Mercury emissions from Peruvian gold shops: Potential ramifications for Minamata compliance in artisanal and small-scale gold mining communities

Ratification of the Minamata Convention on Mercury has led to the establishment of Peruvian regulations limiting mercury concentrations in air to 2000 ng/m3 over a 24-hr measurement period. As a result, three communities in Madre de Dios, Peru were mapped during October 2017 to determine Hg⁰ vapor concentrations in the air.