Articles | Volume 22, issue 21
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-6695-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-6695-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Reviews and syntheses
| Highlight paper
| 
12 Nov 2025
Reviews and syntheses | Highlight paper |
| 12 Nov 2025
| 12 Nov 2025
Reviews and syntheses: Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM)-derived mercury contamination in agricultural systems: what we know and need to know
David S. McLagan
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Dept. of Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering, Queens University, 36 Union St, Kingston ON, K7L3N6, Canada
School of Environmental Studies, Queen's University, 116 Barrie St, Kingston, ON, K7L3N6, Canada
Excellent O. Eboigbe
Dept. of Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering, Queens University, 36 Union St, Kingston ON, K7L3N6, Canada
Rachel J. Strickman
Strickman Technical Services, 1015 West Blaine St, Seattle, WA, 98119, USA
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Air, soil, and three common staple crops were assessed at an artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) processing site, and mercury (Hg) contamination was observed at a farm ≈ 500 m from the processing site. Of the crop tissues examined, foliage had the highest concentrations. Mercury stable isotopes indicate uptake of mercury from the air to the foliage as the dominant uptake pathway. Using typical dietary data for Nigerians, Hg intake from these crops was below reference dose levels and generally safe for consumption.
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Air, soil, and three common staple crops were assessed at an artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) processing site, and mercury (Hg) contamination was observed at a farm ≈ 500 m from the processing site. Of the crop tissues examined, foliage had the highest concentrations. Mercury stable isotopes indicate uptake of mercury from the air to the foliage as the dominant uptake pathway. Using typical dietary data for Nigerians, Hg intake from these crops was below reference dose levels and generally safe for consumption.
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This paper introduces the Multi-Compartment Mercury (Hg) Modeling and Analysis Project (MCHgMAP) aimed at informing the effectiveness evaluations of two multilateral environmental agreements: the Minamata Convention on Mercury and the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution. The experimental design exploits a variety of models (atmospheric, land, oceanic ,and multimedia mass balance models) to assess the short- and long-term influences of anthropogenic Hg releases into the environment.
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Sorption of mercury in soils, aquifer materials, and sediments is primarily linked to organic matter. Using column experiments, mercury concentration, speciation, and stable isotope analyses, we show that large quantities of mercury in soil water and groundwater can be sorbed to inorganic minerals; sorption to the solid phase favours lighter isotopes. Data provide important insights on the transport and fate of mercury in soil–groundwater systems and particularly in low-organic-matter systems.
David S. McLagan, Harald Biester, Tomas Navrátil, Stephan M. Kraemer, and Lorenz Schwab
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Short summary
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Spruce and larch trees are effective archiving species for historical atmospheric mercury using growth rings of bole wood. Mercury stable isotope analysis proved an effective tool to characterise industrial mercury signals and assess mercury uptake pathways (leaf uptake for both wood and bark) and mercury cycling within the trees. These data detail important information for understanding the mercury biogeochemical cycle particularly in forest systems.
David S. McLagan, Geoff W. Stupple, Andrea Darlington, Katherine Hayden, and Alexandra Steffen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 5635–5653, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-5635-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-5635-2021, 2021
Short summary
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An assessment of mercury emissions from a burning boreal forest was made by flying an aircraft through its plume to collect in situ gas and particulate measurements. Direct data show that in-plume gaseous elemental mercury concentrations reach up to 2.4× background for this fire and up to 5.6× when using a correlation with CO data. These unique data are applied to a series of known empirical emissions estimates and used to highlight current uncertainties in the literature.
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Co-editor-in-chief
Mercury emissions from artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) are one of the main sources of mercury (Hg) release into the environment, yet they are by far the least understood. This, together with the fact that ASGM emissions (besides their global implications) also directly/locally affect the poorest communities makes this a critical research topic. The authors demonstrate that bioaccumulation pathways in globally important crops are often overlooked, with implications for interventions, international collaborations, and emerging technologies.
Mercury emissions from artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) are one of the main sources...
Short summary
Artisanal & Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) is rapidly expanding and mercury-use in the sector impacts agricultural systems near these spatially distributed activities. Mercury from ASGM is taken up by crops from both (1) air and (2) soil/water. Mercury in crops can also be passed to humans directly (eating crops) or via livestock/poultry after eating crops. Research in this area requires interdisciplinary, collaborative, and adaptable approaches to improve our comprehension of these impacts.
Artisanal & Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) is rapidly expanding and mercury-use in the sector...
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