Mercury pollution from gold panning devastates rivers in Eastern Congo.
The sediments from rivers near gold panning sites in Fizi, Congo were studied to see how much mercury pollution was present. Samples were collected over 16 months and analyzed for mercury levels. The results showed that all the sediments were heavily polluted with mercury, exceeding recommended standards. The Kimbi River had the highest mercury pollution compared to other rivers. This pollution is caused by human activities like gold panning that release mercury into the waterways.