Mercury (Hg) contamination is an issue of concern in the Amazon region due to potential health effects associated with Hg exposure in artisanal gold mining areas. The study presents a human health risk assessment associated with Hg vapor inhalation and MeHg-contaminated fish ingestion, as well as Hg determination in urine, blood, and hair, of human populations (about 325 miners and 321 non-miners) from two gold mining areas in the Brazilian Amazon (São Chico and Creporizinho, Pará State). In São Chico and Creporizinho, 73 fish specimens of 13 freshwater species, and 161 specimens of 11 species, were collected for total Hg determination, respectively. The hazard quotient (HQ) is a risk indicator which defines the ratio of the exposure level and the toxicological reference dose and was applied to determine the threat of MeHg exposure. The mean Hg concentrations in fish from São Chico and Creporizinho were 0.83 ± 0.43 and 0.36 ± 0.33 μg/g, respectively. More than 60 and 22 % of fish collected in São Chico and Creporizinho, respectively, were above the Hg limit (0.5 μg/g) recommended by WHO for human consumption. For all sampling sites, HQ resulted from 1.5 to 28.5, except for the reference area. In Creporizinho, the values of HQ are close to 2 for most sites, whereas in São Chico, there is a hot spot of MeHg contamination in fish (A2-São Chico Reservoir) with the highest risk level (HQ = 28) associated with its human consumption. Mean Hg concentrations in urine, blood, and hair samples indicated that the miners group (in São Chico: urine = 17.37 μg/L; blood = 27.74 μg/L; hair = 4.50 μg/g and in Creporizinho: urine = 13.75 μg/L; blood = 25.23 μg/L; hair: 4.58 μg/g) was more exposed to mercury compared to non-miners (in São Chico: urine = 5.73 μg/L; blood = 16.50 μg/L; hair = 3.16 μg/g and in Creporizinho: urine = 3.91 μg/L; blood = 21.04 μg/L, hair = 1.88 μg/g). These high Hg levels (found not only in miners but also in non-miners who live near the mining areas) are likely to be related to a potential hazard due to exposure to both Hg vapor by inhalation and to MeHg-contaminated fish ingestion.

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In this study was to evaluate the waters quality of the Murucupi River, located in urban agglomerate area and intense industrial activity in Barcarena City, Pará State. The Arapiranga River in Abaetetuba City was used as control area (Background), next to Barcarena. Was used the Water Quality Index (WQI) based on nine variables analized. Waters quality of the Arapiranga and Murucupi rivers were regular to good and bad to good, respectively. Anthropogenic influence on the Murucupi River was higher, mainly by the disposal of domestic effluents from the urban agglomerate and of the industrial waste tailing basins upstream of this river. Due to its less inhabited environment and further away from the area urban and industrial, the Arapiranga River was more preserved. Waters pollution of around these area is increasingly intense, and restricted its uses for various purposes.

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Apresentamos um estudo interdisciplinar onde condições ambientais, sociais e de saúde são integradas para avaliar o risco de exposição ao arsênio na população de Paracatu, devido à exploração da maior mina de ouro a céu aberto do Brasil. O estudo possui três fases: avaliação da contaminação ambiental; estudo epidemiológico de exposição ambiental humana; exame dos fatores associados aos comportamentos para reduzir o risco de exposição. As águas de consumo humano na área urbana não estão contaminadas com arsênio. Os teores de arsênio em urina indicam exposição mais alta em bairros próximos à mina, em concordância com os dados sobre material particulado atmosférico. A taxa de mortalidade por câncer não se mostrou superior aos controles. As redes sociais e relações de gênero são chave na adoção de comportamentos preventivos. Recomenda-se o estabelecimento de um Programa de Vigilância da exposição ao arsênio, com envolvimento do SUS, ao nível municipal, estadual e federal.

ResumoOs rios Caceribu e Guaxindiba são dois importantes tributários da Baía de Guanabara, no Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Ambos estão inseridos em duas importantes áreas protegidas, ainda sim, são passivos de contaminação por diversas fontes de contaminação. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar a concentração de metais pesados (Cu, Cd, Pb, Ni, Mn, Zn e Cr) nas frações dos sedimentos de fundo dos rios Caceribu e Guaxindiba. Para isso, as seguintes análises foram realizadas: mineralogia, concentração total de metais pesados, matéria orgânica e extração sequencial dos metais pesados de acordo com o método de Tessier et al. (1979). A análise mineralógica mostrou que os sedimentos são compostos principalmente de microclina e muscovita, com intercalações de albita, gipsita e argilominerais (esmectita e caulinita). No rio Guaxindiba, a mineralogia foi similar (microclima, muscovita, albita, gipsita e intercalações de hematita). Com exceção do Mn, todos os metais pesados avaliados nos sedimentos do rio Guaxindiba apresentaram concentração total maior que aquela encontrada nos sedimentos do rio Caceribu, variando de 0,20 a 3,29%, enquanto o rio Guaxindiba variou de 1,93 a 21,60%. No rio Caceribu, as duas frações dominantes foram S4 (orgânica) 69,13% Cu, 86,56% Cd e 46,88% Pb; S5 (residual) 39,25% Mn, 26,80% Zn e 73,50% Cr. Com exceção do Zn, todos os demais elementos seguiram a mesma tendência no rio Guaxindiba: fração S4 44,80% Cu, 88,99% Cd, 26,59% Ni, 57,59% Pb e 71,69% Cr, e fração S5 28,72% Mn. Palavras-chave: sedimento, metal pesado, extração sequencial, Rio Caceribu, Rio Guaxindiba. AbstractThe Caceribu and Guaxindiba Rivers are two important tributaries of Guanabara Bay, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Both of them are included in two environmentally protected areas, but they are still passive from contamination sources. The objective of the present work was to evaluate heavy metal concentrations (Cu, Cd, Pb, Ni, Mn, Zn, and Cr)

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