Rapid assessment of mercury-contaminated sites through the Toxic Site Identification Program (TSIP). Colombia

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17533/udea.redin.20221097

Keywords:

mining, mercury, gold, contaminated sites, tailings

Abstract

Mercury concentration measurements were compiled from 72 sites located throughout seven departments of Colombia using field information gathered from 2016–2021 by Pure Earth, an international non-profit organization, and secondary information from previously conducted studies. These measurements and other data such as type of contaminated resource (water, soil), resource use (fishing, agricultural, residential, and industrial), estimated at-risk population, and permissible contamination limits were entered into Pure Earth’s Toxic Site Identification Program (TSIP) database. Using information from the TSIP database, the Blacksmith Index, a contaminated site intervention prioritization index, was calculated for all 72 sites. After applying exclusion criteria to the sites for this study, the results show that approximately 55,095 people are affected by mercury contamination in 44 sites. Of these study sites, the site with the highest Blacksmith Index value and therefore, the highest health risk due to mercury contamination, is La Bocana in the department of Valle del Cauca.

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Author Biographies

Angie Tatiana Ortega-Ramírez, Pure Earth

Bachelor degree in Chemical Engineering and Petroleum Engineering; and Postgraduate Degree in Project Management Specialist, Master Environmental Management for competitiveness and PhD (C) Sustainability

Alfonso Rodríguez, Pure Earth

Bachelor degree in Chemical Engineer. Postgraduate Degree in Industrial hygiene Specialist and Master in Soil and Environmental Pollution

Diego Fernando Marín-Maldonado, Pure Earth

Bachelor degree in Chemical Engineering and Petroleum Engineering; and Postgraduate Degree in Environmental Management

Lina Hernández, Pure Earth

MPH in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences

Charles Espinosa, Pure Earth

M.A. Latin American and Caribbean Studies

Gordon Binkhorst, Pure Earth

Ph.D. Geology

John S. Keith, Pure Earth

MS Environmental Engineering, NJ Institute of Technology

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Published

2022-10-12

How to Cite

Ortega-Ramírez, A. T., Rodríguez, A., Marín-Maldonado, D. F., Hernández, L., Espinosa, C., Binkhorst, G., & Keith, J. S. (2022). Rapid assessment of mercury-contaminated sites through the Toxic Site Identification Program (TSIP). Colombia. Revista Facultad De Ingeniería Universidad De Antioquia. https://doi.org/10.17533/udea.redin.20221097

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