Mercury in fish: A critical examination of gold mining and human contamination in Ghana

Abstract

This study examines the knowledge of miners, fishermen, fish sellers, and fish buyers regarding the linkages between elemental mercury, methylmercury, fish consumption, and health risks in and around mining areas in Ghana. While findings suggest that a clear grasp of the impacts of mercury on human health is lacking, few potentially polluted fish are consumed in the mining areas. Most customers prefer ocean fish from the Gulf of Guinea and freshwater fish from Lake Volta, neither of which is known for small-scale gold mining. Alarmist messages about contaminated fish from Ghanaian mining sites need to be treated with caution. Copyright © 2010 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.