offering a structured tool for environmental monitoring and health risk assessment in cyanide-impacted mining regions.

Source: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

DOI: 10.3390/ijerph22071125

Authors: Edmond N’Bagassi Kohio, Seyram Kossi Sossou, Hela Karoui, Hamma Yacouba

Institution: International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering

Language: English

Topic: Cassava research and cyanide

Subfield: Plant Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDGs: Clean water and sanitation, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,016