Assessment of the impact of gold panning on bacteriological parameters, heavy metals and cyanide in the waters of the Niger river in Guinea

Artisanal mining, or traditional gold panning, plays a key role in Guinea's socio-economic activities. Today, this ancestral activity has undergone changes with the introduction of new extraction techniques that affect the population's living environment. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of artisanal mining on bacteriological parameters, heavy metals and cyanide in the waters of the Niger River in Guinea. To carry out this work, we chose five (05) sites (sampling points), taking into account the intensity of the mining activity taking place around them and on the Niger. We took fifteen samples to determine bacteriological parameters (fecal coliforms, total coliforms and Escherichia coli), free cyanide and certain heavy metals at the regional water quality laboratory. This study enabled us to determine the impact of gold panning on bacteriological parameters, cyanide and certain heavy metals in the waters of the Niger River in Guinea, and to identify possible solutions. Conclusion and outlook: Analysis of the results shows that, overall, the water sampled is of good quality. However, some parameters at certain measurement sites showed signs of pollution.