Potential health effects of cyanide use in artisanal and small-scale gold mining in Burkina Faso

The artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector in Burkina Faso increasingly employs cyanide leaching to exploit the natural resource gold. The long-term consequences of chronic cyanide exposure in humans have yet to be fully elucidated. Meanwhile, the local health and development actors are facing immediate, unfamiliar challenges. The aim of this study was to deepen the understanding of cyanide exposure pathways, potential human exposure and associated health effects in ASGM communities in order to tailor health promotion and sustainable development recommendations for local actors.