Examining the level of heavy metals in sediments impacted by the disposal of marine wastes in artisanal gold mining

Heavy metals represent substantial environmental and health problems, because of their persistence and toxicity, affecting air, water, soil via industrial operations, mining, and ineffective disposal of waste. Artisanal gold mining (GM) causes marine waste pollution by disposal of marine wastes and improper sediment management procedures, endangering marine ecosystems. The purpose of this study is to determine the concentration of toxic substances in sediments that are affected by the dumping of marine wastes in small-scale GM. The uncontrolled disposals of wastewater and toxins from small-scale GM utilizing mercury (Hg) combination, as well as the submarine disposal of commercial GM waste, have an impact on the quantities of trace elements in shallow marine sediment. We demonstrate that there was 1870-1900 ppm of Hg, 1400-1800 ppm of antimony (Sb), and 1500-1850ppm of Arsenic (As) in the sediments from commercial GM. Tailings-affected sediments Sb and contents were much higher than in stained sediments uncontaminated by tailings, higher than the pre-mining standard. The rock particles affected by small-scale mining through the Hg combination had the highest concentrations of Hg. Mercury emissions from small-scale GM can travel up to 5 kilometres beyond river mouths. The little increase in non-Hg tracer constituent levels in artisanal mining affected areas over pre-industrial mining levels was probably brought by increasing amounts of degradation.