Human neurotoxicity of mercury in the Amazon: A scoping review with insights and critical considerations

Santos-Sacramento, Letícia; Arrifano, Gabriela de Paula; Lopes-Araújo, Amanda; Augusto-Oliveira, Marcus; Albuquerque-Santos, Raquel; Takeda, Priscila Y.; Souza-Monteiro, José Rogerio; Macchi, Barbarella de Matos; Nascimento, José Luíz Martins do; Lima, Rafael Rodrigues; Crespo-López, María Elena

doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.111686

Cited by 75 publications

(59 citation statements)

References 78 publications

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“…It was also complex to carry out neurological evaluations in adults. In general, other authors value complaints and symptoms reported by participants to assess the harm caused by mercury contamination in adults [88,125]. Our study chose to prioritize the clinical evaluation directed in elements already considered in the literature and focus on identifying signs of somatosensory, motor, and cognitive impairment in young people and adults.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mercury Exposure in Munduruku Indigenous Communities from Brazilian Amazon: Methodological Background and an Overview of the Principal Results

Basta

Viana

Vasconcellos

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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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.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mercury Exposure in Munduruku Indigenous Communities from Brazilian Amazon: Methodological Background and an Overview of the Principal Results

Basta

Viana

Vasconcellos

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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“…The Amazonian riverine population presents a specific profile with artisanal fishing and subsistence agriculture, both characterizing the basis of the economy of these communities [ 3 ]. Fish is usually the main protein source in the diet, with a large number of meals per week (seven or more), frequently contaminated with mercury [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 24 ]. Human exposure to mercury occurs in the two regions due to the influence of artisanal small-scale gold mining or large-scale projects, such as dams [ 25 , 26 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although the natural environment provides healthy food, such as fruits and fish, many areas of the Amazon are contaminated with pollutants (e.g., due to the absence of a sewage Foods 2021, 10, 1015 2 of 20 system or the use of mercury in traditional gold mining) influencing the quality of water and food [3]. For instance, mercury contamination was already associated in these populations to neurological impairments and an increased risk of hypertension [4][5][6]. Furthermore, the arrival of electricity and the improvement of infrastructure in some regions may be contributing to a nutrition transition in some communities [7,8], because the presence of electricity allows the improved conservation of food and increases the commerce of different products.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Eating in the Amazon: Nutritional Status of the Riverine Populations and Possible Nudge Interventions

Machado

Crespo-López

Augusto-Oliveira

et al. 2021

Foods

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The Amazon is the largest tropical forest in the world and a source of healthy food, such as fruits and fish. Surprisingly, the Amazonian riverine population present an increased prevalence (as high as 58%) of non-communicable diseases, such as hypertension and insulin resistance, even higher than that described for the urban population of the Amazon. Therefore, this work aimed to analyze the nutritional status and associated risk of the riverine population. Body mass index, waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio, and neck circumference (NC) were evaluated, and risk analysis was assayed. Furthermore, data about occupation and the prevalence of consumers of the different groups of food were analyzed. All anthropometric parameters revealed high proportions of individuals at risk, WC and NC being the factors that had more high-risk women and men, respectively. Our data confirmed the characteristic profile of the riverine communities with a high number of fish consumers, but also observed different patterns probably associated to a phenomenon of nutrition transition. Based on our data, some nudge interventions that take into account the principles of behavior analysis are discussed and proposed for these populations, aiming to improve the nutritional status and avoid the long-term consequences of the results showed by this work.

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“…Mercury used in mines is methylated by bacteria at the bottom of rivers and transformed into its most dangerous form to health, methylmercury (MeHg) [ 28 ]. This organomercurial form is a potent neurotoxin and biomagnifies along the entire aquatic trophic chain, contaminating fish, which are often the main source of protein in the diet of many indigenous and riverine communities in the Amazon [ 29 , 30 ]. Factors such as deforestation, burning and the construction of dams for hydroelectric plants intensify the formation of methylmercury and increase human exposure to this toxic substance [ 10 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Assessment of Health Outcomes and Methylmercury Exposure in Munduruku Indigenous Women of Childbearing Age and Their Children under 2 Years Old

Kempton

Périssé

Hofer

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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In line with the 1000-day initiative and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2 and 3, we present a cross-sectional analysis of maternal health, infant nutrition, and methylmercury exposure within hard-to-reach indigenous communities in the state of Pará, Brazilian Amazon. We collected data from all women of childbearing age (i.e., 12–49) and their infants under two years old in three Munduruku communities (Sawré Muybu, Sawré Aboy, and Poxo Muybu) along the Tapajos River. We explored health outcomes through interviews, vaccine coverage and clinical assessment, and determined baseline hair methylmercury (H-Hg) levels. Hemoglobin, infant growth (Anthropometric Z scores) and neurodevelopment tests results were collected. We found that 62% of women of childbearing age exceeded the reference limit of 6.0 μg/g H-Hg (median = 7.115, IQR = 4.678), with the worst affected community (Sawré Aboy) registering an average H-Hg concentration of 12.67 μg/g. Half of infants aged under 24 months presented with anemia. Three of 16 (18.8%) infants presented H-Hg levels above 6.0 µg/g (median: 3.88; IQR = 3.05). Four of the 16 infants were found to be stunted and 38% of women overweight, evidencing possible nutritional transition. No infant presented with appropriate vaccination coverage for their age. These communities presented with an estimated Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) of 86.7/1000 live births. The highest H-Hg level (19.6 µg/g) was recorded in an 11-month-old girl who was found to have gross motor delay and anemia. This already vulnerable indigenous Munduruku community presents with undernutrition and a high prevalence of chronic methylmercury exposure in women of childbearing age. This dual public health crisis in the context of wider health inequalities has the potential to compromise the development, health and survival of the developing fetus and infant in the first two critical years of life. We encourage culturally sensitive intervention and further research to focus efforts.

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Human neurotoxicity of mercury in the Amazon: A scoping review with insights and critical considerations

Cited by 75 publications

References 78 publications

Mercury Exposure in Munduruku Indigenous Communities from Brazilian Amazon: Methodological Background and an Overview of the Principal Results

Mercury Exposure in Munduruku Indigenous Communities from Brazilian Amazon: Methodological Background and an Overview of the Principal Results

Eating in the Amazon: Nutritional Status of the Riverine Populations and Possible Nudge Interventions

An Assessment of Health Outcomes and Methylmercury Exposure in Munduruku Indigenous Women of Childbearing Age and Their Children under 2 Years Old

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