Mining mercury in an Indonesian periphery

Airborne concentrations of mercury were measured in two river catchment areas in places where mercury amalgam burning typically occurs, such as in shops which buy gold. The highest concentration measured was 54,931 nanograms per squared metre (ng/m3) – more than double the Indonesian safety standard (> 25,000 ng/m3) and far exceeding the World Health Organisation (WHO) and US Department of Health and Human Service’s safety standard of 1000 ng/m3.
read more... http://www.insideindonesia.org/mining-mercury-in-an-indonesian-periphery