Authors: Zuleica Castilhos Saulo RodriguesFilho Ricardo Cesar Ana Paula Rodrigues Roberto VillasBôas Iracina de Jesus Marcelo Lima Kleber Faial Antônio Miranda Edilson Brabo Christian Beinhoff Elisabeth Santos
Publish Date: 2015/03/24
Volume: 22, Issue: 15, Pages: 11255-11264
Abstract
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 MeHgcontaminated fish ingestion as well as Hg determination in urine blood and hair of human populations about 325 miners and 321 nonminers 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 083 ± 043 and 036 ± 033 μg/g respectively More than 60 and 22 of fish collected in São Chico and Creporizinho respectively were above the Hg limit 05 μg/g recommended by WHO for human consumption For all sampling sites HQ resulted from 15 to 285 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 = 1737 μg/L blood = 2774 μg/L hair = 450 μg/g and in Creporizinho urine = 1375 μg/L blood = 2523 μg/L hair 458 μg/g was more exposed to mercury compared to nonminers in São Chico urine = 573 μg/L blood = 1650 μg/L hair = 316 μg/g and in Creporizinho urine = 391 μg/L blood = 2104 μg/L hair = 188 μg/g These high Hg levels found not only in miners but also in nonminers 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 MeHgcontaminated fish ingestion
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