Environmental Health Risk Assessment of Artisanal Gold Mining Communities in Zamfara State, North West Nigeria

Artisanal gold mining in Zamfara State has been associated with widespread lead poisoning and environmental contamination, constituting a major public health emergency. This descriptive study conducted an environmental health risk assessment in three artisanal mining communities in Zamfara State, North West Nigeria. Water, soil, and air samples were collected from mining sites and surrounding residential areas and analyzed for lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium concentrations using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. A health survey was administered to 300 community members, with particular attention to children under five years. Blood lead levels were obtained from 120 children through venous blood sampling at a partnering health facility. Soil lead concentrations in active mining areas reached 3,800 mg/kg, vastly exceeding the permissible limit of 400 mg/kg. Sixty-eight percent of sampled children had blood lead levels above the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reference value of 3.5 micrograms per decilitre. Neurological symptoms including developmental delays were documented in forty-one percent of affected children. Women engaged in ore processing exhibited the highest exposure levels among adults. The study concludes that artisanal mining activities in Zamfara communities pose severe and immediate health risks requiring urgent remediation. Recommendations include community relocation from high-contamination zones, enhanced medical screening, and enforcement of mining safety regulations. Keywords: artisanal mining, lead poisoning, Zamfara, heavy metals, children health.