Northern Kentucky University
Prehistoric Copper Production in Central Thailand: Environmental Waste and Health Concerns
Institution
Northern Kentucky University
Faculty Advisor/ Mentor
Judy Voelker; Grant Edwards
Abstract
The archaeological sites of Non Pa Wai and Nil Kham Haeng, located in the Khao Wong Prachan valley in central Thailand were major copper production sites in prehistory. As a result of intensive use, tons of slag from the smelting of copper ores accumulated. Monsoonal weather in Thailand may have led to the leaching of copper from the slag into the soil and rainwater. In excess amounts, copper can cause liver failure, kidney failure and gastrointestinal distress. This pilot study utilized Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy to determine the amount of copper in the slag samples from these two sites. Using this method, the amount of copper in the slag from different stratigraphic contexts at the two sites was compared. It was found that copper was present in significant amounts but the expected trends between the two sites were not observed. To determine the toxicity of the copper in the slag, a leaching study modeled after the Environmental Protection Agency's Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure or EPA Method 1311 was also conducted; preliminary results of this procedure will also be presented.
Prehistoric Copper Production in Central Thailand: Environmental Waste and Health Concerns
The archaeological sites of Non Pa Wai and Nil Kham Haeng, located in the Khao Wong Prachan valley in central Thailand were major copper production sites in prehistory. As a result of intensive use, tons of slag from the smelting of copper ores accumulated. Monsoonal weather in Thailand may have led to the leaching of copper from the slag into the soil and rainwater. In excess amounts, copper can cause liver failure, kidney failure and gastrointestinal distress. This pilot study utilized Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy to determine the amount of copper in the slag samples from these two sites. Using this method, the amount of copper in the slag from different stratigraphic contexts at the two sites was compared. It was found that copper was present in significant amounts but the expected trends between the two sites were not observed. To determine the toxicity of the copper in the slag, a leaching study modeled after the Environmental Protection Agency's Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure or EPA Method 1311 was also conducted; preliminary results of this procedure will also be presented.