Emerging Problems With Mercury In Cambodia
The mercury used by artisanal miners to extract gold contaminates thousands of miners. The extent of the toxic zone from gold mines is not clear due to the compounding effect of deforestation that is likely a larger source of mercury than the gold mines. Downstream from the gold mines, the levels of mercury in human hair in the Srepok River Basin are three to five times higher than that recommended by USEPA (1 μg g–1) and the level found associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in the United States. In the same area, mercury in hair is at similar levels as has been correlated with suppressed male fertility in Hong Kong. Fishes in the Srepok River already show levels of
mercury that exceed USEPA human consumption guidelines by 4–11 times.
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- Frying Pan Retort
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- Mercury Removed From Gold