Evaluating total mercury and methylmercury biomagnification using stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in fish from the Madeira River basin, Brazilian Amazon

Mussy, Marília Higino; Almeida, Renato Paes de; Carvalho, Dirceu Tornavoi de; Lauthartte, Leidiane Caroline; Holanda, Ígor Bruno Barbosa de; Almeida, Marcelo Gomes de; Sousa-Filho, Izidro F.; Rezende, Carlos Eduardo de; Malm, Olaf; Bastos, Wanderley Rodrigues

doi:10.1007/s11356-022-24235-7

Cited by 8 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…Four hotspots in the Amazon Region have been identified as areas of particular concern because of the magnitude of ASGM activities since 2002 (Alvarez-Berríos and Mitchell Aide 2015 ): (1) the Madre de Dios region, Peru (Asner and Tupayachi 2017 ; Caballero Espejo et al 2018 ; Diringer et al 2020 ; Barocas et al 2023 ); (2) the Guiana Shield region that includes French Guiana, Guyana, and Suriname; (3) the Tapajós–Xingú region (Malm et al 1995 ; dos Santos et al 2000 ; Nevado et al 2010 ; Lino et al 2019 ; Passos et al 2008 ) that includes Central Amazon (Kasper et al 2014 ) and the Madeira River (Bastos et al 2006 , 2015 ; Mussy et al 2022 ; da Silva Montes et al 2022 ) in Brazil; and (4) the Magdalena–Urabá region of Colombia (Ashe 2012 ; Hacon et al 2014 ; Martinez et al 2018 ; Gonzalez et al 2019 ; Hacon et al 2020 ). These and other Hg point sources (e.g., petroleum extraction; Webb et al 2015 ) that are connected with river floodplain habitats, where daily and seasonal water level fluctuations can be extensive, appear to be sensitive to elevated methylation rates - during both droughts (Azevedo et al 2018 ) and flood periods (da Silva et al 2019 ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Global mercury concentrations in biota: their use as a basis for a global biomonitoring framework

Evers,

Ackerman,

Åkerblom

et al. 2024

Ecotoxicology

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An important provision of the Minamata Convention on Mercury is to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the adopted measures and its implementation. Here, we describe for the first time currently available biotic mercury (Hg) data on a global scale to improve the understanding of global efforts to reduce the impact of Hg pollution on people and the environment. Data from the peer-reviewed literature were compiled in the Global Biotic Mercury Synthesis (GBMS) database (>550,000 data points). These data provide a foundation for establishing a biomonitoring framework needed to track Hg concentrations in biota globally. We describe Hg exposure in the taxa identified by the Minamata Convention: fish, sea turtles, birds, and marine mammals. Based on the GBMS database, Hg concentrations are presented at relevant geographic scales for continents and oceanic basins. We identify some effective regional templates for monitoring methylmercury (MeHg) availability in the environment, but overall illustrate that there is a general lack of regional biomonitoring initiatives around the world, especially in Africa, Australia, Indo-Pacific, Middle East, and South Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Temporal trend data for Hg in biota are generally limited. Ecologically sensitive sites (where biota have above average MeHg tissue concentrations) have been identified throughout the world. Efforts to model and quantify ecosystem sensitivity locally, regionally, and globally could help establish effective and efficient biomonitoring programs. We present a framework for a global Hg biomonitoring network that includes a three-step continental and oceanic approach to integrate existing biomonitoring efforts and prioritize filling regional data gaps linked with key Hg sources. We describe a standardized approach that builds on an evidence-based evaluation to assess the Minamata Convention’s progress to reduce the impact of global Hg pollution on people and the environment.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Global mercury concentrations in biota: their use as a basis for a global biomonitoring framework

Evers,

Ackerman,

Åkerblom

et al. 2024

Ecotoxicology

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“…It is worth reminding that another important limitation concerns the different mercury species present in the muscle of the studied fish. Although it is reasonable to assume that all mercury present in the analyzed samples is in the methylmercury form, it is important to clarify that about 15% of the mercury present in fish may be in inorganic form, as has been described in several studies [ 27 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 ]. In order to attenuate this limitation and to prevent bias in the results interpretation, we assumed that only 80% of the mercury available in the fish muscle tissue was absorbed by the human gastrointestinal tract.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Risk Assessment of Mercury-Contaminated Fish Consumption in the Brazilian Amazon: An Ecological Study

Basta,

de Vasconcellos,

Hallwass

et al. 2023

Toxics

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Mercury is one of the most dangerous contaminants on the planet. In recent years, evidence of mercury contamination in the Amazon has significantly increased, notably due to gold-mining activities. Although mercury contamination in fish has consistently been documented, little is known about the risk associated with fish consumption by populations in urban areas of the Amazon. We sampled 1010 fish sold in public markets in six state capitals and 11 additional cities. Mercury levels were determined for each specimen, and the evaluation of the health risks associated with consuming mercury-contaminated fish was conducted according to the methodology proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO). Our study reveals that more than one-fifth (21.3%) of the fish sold in urban centers had mercury levels above the safe limits (≥0.5 µg/g) established by the Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA). The prevalence of Hg contamination ≥0.5 µg/g was approximately 14 times higher in carnivorous than in noncarnivorous fish. The analysis of the risk attributable to fish consumption reveals that daily mercury intake exceeded the reference dose recommended by the U.S. EPA in all population groups analyzed, reaching up to 7 and 31 times in women of childbearing age and children from 2 to 4 years old, respectively. However, these risks are diverse depending on the type of fish consumed and must be considered to formulate appropriate nutritional guidelines for safe fish consumption by the local community.

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“…Body weight values were obtained from a population census by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, represented by the mean body weight values of male and female adults (18 to +65 years) living in the state of Rondônia (65 kg) [ 65 ]. The EDI results should be interpreted according to two major assumptions: (i) the cooking method did not cause significant changes in THg concentrations in the fish [ 66 , 67 ]; and (ii) since the fish species from the Madeira River Basin had high mean MeHg:THg ratios (70–100%) [ 50 , 51 ]. THg was used as a proxy for the MeHg concentration.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, the exposure to Hg of these people in the Amazon is a global concern [ 46 ]. The objective of this work was to evaluate human exposure to Hg in the lower Madeira River Basin (Western Amazon), a region in which previous studies have indicated relatively high Hg concentrations in human populations [ 23 , 47 , 48 ] and in fish [ 49 , 50 , 51 ]. We determined the total Hg (THg) and MeHg concentrations in the hair of residents of a riverside community of the lower Madeira River (in the Demarcação District of the municipality of Porto Velho, Rondônia State), as well as samples of surface water and the fish species most frequently consumed by the local population, aiming to answer three main questions: (i) How do gender, age, and length of time living in the community influence THg concentrations in human hair?…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mercury in Fish and Human Hair and Estimated Dietary Intake in a Riverside Community of the Madeira River Basin in the Brazilian Amazon

Canela,

Monteiro,

Cabral

et al. 2024

Toxics

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Mercury (Hg) is a chemical element that poses risks to human health due to its high toxicity and environmental persistence. We determined the total Hg (THg) and methyl Hg (MeHg) concentrations in hair samples from residents of the Demarcação District (Porto Velho, Rondônia) in the Brazilian Amazon, as well as in water and fish samples, to evaluate factors influencing human exposure. The average THg concentration in human hair was 7.86 ± 6.78 mg kg−1 and it was significantly higher in men, with an increasing trend related to age. There was no significant difference between female age groups. Human exposure to Hg through water was negligible compared to fish consumption. The average weekly intake estimates in the community varied between 1.54 and 4.62 μg kg−1, substantially higher than the recommended limit. The fish species with the highest amounts safe for daily consumption were herbivores and detritivores. Our results contribute to an understanding of how exposure to Hg affects the health of riverside populations and provide insights for new research to develop methods to mitigate such exposure and thus improve the quality of life of Amazonian people.

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Evaluating total mercury and methylmercury biomagnification using stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in fish from the Madeira River basin, Brazilian Amazon

Cited by 8 publications

References 51 publications

Global mercury concentrations in biota: their use as a basis for a global biomonitoring framework

Global mercury concentrations in biota: their use as a basis for a global biomonitoring framework

Risk Assessment of Mercury-Contaminated Fish Consumption in the Brazilian Amazon: An Ecological Study

Mercury in Fish and Human Hair and Estimated Dietary Intake in a Riverside Community of the Madeira River Basin in the Brazilian Amazon

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