# Pollution and health risk assessment of drinking water sources within artisanal and small-scale gold mining areas: a case of Asankrangwa District in Ghana

## TL;DR

This study assesses drinking water pollution and health risks from gold mining in Ghana, finding high heavy metal levels and significant cancer risks.

## Contribution

The study provides a localized health risk assessment of artisanal gold mining impacts on water quality in the Asankrangwa District.

## Key findings

- 40% of water sources are unsuitable for consumption due to physicochemical parameters.
- 75% of water sources have mercury levels exceeding the WHO limit by up to 361 times.
- 90% of water sources pose a significant carcinogenic risk with cancer risk values exceeding 1.0 × 10−4.

## Abstract

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is common in many developing countries; while it contributes to their socio-economic development, it also causes environmental pollution. This study examined the impact of ASGM activities on the quality of drinking water sources in the Asankrangwa District in Ghana, in terms of water quality index, heavy metal pollution index models, and human health risks. The results of physicochemical parameters indicate that 40.0% of all water sources are unsuitable for consumption. Heavy metal pollution indices indicated that 45.0% of the water sources were extremely polluted, and 25.0% were moderately polluted. For instance, cadmium (Cd) concentrations across all water sources reached levels up to 23 times the WHO limit (3.0 × 10–3 mg/L). Additionally, mercury (Hg) concentrations in 75.0% of the water sources (2.0 × 10–3–7.2 × 10–1 mg/L) exceed the maximum contaminant limit (2.0 × 10–3 mg/L) by approximately 361 times. Streams, in particular, exhibit higher Hg levels than groundwaters. Analysis revealed that 90% of the water sources pose a significant carcinogenic health risk upon consumption, with lifetime cancer risk values exceeding 1.0 × 10−4. The findings revealed that the pollution level is reduced and water quality improved 5 km from the ASGM sites; however, the water sources require treatment to render them suitable for consumption.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11356-026-37463-y.