1

Mercury Pollution: A threat to Agusan Marsh

Elnor C. Roa
MSU-Naawan
 Mercury - occurs naturally in the environment and exists in a large
number of forms.
- a constituent element of the earth ( like lead or cadmium)

2
 3

Mercury

-“heavy metal” because it is

very dense. A cup of
mercury, for example,
weighs more than three
kilograms; that’s nearly
fourteen-times heavier
than a cup of water

3
Mercury Pollution
36

The Minamata tragedy

™ The hazards of methylmercury poisoning

received international attention in 1956 when
many of the residents of Minamata, Japan,
became seriously ill, or died, after eating the fish
and shellfish in Minamata Bay.

The Iraq Hg poisoning incident

-1971

-6,500 people were hospitalized and more

than 400 died after eating wheat grain
treated with a methylmercury fungicide

5
Status of Mercury Pollution
39

Mercury pollution in the Philippines

-is mainly due to the presence of small-scale mining.

‰ One of the biggest mining

operations in the Philippines is
located in Diwalwal, one of the
Barangays in the municipality of
Monkayo, in Compostela Valley.

¾ the most controversial small-

scale mining area in the
Philippines due to mercury
pollution.

¾ highly environmentally sensitive

because of its location.

6
Status of Mercury Pollution

ƒ The creeks around Diwalwal

flow into the Mamunga and
Naboc rivers that in turn drain
into the Agusan River, which is
about 24 kilometers away
from the mining site

ƒ Hence, the impact of mercury

pollution due to mining in
Diwalwal extends far
beyond the site.

ƒ The provinces of Agusan del

Sur and Agusan del Norte that
are crossed by the Agusan River
to Butuan Bay are also
affected.

7
Figure 1 . Map showing the Agusan Marsh area
 Status of Mercury Pollution

Table 2. Estimated annual mercury consumption in various gold rush

areas in Davao Region
Gold Rush Area Estimated Estimated Estimated Estimated Total
Number of Monthly Hg Monthly THg Annual Mercury
Establish- Consumption Consumption Consumption
ments In kilogram in kilogram
Diwalwal 318 1 to 1.5 477* 5,724*

Boringot 60 1 60 720

Biasong 50 1 50 600

Diat 199 1 199 2,388

Panganason 49 1 49 588

Gumayan 30 5.5 165 1,980

Estimated Total
Bango 37
Annual2 Mercury74Consumption
888

13,524 kg
Lumanggang, Maco 7 1 7 84

Lumanggang, 21 1 21 252
Pantukan
Inopuan-Saravan 25 1 25 300

GRAND TOTAL 796 13,524

Source of Basic Data: Mines and Geoscience Bureau, Region XI, Davao City cited by Ed. B.
Prantilla & C. Martinez in Heavy Metals Contamination in Davao Region
Note: Asterisk means the figure uses the 1.5 kilograms average monthly consumption.
9
 Status of Mercury Pollution
Table 3. Mercury levels (ppm) in fish samples from seven sampling stations,
Davao City, 1982
Station/ September October November
Sample Fish Hg in ppm Fish Hg in ppm Fish Hg in ppm

Tibungko 1 Tabangko 0.175 Matambaka 0.027 Matambaka 0.018

2 Matambaka 0.202 Barilis 0.270 Matambaka 0.026
3
Tamban 0.147 Matambaka 0.026 Bilung-bilung 0.015
Ilang 1 Samin-samin 0.186 Manalangsi 0.474 Matambaka 0.201
2
3
Moro-moro 0.149 Tulingan 0.504* Biling-bilung 0.142

Dangit 0.371 Barilis 0.941* Bilung-bilung 0.182

COACO 1 Dangit 0.079 Timbungan 0.0.28 Moro-moro 0.032
2 Dangit 0.038 Matambaka 0.028 Matambaka 0.098
3
Dangit 0.023 Tulingan 0.134 Tulingan 0.055
Bucana 1 Tangigue 0.622* Barilis 0.776* Timbungan 0.449
2 Maya-maya 0.497 Barilis 0.922* Matambaka 0.224
3
Barilis 0.560* Barilis 0.936* Bilung-bilung 0.309
Times 1 Moro-moro 0.249 Matambaka 0.048 Timbungan 0.414
2 Pirit 0.202 Tulingan 0.064 Moro-moro 0.403
3
Matambaka 0.121 Matambaka 0.080 Tulingan 0.771*
Godo 1 Tangigue 0.230 Barilis 0.342 Barilis 0.177
2 Barilis 0.702* Barilis 0.164 Tulingan 0.154
3
Barilis 0.819* Barilis 0.294 Barilis 0.228
Guinoo 1 Buga-ong 0.178 Barilis 0.650* Moro-moro 0.416
2 Diwit 0.144 Diwit 0.628* Barilis 0.500
3
Tangigue 0.132 Diwit 0.549* Barilis 0.502*
Source: Rosita Fundador, “Environmental Quality of Coastal Waters of Davao City with Special Reference to Pollution”, Ph.D.
Dissertation, University of the Philippines, August 1984 (Unpublished), Table 17 as cited by Prantilla & Martinez Heavy Metals
10
Contamination in Davao Region
 Status of Mercury Pollution
Table 4. Mercury levels (ppm) in shellfish samples from seven sampling
stations, Davao City, 1982
Station/ September October November
Sample Shellfish Hg,ppm Shellfish Hg, ppm Shellfish Hg, ppm
Tibungko 1 Trachycardium 0.158 Anadara cepoides 0.554* Lingula anatifera 0.074
egmontianum
Polinices sp. 0.122 - do - 3.378* Venus euglypta 0.095
2
3 Oliva sp 0.118 Gafrarium tumidium 1.931* Gafrarium tumidium 0.038
Ilang 1 Gafrarium tumidtum 0.162 Terebralia sp 0.766* Nerita sp 0.141

2 - do - 0.351 Turbo sp 0.760* Nerita sp 0.114

3

- do - 0.413 Nerita sp 0.664* Nerita sp 0.254

COACO 1 Cypreae arabica 0.063 Andara antiquata 0.060 Venus euglypta 0.103
2
- do - 0.028 - do - 0.107 Gafrarium tumidium 0.058
3
- do - 0.049 Gafrarium tumidium 0.026 Gafrarium tumidium 0.063
Bucana 1 Lingula anatifera 0.439 Tivela sp 0.084 Hydrobia sp 0.238
2
Tivela sp. 0.520* Tivela sp 0.085 Tellina sp 0.241
3
Tivela sp 0.504* Tivela sp 0.069 Tellina sp 0.142
Times 1 Venus mercenaria 0.066 Venus mercenaria 0.086 Venus mercenaria 0.046
Tivela sp 0.069 - do - 0.101 - do - 0.145
2
3 Venus mercenaria 0.081 - do - 0.120 - do - 0.150
Godo 1 Haliotis sp. 0.545* Haliotis sp. 0.291 Haliotis sp. 0.097
2
Haliotis sp. 0.535* Haliotis sp. 0.226 Haliotis sp. 0.175
3
Haliotis sp. 0.287 Haliotis sp. 0.257 Haliotis sp. 0.096
Guinoo 1 Nerita sp. 0.153 Terebralia sp 0.254 Tellina virgata 0.071
2 Tellina virgata 0.263 Terebralia sp 0.408 Tellina virgata 0.061
3 Anadontia sp. 0.250 Terebralia sp 0.272 Terebralia sp 0.016
Source: Rosita Fundador, “Environmental Quality of Coastal Waters of Davao City with Special Reference to Pollution”, Ph.D.
Dissertation, University of the Philippines, August 1984 (Unpublished), Table 17 as cited by Prantilla & Martinez Heavy Metals
11
Contamination in Davao Region
 Status of Mercury Pollution
Table 6. Mercury Levels in Human Population
Sample/Site Hg conc., ppb Remarks
Blooda 0.48-13.68 24/114 – exhibited Hg
(114 school children) blood levels more than
10 ppb
Blooda 2.25-26.23 6/70 – registered Hg
blood levels more than
20 ppb
urinea
(70- miners, field personnel & 0.79-99.23
3/70 – exhibited
residents in Diwalwal)
elevated Hg urine levels
<50 ppb
bloodb 3.51-299.99 60% of those who are
(75 directly involved in gold directly involved in gold
mining, 25 coming diff. mining & 12% of those
sectors) w/ no direct exposure -
Hg blood levels < 15
ppb
Source: a Dr. Nelia C. Maramba (Consultant, Occupational Toxicology Program, DOH and Head, UP NPCIS) and Dr. Cristina S.
Dablo (MOH, Officer in Charge, NCDCS DOH), “Executive Summary on The Health and Toxicological Assessment Activities
Undertaken in Diwalwal and Apokon (Tagum City), Davao del Norte”, 1996
b
based on the presentation of Dr. Annabelle Yumang of DOH XI on the findings of the study conducted by DOH XI to the
Economic Development Committee (EDC) of the Regional Development Council (RDC), Region XI as recorded by the EDC
Secretariat on the levels of mercury contamination in the blood and hair samples of the miners living in Mt. Diwata and the soil
13
sediments in Mt. Diwata and fish samples from Davao Region[1].
 Status of Mercury Pollution

Table 7 . Mean concentrations and ranges of Hg in rice grains sampled in

the vicinity of the communal irrigation area (metal values are μg/g dry
weight, unless otherwise stated)
Rice grain Mean Range

Polished + cooked 0.015 0.006-0.037

Polished + not 0.018 0.008-0.050

cooked
Unpolished 0.020 0.001-0.043

Dry weight 0.021 0.009-0.058

Wet weight 0.016 0.008-0.050

‰ Much lower Hg concentrations (0.05-0.99 mg/kg) within the range expected for
uncontaminated soils, characterize soils on which corn and bananas are cultivated,
largely because these are not irrigated with Hg-contaminated water from the
Naboc River.

14 Source:Appleton et al. 2006

Status of Mercury Pollution

-The estimated total weekly MeHg intake for a person living in the Naboc
area related to the weekly consumption:

2.1 kg of rice = 15 ug MeHg

1 kg of fish = 220 ug MeHg
100 g of mussels = 50 mug MeHg
total = 285 ug MeHg

equivalent to 4.75 ug/kg bw for a 60 kg adult

(nearly three times the PTWI of 1.6 ug/kg bw)

Venezuelan Miner burning amalgam to

separate gold from
15
mercury (Photo: UNIDO)
 Status of Mercury Pollution

Comparison of Hg levels in sediments collected from upstream & downstream of

Agusan Marsh
Sample Suspended Bottom Surface
sediments sediment sediment

Naboc 52-166 13 - 55
River ppm ppm

Agusan <0.04-2 0.1 ppm

River ppm
above
Naboc
River
Agusan
River near 0.04-1.15
Butuan ppm
Bay

Mamunga 5-84 2-51

River & ppm ppm
Tributaries
Appleton et al., 2006
Roa, 2001

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 Total Hg concentration range in selected plants collected in Agusan River
(January 2001).

E. Crassipes
(38.32- 236.16 ppm THg)

Cyperus alternifolius
(0.33 - 0.77 ppm THg)

Lumnitzera sp.
17 (0.16-0.22 ppm THg)
 Total Hg concentration range in selected fish species collected in Agusan River
(January 2001) & Butuan Bay.

Johnius vogleri (dulama)

(0.19 ppm THg) Gobius guirus
(0.24 ppm THg)

Tuway = 0.056 ppm THg

Source: Resource & Ecological Assessment of Butuan Bay

MSU-Naawan
Mercury content of selected fish and aquatic plants in Agusan River & Estuary
Roa, EC, MSU-Naawan
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 Status of Mercury Pollution

An Initial Geochemical Assessment of

The Agusan Marsh in Mindanao

ƒ Uncorrected draft report, not official

reference

ƒ A project supportred by VSO &

Ecocaritas Association
Surfa
ce S e
dime
nt Sa
Lapa mple
g Cr s ( 4/
eek 20 0 6
– 1.0 )
Dina 7 pp
gat L m
ake
– 0.3
7 pp
m

20
 Status of Mercury Pollution
Gold Ore

Manual Crushing
Lime + water
Hg

Amalgamation/Rod milling

Amalgam separation Tailings

Amalgam
Borax

Blowtorching Hg Vapor

Sponge Gold
(14-16 Carats)
Diagram of the Amalgamation Process In Small-Scale Mining
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THE TRANSPORT and DEPOSITION OF MERCURY

™ Mercury released to the atmosphere — either directly or

indirectly — may do one of three things

9It may fall out near the point where it is emitted

(local deposition)

9It may also be transported long distances before it is

deposited at some point downwind. If this takes place
within several hundred kilometers
- regional deposition

9Or it could be transported great distances and enters

to the global atmospheric mercury pool.

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 11
Effects of mercury

¾Mercury and methylmercury - are referred to as nerve toxicants or neurotoxicants

- affect the central nervous system, causing a number of serious disorders.

¾Neurological and behavioral disorders in humans

have been observed following inhalation of
elemental mercury vapor. Specific symptoms
include:
-tremors, emotional lability, insomnia, memory
loss, neuromuscular changes, and headaches.

¾ In addition, there are effects on the kidney

and thyroid.

¾ High exposures have also resulted in death.

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Ecological and wildlife effects: Biological conversion, uptake, and build-up of
18

mercury in food webs

There are three properties of methylmercury that makes it

particularly harmful to humans and other organisms
- it persists,
- it is toxic to most life forms
- and it bioaccumulates or builds up in organisms and up
along the food chain,

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Ecological and wildlife effects: Biological conversion, uptake, and build-up of mercury in
19

food webs

Bioaccumulation

Biomagnification

25
Ecological and wildlife effects: Biological conversion, uptake,
21

and build-up of mercury in food webs

Bioaccumulation & Biomagnification

26
Sources
Ways and
for Hg cyclingin of
Reduction themercury
Environment

The releases of mercury to the

3. Current biosphere
Reduce can be grouped in four
consumption 2. Current
anthropogenic
releases resulting
categories
Use alternate :
raw materials anthropogenic
from Hg used releases from the
intentionally in mobilization of Hg
products & in raw mat’ls
processes

4. Re-mobilization Releases 1. Natural

of historic Mostly beyond sources
Anthropogenic
Hg Human control

27
 31

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Re d o f e e nd u ry
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S u b st i ss e s c o e m ry w
2. roce ury; ent
.
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“pollution
prevention”
28
Ways for Hg Reduction in the Environment
29