Comparative studies of some heavy metals in the urine of people engaged in mining and non miners

Abstract

This study is an attempt to do comparative analysis on urinary lead, arsenic, nickel and cadmium levels on mine and non miners within the Golden Star Bogoso / Prestea Mines Samples were taken from the Assay Laboratory and Environmental Laboratory Workers of the Golden Star Bogoso/Prestea Mines Company and also Non-miners (students) from the University of Cape Coast as a control. The samples were digested with HNO3, HCl and H2O2 and the metals analyzed using the Atomic Absorption Spectra (AAS), Varian 220 model. Lead (Pb) and Nickel (Ni) levels were higher than the permissible level, but that of the arsenic was found to be lower than the permissible level. Cadmium was not detected in any of the urine samples of the mine workers. The students (non-miners) however recorded low levels of all the metals except cadmium which was found to be higher than the permissible levels. The levels of the metals Pb, As and Ni, (except Cd) were found to be higher in the mine workers than those in the non-mine workers