This study evaluated fish consumption and mercury levels in fish consumed by an indigenous community in the State of Pará. Eighty fish samples were collected (barbado, surubim, traíra, tucunaré, piranha, aruanã, caratinga, aracu, mandiá, jandiá, and pacu

The Amazonian indigenous peoples depend on natural resources to live, but human activities’ growing impacts threaten their health and livelihoods. Our objectives were to present the principal results of an integrated and multidisciplinary analysis of the health parameters and assess the mercury (Hg) exposure levels in indigenous populations in the Brazilian Amazon. We carried out a cross-sectional study based on a census of three Munduruku indigenous villages (Sawré Muybu, Poxo Muybu, and Sawré Aboy), located in the Sawré Muybu Indigenous Land, between 29 October and 9 November 2019. The investigation included: (i) sociodemographic characterization of the participants; (ii) health assessment; (iii) genetic polymorphism analysis; (iv) hair mercury determination; and (v) fish mercury determination. We used the logistic regression model with conditional Prevalence Ratio (PR), with the respective 95% confidence intervals (CI95%) to explore factors associated with mercury exposure levels ≥6.0 µg/g. A total of 200 participants were interviewed. Mercury levels (197 hair samples) ranged from 1.4 to 23.9 μg/g, with significant differences between the villages (Kruskal–Wallis test: 19.9; p-value < 0.001). On average, the general prevalence of Hg exposure ≥ 6.0 µg/g was 57.9%. For participants ≥12 years old, the Hg exposure ≥6.0 µg/g showed associated with no regular income (PR: 1.3; CI95%: 1.0–1.8), high blood pressure (PR: 1.6; CI95%: 1.3–2.1) and was more prominent in Sawré Aboy village (PR: 1.8; CI95%: 1.3–2.3). For women of childbearing age, the Hg exposure ≥6.0 µg/g was associated with high blood pressure (PR: 1.9; CI95%: 1.2–2.3), with pregnancy (PR: 1.5; CI95%: 1.0–2.1) and was more prominent among residents in Poxo Muybu (PR: 1.9; CI95%: 1.0–3.4) and Sawré Aboy (PR: 2.5; CI95%: 1.4–4.4) villages. Our findings suggest that chronic mercury exposure causes harmful effects to the studied indigenous communities, especially considering vulnerable groups of the population, such as women of childbearing age. Lastly, we propose to stop the illegal mining in these areas and develop a risk management plan that aims to ensure the health, livelihoods, and human rights of the indigenous people from Amazon Basin.

A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate mercury (Hg) exposure among 910 Pakaan va Indians from the counties of Guajar Mirim and Nova Marmor , Rond nia State, Brazil. Individual hair samples were taken from the occipital region, and Hg was measured by atomic absorption spectrometry with cold vapor generation. Mean Hg in hair samples was 8.37 micro g/g (range 0.52-83.89), indicating high exposure. Young children (< 2 years old) showed a mean Hg of 10.54 micro g/g, and children from 3 to 5 years old had a mean Hg of 9.34 micro g/g. Mercury levels in women (8,91 micro g/g) were higher than in men (7.55 micro g/g), and this difference was significant (t = 3.26; p < 0.01). These results indicate the need for surveillance programs and complementary studies including the Pakaan va Indians in Rond nia State.

Este artigo é uma revisão das pesquisas da Seção de Meio Ambiente do Instituto Evandro Chagas/FUNASA sobre exposição ao mercúrio (Hg) no vale do rio Tapajós e Estado do Acre, e exposição ao arsênio (As) através de resíduos da exploração de manganês (Mn) realizada pela ICOMI deixados no Porto de Santana-AP. Em relação ao mercúrio, têm sido pesquisadas populações sob risco através da via respiratória ou alimentar. No primeiro caso, os trabalhadores de casas de compra e venda de ouro têm apresentado teores mais elevados de Hg em urina do que os garimpeiros estudados. No segundo caso, as populações ribeirinhas têm mostrado níveis diferenciados de exposição (Hg em cabelo). Comunidades ribeirinhas situadas em áreas não afetadas pelo mercúrio da garimpagem e com hábitos alimentares semelhantes às de área de risco têm sido avaliadas, visando a construção de parâmetros de normalidade regional. São também pesquisados os teores de Hg em materiais ambientais e na biota aquática. Os estudos de saúde humana e ambiente na cidade de Santana-AP objetivaram avaliar as fontes e possíveis vias de exposição da população da comunidade do Elesbão ao arsênio. Verificou-se a existência de fonte de risco através dos rejeitos de Mn, porém os níveis de As na água consumida pela população mostraram-se dentro dos parâmetros de normalidade. As médias encontradas em sangue e cabelo coincidem com médias de normalidade referidas na literatura, em populações não expostas, e as associações entre variáveis epidemiológicas, avaliação clínico-laboratorial e os teores de arsênio não mostraram significância estatística.

Fish serves as the principal source of animal protein for the indigenous people of the Amazon, ensuring their food and nutritional security. However, gold mining causes mercury (Hg) contamination in fish, and consequently increases health risks associated with fish consumption. The aim of this study was to assess the health risk attributed to the consumption of mercury-contaminated fish by Munduruku indigenous communities in the Middle-Tapajós Region. Different fish species were collected in the Sawré Muybu Indigenous Land to determine mercury levels. The health risk assessment was carried out according to the World Health Organization (WHO 2008) methodology and different scenarios were built for counterfactual analysis. Eighty-eight fish specimens from 17 species and four trophic levels were analyzed. Estimates of Hg ingestion indicated that the methylmercury daily intake exceeds the U.S. EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) (2000) reference dose from 3 to 25-fold, and up to 11 times the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization)/WHO (2003) dose recommendation. In all situations analyzed, the risk ratio estimates were above 1.0, meaning that the investigated Munduruku communities are at serious risk of harm as a result of ingestion of mercury-contaminated fish. These results indicate that, at present, fish consumption is not safe for this Munduruku population. This hazardous situation threatens the survival of this indigenous population, their food security, and their culture

This study evaluated transplacental mercury transfer by measuring Hg in blood samples of mothers and newborns (umbilical cord) IntroductionStudies on mercury (Hg) in the Amazon region in the 1980s and 1990s emphasized the extent of mercury pollution in gold-mining areas, due mainly to source emission, dispersion mechanisms, and accumulation in geological materials (soils, sediments, and water) and in the aquatic biota, mainly fish. Several studies have also focused on identifying populations (especially riverside dwellers) potentially exposed to organic mercury compounds through consumption of foods containing high Hg levels 1,2,3,4,5,6 . These studies concentrated on mercury pollution in gold-mining areas, but without approaching clinical aspects of exposure to Hg compounds 5,7,8,9 .The first study on clinical signs and symptoms emphasized prospectors, gold shop workers, and riverside communities in the Tapajós Basin, with the first reports of suspected cases of mercury poisoning between 1986 and 1991 10 . The study assessed Hg levels in blood and urine samples and included motor coordination tests. Despite high Hg levels in the samples, no clinically confirmed signs and symptoms of mercury poisoning were identified in these individuals. This apparent paradox has been attributed to the high prevalence of tropical diseases in the Amazon region that can mask the classical signs and symptoms of Hg poisoning. However, studies are needed that integrate information on the health conditions of these communities, including the Cad. Saúde Pública, Rio de Janeiro,

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