Dynamics of land cover changes and condition of soil and surface water quality in a Mining–Altered landscape, Ghana
This study investigated the dynamics of mining effects on land use land cover changes and the chemical and physical characteristics of soil and surface water in the Ahafo mining area in Ghana. Landsat imagery was used to analyze land use-land cover changes (LULC) using a supervised classification te...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Heliyon |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023050673 |
| _version_ | 1827892278721511424 |
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| author | Samuel Kumi David Adu-Poku Francis Attiogbe |
| author_facet | Samuel Kumi David Adu-Poku Francis Attiogbe |
| author_sort | Samuel Kumi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study investigated the dynamics of mining effects on land use land cover changes and the chemical and physical characteristics of soil and surface water in the Ahafo mining area in Ghana. Landsat imagery was used to analyze land use-land cover changes (LULC) using a supervised classification technique. Soil samples were collected within 600 m from active mining operations and at depths of up to 75 cm, as well as surface water samples from upstream and downstream of the mine. Atomic Absorption Spectrometry was used to determine the concentration of heavy metals in the soil and water samples. The results demonstrated a significant loss of forest and other vegetation covers, which decreased from 44% to 31% to 8% and 20%, respectively, with corresponding increases in the mining site, mine water, settlement/bare surface, cropland and plantation. Organic matter, organic carbon, exchangeable bases, cation exchange capacity, available phosphorus, and pH were all moderate in the soil surrounding the mine. Except for As (4.027 mg/kg) and Hg (1 mg/kg), all heavy metals found in the soil were within FAO/WHO guidelines. Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) (416.18 mg/L), Total Suspended Solids (55.08 mg/L), Turbidity (54.49 NTU), Ca (84.49 mg/L), Mg (31.97 mg/L), nitrate (10.23 mg/L), and sulphate (606.83 mg/L) in the downstream water were higher than those in the upstream and USEPA/WHO limits for drinking water except for TDS. Because of the geology of the area, there were high concentrations of iron, manganese, and aluminum in the surface water. The results show that mining induced severe land cover changes and impaired surface water and soil quality in the mine's vicinity. The findings have implications for stakeholder education, appropriate community water interventions, and company-community-regulator participatory monitoring to avoid health risk exposure and further water and soil quality and vegetation degradation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T21:37:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-721317d2a4fb4cae956ac470cd43e09d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2405-8440 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T21:37:31Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj.art-721317d2a4fb4cae956ac470cd43e09d2023-07-27T05:57:43ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402023-07-0197e17859Dynamics of land cover changes and condition of soil and surface water quality in a Mining–Altered landscape, GhanaSamuel Kumi0David Adu-Poku1Francis Attiogbe2Department of Environmental Management, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani, Ghana; Corresponding author.Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani, GhanaDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani, GhanaThis study investigated the dynamics of mining effects on land use land cover changes and the chemical and physical characteristics of soil and surface water in the Ahafo mining area in Ghana. Landsat imagery was used to analyze land use-land cover changes (LULC) using a supervised classification technique. Soil samples were collected within 600 m from active mining operations and at depths of up to 75 cm, as well as surface water samples from upstream and downstream of the mine. Atomic Absorption Spectrometry was used to determine the concentration of heavy metals in the soil and water samples. The results demonstrated a significant loss of forest and other vegetation covers, which decreased from 44% to 31% to 8% and 20%, respectively, with corresponding increases in the mining site, mine water, settlement/bare surface, cropland and plantation. Organic matter, organic carbon, exchangeable bases, cation exchange capacity, available phosphorus, and pH were all moderate in the soil surrounding the mine. Except for As (4.027 mg/kg) and Hg (1 mg/kg), all heavy metals found in the soil were within FAO/WHO guidelines. Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) (416.18 mg/L), Total Suspended Solids (55.08 mg/L), Turbidity (54.49 NTU), Ca (84.49 mg/L), Mg (31.97 mg/L), nitrate (10.23 mg/L), and sulphate (606.83 mg/L) in the downstream water were higher than those in the upstream and USEPA/WHO limits for drinking water except for TDS. Because of the geology of the area, there were high concentrations of iron, manganese, and aluminum in the surface water. The results show that mining induced severe land cover changes and impaired surface water and soil quality in the mine's vicinity. The findings have implications for stakeholder education, appropriate community water interventions, and company-community-regulator participatory monitoring to avoid health risk exposure and further water and soil quality and vegetation degradation.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023050673MiningSoilWater qualityHeavy metalsPhysiochemical parametersLand cover changes |
| spellingShingle | Samuel Kumi David Adu-Poku Francis Attiogbe Dynamics of land cover changes and condition of soil and surface water quality in a Mining–Altered landscape, Ghana Heliyon Mining Soil Water quality Heavy metals Physiochemical parameters Land cover changes |
| title | Dynamics of land cover changes and condition of soil and surface water quality in a Mining–Altered landscape, Ghana |
| title_full | Dynamics of land cover changes and condition of soil and surface water quality in a Mining–Altered landscape, Ghana |
| title_fullStr | Dynamics of land cover changes and condition of soil and surface water quality in a Mining–Altered landscape, Ghana |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dynamics of land cover changes and condition of soil and surface water quality in a Mining–Altered landscape, Ghana |
| title_short | Dynamics of land cover changes and condition of soil and surface water quality in a Mining–Altered landscape, Ghana |
| title_sort | dynamics of land cover changes and condition of soil and surface water quality in a mining altered landscape ghana |
| topic | Mining Soil Water quality Heavy metals Physiochemical parameters Land cover changes |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023050673 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT samuelkumi dynamicsoflandcoverchangesandconditionofsoilandsurfacewaterqualityinaminingalteredlandscapeghana AT davidadupoku dynamicsoflandcoverchangesandconditionofsoilandsurfacewaterqualityinaminingalteredlandscapeghana AT francisattiogbe dynamicsoflandcoverchangesandconditionofsoilandsurfacewaterqualityinaminingalteredlandscapeghana |