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Atmospheric Hg monitoring using passive samplers and moss bags within gold mined areas of Guyana.

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Title: Atmospheric Hg monitoring using passive samplers and moss bags within gold mined areas of Guyana.
Authors: Osborne, Chetwynd1,2 (AUTHOR) chetwyndosborne@alumni.trentu.ca, Dang, D. Huy3,4 (AUTHOR) huydang@trentu.ca, Mc Pherson, Soyini5 (AUTHOR) mcphersonsoyini@gmail.com, Watmough, Shaun. A.3 (AUTHOR) swatmough@trentu.ca
Source: Environmental Monitoring & Assessment. Jun2026, Vol. 198 Issue 6, p1-14. 14p.
Subject Terms: *Atmospheric mercury, *Passive sampling devices (Environmental sampling), *Environmental health, *Gold mining
Geographic Terms: Guyana
Abstract: Surges in gold prices coupled with socio-economic factors have increased small- and medium-scale gold mining in Guyana, which drives the emission of large quantities of mercury (Hg) into the atmosphere. Given the distribution of Hg through the atmosphere, reliable and affordable measurement of concentrations in the air is vital. Moss bags and Hg passive air samplers (MerPAS) were deployed to measure atmospheric Hg around a gold mine in Mahdia, Guyana over a 90-day period as well as a separate 2-day period that encompassed a periodic burn of Hg-gold amalgam (typically 2-h). Mercury in moss and MerPAS were positively correlated over both deployment periods, but Hg concentrations measured during the 2-day event were several-fold higher in both moss and MerPAS compared with the 90-day deployment. Using the 2-day deployment as an estimate of atmospheric Hg, Hg air concentrations around the burning station exceeded 100,000 ng m−3 averaged over a 48-h period, and moss Hg concentrations were greater than 250,000 ng g−1 around the burning station, although Hg concentrations in both media decreased rapidly with distance. There was no relationship between Hg in moss and soil Hg at the sampling sites; Hg in soil was instead positively associated with soil organic matter content. Overall, our study shows that Hg concentrations in air at artisanal gold mines in Guyana can exceed international health guidelines of 100,000 ng m−3 averaged over a 48-h period and that moss provides reliable estimates of relative Hg concentrations in air over both short-term and long-term exposures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Database: Energy & Power Source
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  Availability: 0
Header DbId: enr
DbLabel: Energy & Power Source
An: 194723312
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
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Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Atmospheric Hg monitoring using passive samplers and moss bags within gold mined areas of Guyana.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Osborne%2C+Chetwynd%22">Osborne, Chetwynd</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> chetwyndosborne@alumni.trentu.ca</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dang%2C+D%2E+Huy%22">Dang, D. Huy</searchLink><relatesTo>3,4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> huydang@trentu.ca</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mc+Pherson%2C+Soyini%22">Mc Pherson, Soyini</searchLink><relatesTo>5</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> mcphersonsoyini@gmail.com</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Watmough%2C+Shaun%2E+A%2E%22">Watmough, Shaun. A.</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> swatmough@trentu.ca</i>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Environmental+Monitoring+%26+Assessment%22">Environmental Monitoring & Assessment</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 198 Issue 6, p1-14. 14p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subject Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Atmospheric+mercury%22">Atmospheric mercury</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Passive+sampling+devices+%28Environmental+sampling%29%22">Passive sampling devices (Environmental sampling)</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Environmental+health%22">Environmental health</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gold+mining%22">Gold mining</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectGeographic
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Guyana%22">Guyana</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Surges in gold prices coupled with socio-economic factors have increased small- and medium-scale gold mining in Guyana, which drives the emission of large quantities of mercury (Hg) into the atmosphere. Given the distribution of Hg through the atmosphere, reliable and affordable measurement of concentrations in the air is vital. Moss bags and Hg passive air samplers (MerPAS) were deployed to measure atmospheric Hg around a gold mine in Mahdia, Guyana over a 90-day period as well as a separate 2-day period that encompassed a periodic burn of Hg-gold amalgam (typically 2-h). Mercury in moss and MerPAS were positively correlated over both deployment periods, but Hg concentrations measured during the 2-day event were several-fold higher in both moss and MerPAS compared with the 90-day deployment. Using the 2-day deployment as an estimate of atmospheric Hg, Hg air concentrations around the burning station exceeded 100,000 ng m−3 averaged over a 48-h period, and moss Hg concentrations were greater than 250,000 ng g−1 around the burning station, although Hg concentrations in both media decreased rapidly with distance. There was no relationship between Hg in moss and soil Hg at the sampling sites; Hg in soil was instead positively associated with soil organic matter content. Overall, our study shows that Hg concentrations in air at artisanal gold mines in Guyana can exceed international health guidelines of 100,000 ng m−3 averaged over a 48-h period and that moss provides reliable estimates of relative Hg concentrations in air over both short-term and long-term exposures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=enr&AN=194723312
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1007/s10661-026-15455-2
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 14
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Atmospheric mercury
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Passive sampling devices (Environmental sampling)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Environmental health
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Gold mining
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Guyana
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Atmospheric Hg monitoring using passive samplers and moss bags within gold mined areas of Guyana.
        Type: main
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            NameFull: Osborne, Chetwynd
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            NameFull: Dang, D. Huy
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            NameFull: Mc Pherson, Soyini
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            NameFull: Watmough, Shaun. A.
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          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 06
              Text: Jun2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 01676369
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              Value: 198
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              Value: 6
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            – TitleFull: Environmental Monitoring & Assessment
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