@article{fdi:010064153,
  title = {{H}uman exposure to mercury in artisanal small-scale gold mining areas of {K}edougou region, {S}enegal, as a function of occupational activity and fish consumption},
  author = {{N}iane, {B}. and {G}u{\'e}dron, {S}t{\'e}phane and {M}oritz, {R}. and {C}osio, {C}. and {N}gom, {P}. {M}. and {D}everajan, {N}. and {P}feifer, {H}. {R}. and {P}ote, {J}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{W}e investigated mercury ({H}g) exposure of food web and humans in the region of {K}edougou, {S}enegal, where {H}g is used for gold amalgamation in artisanal small-scale gold mining ({ASGM}). {F}or this purpose, total mercury ({TH}g) concentration was determined in eight fish species and two shellfish species from {G}ambia {R}iver and in human hair from 111 volunteers of different age and sex, living in urban locations ({K}edougou and {S}amekouta) or in {ASGM} areas ({T}inkoto and {B}antako). {TH}g concentrations in fish samples range from 0.03 to 0.51 mg kg(-1) wet weight (ww) and 0.5 to 1.05 mg kg(-1) ww for shellfish. {TH}g concentrations in fish are below the {WHO} guideline of 0.5 mg kg(-1) ww, whereas 100 % of shellfish are above this safety guideline. {I}n the entire set of fish and shellfish samples, we documented a decrease of {TH}g concentrations with increasing selenium to mercury ({S}e:{H}g) ratio suggesting a protection of {S}e against {H}g. {H}owever, local population consuming fish from the {G}ambia {R}iver in the two {ASGM} areas have higher {TH}g concentrations (median = 1.45 and 1.5 mg kg(-1) at {B}antako and {T}inkoto) in hair than those from others localities (median = 0.42 and 0.32 mg kg(-1) at {K}edougou town and {S}amekouta) who have diverse diets. {A}t {ASGM} sites, about 30 % of the local population present {H}g concentrations in hair exceeding 1 mg kg(-1), defined as the reference concentration of {H}g in hair. {W}e also evidence a higher exposure of women to {H}g in the {T}inkoto {ASGM} site due to the traditional distribution of daily tasks where women are more involved in the burning of amalgams. {T}he discrepancy between the calculated moderate exposure through fish consumption and the high {H}g concentrations measured in hair suggest that fish consumption is not the only source of {H}g exposure and that further studies should focus on direct exposure to elemental {H}g of population living at {ASGM} sites.},
  keywords = {{A}rtisanal gold mining ; {M}ercury ; {M}ethylmercury ; {S}elenium ; {F}ish ; {H}uman health risk ; {SENEGAL} ; {GAMBIE} {COURS} {D}'{EAU}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{E}nvironmental {S}cience and {P}ollution {R}esearch},
  volume = {22},
  numero = {9},
  pages = {7101--7111},
  ISSN = {0944-1344},
  year = {2015},
  DOI = {10.1007/s11356-014-3913-5},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010064153},
}