KNUST partners Oregon State University to study galamsey impact

Scientists at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and Oregon State University are studying zebrafish. They want to find out how toxins from illegal mining, known as galamsey in Ghana, harm the human body.

Research has shown a pattern of babies born with deformities. People living near these areas are also suffering from organ damage and death.

With help from Oregon State University professionals, researchers aim to create effective protocols. These protocols will help protect the environment in other countries.

The zebrafish are less than 3 cm long. They swim in a laboratory aquarium where they are hatched and developed.

Zebrafish genes are similar to human genes, making them useful for ecotoxicology research worldwide.

Because of these similarities, factors that harm fish organs can also affect humans.

Pharmacologist Prof. George Ainooson explains that water samples from illegal mining sites negatively impact both fish and newborns.

The use of cyanide, mercury, and other chemicals in illegal mining is believed to cause deaths in mining communities.