The Effect of Heavy Metals in Mining Emissions on Worker’s Blood Lead Levels: A Case Study of The Gumushane Zn-Pb Mine, Turkey

The wastewater from mining facilities contains toxic elements such as arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and lead (Pb). If not disposed of correctly, it can lead to environmental pollution in case of accidents or overflow. Lead-zinc mining activities pose a significant risk of high blood lead levels (BLLs) among workers. Therefore, monitoring the blood lead levels of workers exposed to these heavy metals, especially lead, is crucial. This study aims to determine the levels of potentially harmful elements in the wastewater dam of the largest Zn-Pb mine in the Black Sea Region. It also seeks to assess the environmental and human health risks comprehensively. Additionally, the study aims to establish a relationship between the levels of lead in the mining wastewater in Gumushane and the lead levels accumulated in the blood of workers exposed to this metal. The study analyzed heavy metals such as As, Zn, Cu, Sb, and Pb in mining wastewater using Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS). The results indicated high levels of Pb in the studied wastewater. Furthermore, the blood lead levels of workers in the mining area (n=30; mean: 7.42 μg/dL) exceeded background levels (>40 μg/dL). These results suggest a significant relationship between the presence of lead in wastewater and high lead levels in the blood of individuals with high exposure to concentrated lead.