The Ministry of Health and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Guianas yesterday inked a $12 million agreement to facilitate a greater understanding of the health implications of exposure to mercury among vulnerable members in the mining community.

The project, which is funded by Fonds Français pour l’Environnement Mondial (FFEM), Discre-tionary Grant Information System (DGIS) and WWF-NL, falls under the Gold-mining Pollution Abatement component of the Guianas Sustainable Natural Re-source Management Project 2007-2011 and is scheduled to be implemented over a period of 10 months,.

While Regional Director of the WWF Guianas Dominiek Plouvier signed on behalf of the organization, Minister of Health Leslie Ramsammy represented the ministry at the signing that took place at the Herdmanston Lodge.

According to a press release from WWF Guianas the project has four-fold objectives with the first being the assessment of the level and effects of mercury amongst small to medium-scale gold miners, gold traders, gold jewellers and the population of mining communities. It is also expected to build awareness amongst medical practitioners on the implications of mercury use on human health, and to recognize signs and symptoms, and appropriate treatment procedures. Capacity-building in the health sector to assess the levels of mercury in humans and the environment is also envisaged.

And finally, awareness is expected to be established among small to medium-scale gold miners, community members and other important groups on the potential negative impacts of mercury use on human health, and precautionary measures to minimize these impacts.

In addition, the project will also donate a cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometer to assess the level of mercury in persons. This piece of equipment will be donated to the National Reference Laboratory and medical technologists at this institution will be trained in its use.

The press release stated that over the past 15 years mercury pollution assessments were done in gold mining areas and in non-gold mining areas for control. Two such studies were supported by WWF Guianas in the Upper Mazaruni and North-West District.

The studies, the release said concluded that mercury was present in the bio-physical environment in a number of mining areas.

The current study is a follow-up to the earlier studies and is designed to focus on an epidemiological research that involves the physical and mental conditions of individuals and possible influences on external factors that may or may not contribute to the aggravation of their health.
Meanwhile, the release said, the use of mercury in Guyana occurs predominantly in the mining industry and results in direct human exposure and a build up in the environment and subsequent transfer to humans through the consumption of fish. In 2000, Upper Mazaruni study conducted by Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST) in collaboration with WWF Guianas it was observed that there was strong positive correlation between the occurrence of mercury in the environment and high concentrations of mercury among gold miners and some neighbouring communities.

Generally, in the aquatic ecosystem mercury is known to collect and concentrate within the food chain, particularly in carnivorous fish.

Consumption of such fish, especially by pregnant women and young children, results in unsafe accumulation and toxic blood level putting health at risk.

The release said that the significance of this study should be seen in the context of the potential harmful effects of mercury contamination on the physical and human environment.

It said among the mining community, for instance, the burning of gold with the open flame and without the use of protective gears contributes to harmful exposure from mercury vapour if inhaled. Similarly, health hazard exists if mercury is absorbed through the skin due to direct exposure to the liquid or its vapor.

Mercury vapours cause immediate and potentially life threatening lung damage at high doses and harmful effects to the kidneys, nervous, digestive, and respiratory and immune systems at lower doses.

Further, the most devastating effect of mercury is the toxicity produced by methyl mercury which can manifest itself at low levels.

Mercury accumulates in waterways where it is transformed into methyl mercury which usually accumulates in fish tissue.

This form causes the most serious health and environmental harm since it is widely present in ocean and lakes and builds up in predator fish at the top of the aquatic food chain and in crustaceans.