Trace Elements Assessments using Pollution Load Index and Spatial Maps Towards the Development of Environmental Policies Against the Impacts of the Natural Environment on Primary Health, Nadowli District-NW Ghana

Abstract

Distributions and concentrations of trace elements at the surface environments are controlled by the natural environment and landuse. To identify the hazardous trace element areas in the study areas pollution load index (PLI) and spatial maps were used in the trace elements distributions and concentrations. Both the PLI and spatial maps used as assessment techniques both employ the contamination factors (CF) of the analysed trace elements at a sample station differently in establishing the degrees of pollution and contaminations. Twenty nine stations were sampled for trace elements contents. The PLI evaluation technique identified extreme arsenic (As) pollution of 5.39E+20 at the artisan mine and 5.62 fold-As pollution at the farmland areas. The spatial maps developed from the CF values recognized As, Co, Cr, Pb and Se to be contaminated at both artisan mine and farmland areas.  Mercury (Hg) contaminations were found at some sampling stations at the artisan mine areas whilst Mo contaminations were recognized at some localities at the farmland areas. The source of Hg contaminations may be the use of Hg as a regent in extracting gold from the mine ore and Mo enrichment may be an attribute of fertilizers use to boost crop yields (particularly the use of ammonium molybdate fertilizer for crop growth). The combined assessment technique was effective in determining the overall polluted environments and also portrayed geographical contaminated areas for an environmental concern against public health.

Keywords: Artisan, farmland, trace elements, contamination, pollution