Incessant Risk Alarms Associated with Farming and Consuming Crops Cultivated in Host Communities of Gold Mining Operations in Ghana: Truth, Exaggeration, Ignorance or Mischief

Abstract

Heavy metals and metalloids, some of which are extremely beneficial for the survival of humans, flora and fauna can have devastating effects on same and the environment. Bioaccumulation and bio-magnification two methods via which metals and metalloids are assimilated into food chains as well as dermal and ingestion exposure to heavy metals and metalloids are believed by many residents in the Obuasi Municipality as leading public health threats to peasant farmers, their spouses and children. Risk assessment for three scenarios viz children, adult males and adult females were investigated using Average Daily Intake, Hazard Quotient and Hazard Index for ingestion and dermal exposure to metals and metalloids in soils at reclaimed sites backfilled with waste materials. Risk attributed to consuming staples namely Zea mays, Manihot esculenta and Musa paradisiaca cultivated at treatment (reclaimed) sites backfilled with waste materials and their corresponding control sites in the Obuasi Municipality were also ascertained using single/comprehensive contamination indices approaches and the soil-to-crop bio-concentration factor. Non-carcinogenic risk was absent from all three scenarios, adult male and female dermal absorption and children dermal absorption for arsenic with reference to agricultural use of the soil. Slight carcinogenic risks was observed for children at two treatment sites Nhyiaeso (1.28 × 10-4) and Sansu (1.08 × 10-4). Soil to cassava, soil to corn and soil to plantain transfer and bioaccumulation of studied metals in crops was low for all studied sites.