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Impact of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining on Water Bodies and Treatment: the Case of Birim River Basin in Ghana

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Impact of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining on Water Bodies and Treatment: the Case of Birim River Basin in Ghana Western University Scholarship@Western Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository 2-11-2021 2:00 PM Impact of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining on Water bodies and Treatment: The Case of Birim River Basin in Ghana Adwoa Boadua Yirenkyi Fianko, The University of Western Ontario Supervisor: Yanful, Ernest K., The University of Western Ontario A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering © Adwoa Boadua Yirenkyi Fianko 2021 Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd Part of the Environmental Engineering Commons Recommended Citation Yirenkyi Fianko, Adwoa Boadua, "Impact of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining on Water bodies and Treatment: The Case of Birim River Basin in Ghana" (2021). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 7639. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/7639 This Dissertation/Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Scholarship@Western. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository by an authorized administrator of Scholarship@Western. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Abstract Water bodies, the source of drinking water for many rural households in mining areas are at risk of contamination due to artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) activities. Water quality therefore remains a topical issue for policymakers and researchers. This research sought to achieve three objectives: firstly, to evaluate the effectiveness of existing policies and regulations about ASM in protecting waterbodies. Secondly, to determine the impact of ASM on waterbodies, health and livelihood of inhabitants in mining communities and thirdly, to remove heavy metals from water using locally available bio-adsorbents such as moringa seeds, coconut and corn husks. A survey of 400 respondents and 30 interviews were conducted in three mining communities who depend on water from the River Birim Basin, in Ghana, to assess the impact of ASM activities on water bodies, health and livelihood of inhabitants of the affected communities. One hundred water samples were collected from the Birim River, tributaries, groundwater and mine ponds in the wet (June-September) and dry seasons (December to March), to determine the water quality and the concentrations of heavy metals such as Arsenic, Lead, Iron, Mercury, Cadmium and Manganese. Water containing heavy metals were treated using bio-adsorbents in the laboratory. An evaluation of existing policies related to ASM in Ghana was also carried out. The findings indicated that lack of awareness and ineffective implementation and enforcement of the policies, in addition to limited knowledge of the impact of ASM activities on water bodies contributed to the pollution of water bodies. Heavy metal concentrations exceeded the WHO limit for drinking water in most of the samples especially in the dry season. Water from the Birim Basin was found to be contaminated and not safe for drinking and other domestic purposes and therefore treatment of the water is necessary. The bio-adsorbents developed in the present research successfully removed some arsenic, iron and lead from the water. These bio-adsorbents can therefore be used by communities dependent on the Birim Basin to reduce heavy metal related health risks. Research findings are expected to provide relevant information for policymakers, environmental experts and other stakeholders in enhancing water quality. ii Keywords Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM), water bodies, water pollution, heavy metals, water treatment, biosorption iii Summary for Lay Audience Rivers and wells which are the main drinking water sources for many rural households in mining communities are at risk of contamination due to artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) activities. ASM is characterized by basic techniques of mineral extraction with negative human and environmental impact, especially on water bodies. However, ASM provides employment and improved standard of living for inhabitants of the mining communities. This research sought to, first of all, determine the effectiveness of existing policies and regulations related to ASM in protecting water bodies. Secondly, to determine the impact of ASM on water bodies in the Birim Basin, health and livelihood of inhabitants in mining communities along the Birim River. Finally, to remove heavy metals which are generally toxic, especially at high concentrations, from water using cost-effective adsorbents within the mining communities such as moringa seeds, coconut and corn husks. A survey of 400 respondents and 30 interviews were conducted in three mining communities who depend on water from the River Birim Basin, in Ghana, to determine the impact of ASM activities on water bodies, health and livelihood of inhabitants of the affected communities. One hundred water samples were collected from the Birim River, its tributaries, groundwater and mine ponds in the rainy (June-September) and dry seasons (December to March), to determine the quality of water and the concentrations of heavy metals such as Arsenic, Lead, Iron, Mercury, Cadmium and Manganese. Water containing heavy metals were treated using moringa seeds, coconut and corn husks in the laboratory. Policies related to ASM were also evaluated. The findings from the research showed that limited knowledge on the impact of ASM activities on water bodies, lack of awareness and ineffective implementation and enforcement of the policies, contributed to the pollution of water bodies. Heavy metal concentrations in most of the samples exceeded the WHO limit for drinking water, especially Iron, Arsenic and Lead. Water from the Birim Basin was found to be polluted and not safe for drinking and therefore treatment of the water was necessary. Moringa seeds, coconut and corn husks, were successful in removing the heavy metals from the water. These adsorbents can therefore be used by communities who depend on the Birim Basin to treat their water before drinking to reduce heavy metal related health risks. iv Acknowledgements ‘What shall I render to my God for all His mercy’s store? I’ll take the gifts He has bestowed, and humbly ask for more’ (MHB 399, Stanza One). To my Wonderful Counsellor and Father, who has brought me this far. What can I ever do without you? To you be all Glory and Honour. I would like to express my utmost gratitude and appreciation to my Supervisor, Dr Ernest Kwesi Yanful (Prof) for his guidance, patience and support. Thank you for making this dream come true. God richly bless you! Dr. Martha Dagnew, thank you for being a co-supervisor. I am very grateful. To all the lecturers who taught me, I am grateful for the knowledge you have imparted, especially Dr Isaac Luginaah for his constructive suggestions for this dissertation. A big thank you to the staff in the faculty especially, Caitlin, Kristen, Melody and Sandra. I am so grateful. To my darling husband Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko who has been by my side through all the good and difficult times. I love you dear and I appreciate your love and support. You have been awesome! To my two sweet princesses, Keilah and Hephzie, thank you for taking this journey with me. You are my inspiration. I would like to thank my parents Mr & Mrs Agyakwa Baah and Mr and Mrs Fianko for their continual love and support. Rev. Dr Frank Fugar and Dr Nicholas Chileshe… thank you for being a part of this journey. I appreciate the support from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration throughout my studies, in particular, I am grateful to Prof. Franklyn Manu, Prof. Samuel Bonsu and Mrs Kunbuor for their support. God richly bless you. Dr Duah of CSIR, and the local communities in Ghana, thank you for the assistance with the fieldwork. God richly bless you. Last but not the least, to my siblings, friends and all those who gave wonderful ideas and support and contributed to the success of this dissertation, I say ‘Ayekoo’ We did it!!!!! v Table of Contents Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... ii Summary for Lay Audience .......................................................................................................... iv List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ x List of Tables ............................................................................................................................... xiv List of Abbreviations ..................................................................................................................... xv CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................................ 1 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Background ................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Problem Statement ..................................................................................................................... 4 1.3 Aim and Objectives .................................................................................................................... 5 1.3.1 Aim ........................................................................................................................................................
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