Mercury release from deforested soils triggered by base cation enrichment

Farella, N.; Lucotte, Marc; Davidson, Robert; Daigle, Stéphane

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2006.04.025

Cited by 58 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…The effects of fruit consumption with respect to the relation between mercury intake and biomarkers of exposure corroborate a relevant avenue that should be further explored as a potential additional short-term intervention strategy, during which time mercury levels in the environment should be brought under control through other intervention projects aiming to reduce the release of mercury from soils toward aquatic ecosystems, based on better farm land-use management strategies (Farella et al, 2006(Farella et al, , 2007. The data from the present study suggest that reference doses for mercury in fisheating populations where fruit is an important component of diet could be considerably different from those without daily access to fresh fruit.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 70%

“…The resulting mercury pollution of the aquatic environment is taken up by the halieutic resources (Farella et al, 2001;Roulet et al, 2001). These important pathways of exposure, later confirmed for other watersheds of the Amazonian Basin (Fostier et al, 2000;Lechler et al, 2000;Fadini and Jardim, 2001;Wasserman et al, 2003;Lacerda et al, 2004;Almeida et al, 2005;Bastos et al, 2006;Farella et al, 2006Farella et al, , 2007Mainville et al, 2006), constitute a continuous source of mercury exposure for the large number of traditional and immigrant communities of the region that rely on fish consumption as a dietary mainstay.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 77%

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Daily mercury intake in fish-eating populations in the Brazilian Amazon

Passos

Silva

Lemire

et al. 2007

J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol

110

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Although high levels of fish consumption and bioindicators of mercury exposure have been reported for traditional populations in the Amazon, little is known about their actual daily intake of Hg. Using an ecosystem approach, calculate daily mercury intake in adult fish-eaters, examine the relations between mercury intake and bioindicators of exposure and the factors that influence these relations. A cross-sectional dietary survey on fish and fruit consumption frequency was carried out with 256 persons from six villages of the Tapajo´s River. Fish portion per meal was determined. Mercury concentration was determined for 1123 local fish specimens. Daily mercury intake (mg/kg/day) was determined for men and women from each village using the average fish-mercury concentration for the fish caught in their fishing zone, the average quantity of fish per meal, fish-species frequency consumption and participants' body weight. Fish-mercury averaged 0.33 mg/g70.33. Daily mercury intake varied between 0 and 11.8 mg/kg/day (mean 0.92 mg/kg/day70.89) and varied by gender and village. Mean blood-and hair-mercury were 58.7736.1 mg/l and 17.9711.5 mg/g, respectively. There was a strong and positive relation between blood-mercury and daily mercury intake, with an inverse relation for fruit intake and schooling; significant variations were observed with immigrant status, and among villages. Hair-mercury was directly associated with daily mercury intake and inversely related to schooling and fruit consumption. Fruit consumption modified the relation between daily mercury intake and blood-mercury levels: for the same daily mercury intake, persons eating more fruit had lower blood-mercury concentrations (ANCOVA Interaction term: F ¼ 10.9, Po0.0001). The median difference of the ratio of blood-mercury to daily mercury intake between low and high fruit consumers was 26, representing a 26.3% reduction. These findings reveal high levels of daily mercury intake. Rigorous studies for developing risk-based reference doses in the Amazon should be undertaken to orient viable risk-management strategies to reduce exposure, while maintaining fish diet.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 70%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 77%

Daily mercury intake in fish-eating populations in the Brazilian Amazon

Passos

Silva

Lemire

et al. 2007

J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol

110

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“…The work carried out by the biogeochemists and biologists of the Caruso project showed that, in the midTapajó s region, over 200 km downstream from the goldmining areas, the major Hg source is slash-and-burn agricultural practices, which make the soils vulnerable to lixiviation and erosion, resulting in a transfer of the naturally occurring Hg into aquatic environments (Beliveau et al 2009;Farella et al 2006;Roulet et al 1999Roulet et al , 2000. When Hg is released into aquatic environments, it is methylated by bacteria present in river sediments to its organic form: methylmercury (MeHg) (Guimaraes et al 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neurotoxic Sequelae of Mercury Exposure: An Intervention and Follow-up Study in the Brazilian Amazon

et al. 2011

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Since 1995, the Caruso Project used an Ecosystem Approach to Human Health to examine mercury (Hg) exposure in fish-eating communities in the Brazilian Amazon and develop interventions to maximise nutrition from traditional diet and minimise toxic risk. In 1995, 2000 and 2006, this study followed fish consumption, Hg levels, and visual and motor functions in 31 villagers. Questionnaires gathered information on socio-demographics and diet. Hair Hg (H-Hg) levels were measured. Visual acuity, colour vision, manual dexterity and grip strength were assessed. Data was analysed using general linear models of repeated measures. Total fish consumption, similar in 1995 and 2000, decreased in 2006. Carnivorous fish consumption initially decreased and then remained stable, whereas non-carnivorous fish consumption first increased and then decreased. H-Hg declined from 17.6 to 7.8 μg/g. Visual functions showed a significant decrease over time, with those with H-Hg ≥ 20 μg/g in 1995 showing greater loss. Motor functions showed initial improvement and then returned to the 1995 performance level. Decrease in Hg exposure is attributed to the intervention and socio-economic changes in the village. While there may be a certain reversibility of motor deficits, visual capacities may decrease progressively with respect to exposure prior to the intervention.

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“…Outras pesquisas têm investigado também o papel da agricultura de corte e queima na deterioração das propriedades físicas do solo, como a porosidade, que pode causar a compactação, o aumento da lixiviação e de processos erosivos (Weeraratna, 1984;Hernani et al, 1987;Alegre & Cassel, 1996;Pereira & Vieira, 2001), além da poluição de solos e de cursos d'água por meio, por exemplo, da liberação de mercúrio (Farella et al, 2006). Em muitos lugares, o crescimento acelerado de ervas daninhas é um fator limitante mais sério para este tipo de agricultura que o próprio empobrecimento do solo (Nye & Greenland, 1960;Warner, 1991;Fujisaka et al, 2000).…”

Section: Solos E Processos Erosivosunclassified

A agricultura de corte e queima: um sistema em transformação

Júnior

Murrieta

Adams

2008

Bol. Mus. Para. Emílio Goeldi. Ciênc. hum.

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IIIResumo: A agricultura de corte e queima é praticada há milhares de anos nas áreas florestadas do planeta, principalmente nas regiões tropicais. Sua prática envolve uma gama de técnicas que denotam seu caráter diversificado e itinerante, aproveitando o capital energético da floresta em recomposição. Muitos estudos atestam a sustentabilidade desses sistemas quando praticados tradicionalmente e sob baixas densidades populacionais, mantendo, ou mesmo, promovendo a biodiversidade local e garantindo a subsistência de muitas populações pobres rurais. No entanto, é crescente na literatura acadêmica e no debate político o papel que a agricultura de corte e queima vem desempenhando no desmatamento e demais impactos ambientais e socioeconômicos. Esse processo é conseqüência das mudanças no uso do solo, da intensificação agrícola e do aumento demográfico que, estão alterando as práticas e comprometendo a sustentabilidade desses sistemas agrícolas tradicionais. No rastro dessas preocupações, este estudo traz uma revisão do tema na literatura com os objetivos de traçar um panorama geral do que foi produzido até o momento, identificar as principais correntes teóricas envolvidas e apontar as alternativas propostas para sua manutenção.Palavras-chave: Agricultura de corte e queima. Cultivo itinerante. Mudanças no uso do solo. Florestas tropicais. Sustentabilidade.Abstract: Slash-and-burn agriculture has been practiced for thousands of years in the forests around the world, especially in the tropics, where it provides for the livelihood of countless poor rural populations. Characterized by an array of techniques based on crop diversification and shifting land use, this cultivation system has on the utilization of forest decomposing vegetation´s energetic capital its main asset. Many studies claim that slash-and-burn agriculture is sustainable only when performed under conditions of low human demographic density and maintenance or even increase of local biodiversity. However, it is growing in the academic literature, as well as in development debates, the concern regarding the role that this system has been playing in the deforestation of the planet´s tropical forests. This process appears to be closely linked to changes in land use patterns (agricultural intensification) and urban and rural demographic growth. On the thread of these concerns, this article presents a critical review of the international and national academic literature on slash-and-burn agriculture. Thus, this review intend to draw a broad scenario of the current academic debate on this issue, as well as to identify the main alternatives strategies proposed to maintain or replace this cultivation system.

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Mercury release from deforested soils triggered by base cation enrichment

Cited by 58 publications

References 25 publications

Daily mercury intake in fish-eating populations in the Brazilian Amazon

Daily mercury intake in fish-eating populations in the Brazilian Amazon

Neurotoxic Sequelae of Mercury Exposure: An Intervention and Follow-up Study in the Brazilian Amazon

A agricultura de corte e queima: um sistema em transformação

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