{"id":42734,"date":"2026-09-09T11:01:34","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T11:01:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/?p=42734"},"modified":"2026-09-09T13:48:01","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T13:48:01","slug":"scientists-warn-of-growing-mercury-threat-as-africa-strengthens-monitoring-and-response","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/st\/scientists-warn-of-growing-mercury-threat-as-africa-strengthens-monitoring-and-response\/","title":{"rendered":"Scientists warn of growing mercury threat as Africa strengthens monitoring and response"},"content":{"rendered":"

“Researchers, government officials, industry partners and students have called for stronger mercury monitoring, research and policy action across Africa to address growing environmental and public health risks.”<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

09 September 2026 | Story by: Qhawekazi Memani | Picture:<\/strong> Siphephelo Dlamini<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

5 minutes read time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\nSAMNet Director and VUT Senior Lecturer Mr Mohau Phiri addresses delegates at the opening of the SAMNet Symposium, emphasising the growing importance of mercury research.\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mercury pollution is emerging as a significant environmental and public health concern across Africa, prompting renewed calls for stronger research, monitoring and policy intervention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was the central message from the 2026 South African Mercury Network (SAMNet) Partners and Stakeholders Symposium, held from 3 to 4 September at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) and organised in partnership with the South African Weather Service (SAWS).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The symposium brought together researchers, government representatives, industry partners, international collaborators and students to examine the growing challenge posed by mercury pollution and explore ways to strengthen Africa’s response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mercury is a highly toxic pollutant that can travel thousands of kilometres through the atmosphere before entering rivers, wetlands, oceans and food chains. One of its most dangerous forms, methylmercury, can accumulate in fish and other organisms, posing serious risks to human health, particularly for children and pregnant women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Participants stressed that mercury pollution is not confined to a single industry or sector. Sources range from industrial processes and consumer products to dental applications and artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM), which remains one of the largest contributors to global mercury releases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opening the symposium, Dr Tara Walmsley, VUT Research Chair, said growing scientific evidence pointed to the increasing importance of mercury research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“There is evidence to say this is a rising issue. Research also confirms this,” she said, encouraging delegates to collaborate and share knowledge across disciplines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

VUT Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation, Commercialisation and Internationalisation, Professor Simphiwe Nelana, called for research that directly addresses societal challenges and strengthens Africa’s scientific capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We have excellent facilities. We have expertise. But what most people need is scientific research,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A key highlight of the symposium was a keynote address by Dr Dominique Kpokro Bally of the African Centre for Environmental Health, who drew on nearly 15 years of research into mercury contamination linked to artisanal and small-scale gold mining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr Bally said mercury exposure often extends beyond mining sites to communities living nearby, while the movement of mercury across borders continues to complicate regulation and enforcement efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He noted that safer and mercury-free technologies already exist but are not yet widely implemented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Technologies exist, but they are not used or promoted,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr Bally emphasised that mercury pollution extends beyond mining activities and requires cooperation between environmental scientists, health practitioners, policymakers and affected communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It’s a multidisciplinary challenge,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Government’s efforts to address mercury pollution were outlined by Ms Athenkosi Quta of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), who highlighted South Africa’s obligations under the Minamata Convention on Mercury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She said the department is advancing initiatives aimed at reducing mercury emissions and strengthening national management systems, including work towards a National Action Plan for artisanal and small-scale gold mining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The plan seeks to improve understanding of mercury use, promote safer alternatives, reduce exposure among mining communities and strengthen regulation of the sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Government remains committed to implementing the Minamata Convention effectively,” Ms Quta said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The symposium also highlighted the importance of scientific monitoring and data collection in understanding how mercury moves through the environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr Lynwil Martin of SAWS said long-term monitoring programmes are critical for informing policy decisions and assessing environmental risks. He noted that atmospheric mercury observations conducted at Cape Point have helped build one of the most important long-term datasets in the Southern Hemisphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Researchers are increasingly using advanced modelling tools to track how mercury is transported through the atmosphere and how it eventually enters oceans, soils, wetlands and food webs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Such information is essential for understanding the sources of pollution and evaluating the effectiveness of interventions designed to reduce mercury emissions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The importance of international collaboration was also emphasised during the symposium. Representatives from Japan highlighted how technology can strengthen environmental monitoring and provide the data needed to support global efforts under the Minamata Convention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Alvin Chua of Nippon Instrument Corporation said technology companies have a responsibility to contribute to environmental protection and support scientific research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Hopefully researchers can utilise this technology to gather the data, so that they can achieve the Minamata Convention goal of making mercury history,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Student participation formed another important component of the symposium, with young researchers from universities across South Africa presenting their work and contributing to discussions on the future of mercury research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The development of a new generation of scientists was identified as a critical requirement for sustaining monitoring programmes and expanding research capacity across the continent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Participants agreed that mercury pollution remains a complex, cross-border challenge that cannot be addressed by any single institution or sector. Instead, effective solutions will require ongoing collaboration between governments, researchers, industry, communities and international partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As discussions concluded, the message from the symposium was clear: stronger evidence, sustained monitoring and coordinated action will be essential if Africa is to reduce mercury pollution and protect both environmental and public health for future generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Catch the full experience on Flickr <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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