1
|
Escobar-Camacho D, Rosero-López D, Ruiz-Urigüen M, Barragán KS, Carpintero-Salvador N, Daza JR, Aldous A, Benítez S, Tear T, Encalada AC. Mercury in aquatic ecosystems of two indigenous communities in the Piedmont Ecuadorian Amazon: evidence from fish, water, and sediments. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2024; 33:440-456. [PMID: 38847980 PMCID: PMC11213792 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-024-02764-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Mercury is a highly toxic element present in water, soil, air, and biota. Anthropogenic activities, such as burning fossil fuels, mining, and deforestation, contribute to the presence and mobilization of mercury between environmental compartments. Although current research on mercury pathways has advanced our understanding of the risks associated with human exposure, limited information exists for remote areas with high diversity of fauna, flora, and indigenous communities. This study aims to deepen our understanding of the presence of total mercury in water, sediments, and fish, within aquatic ecosystems of two indigenous territories: Gomataon (Waorani Nationality) and Sinangoé (Ai´Cofán Nationality) in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Our findings indicate that, for most fish (91.5%), sediment (100%) and water (95.3%) samples, mercury levels fall under international limits. For fish, no significant differences in mercury levels were detected between the two communities. However, eight species exceeded recommended global limits, and one surpassed the threshold according to Ecuadorian legislation. Piscivore and omnivore fish exhibited the highest concentrations of total mercury among trophic guilds. Only one water sample from each community's territory exceeded these limits. Total mercury in sediments exhibited greater concentrations in Gomataon than Sinangoé. Greater levels of mercury in sediments were associated with the occurrence of total organic carbon. Considering that members of the communities consume the analyzed fish, an interdisciplinary approach, including isotopic analysis, methylmercury sampling in humans, and mercury monitoring over time, is imperative for a detailed risk assessment of mercury exposure in Amazonian communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Escobar-Camacho
- Laboratorio de Ecología Acuática, Instituto BIOSFERA, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, 170150, Ecuador.
| | - Daniela Rosero-López
- Laboratorio de Ecología Acuática, Instituto BIOSFERA, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, 170150, Ecuador
| | - Melany Ruiz-Urigüen
- Core Lab de Ciencias Ambientales, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, 170901, Ecuador
- Ingeniería Ambiental, Colegio de Ciencias e Ingenierías, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Karla S Barragán
- Laboratorio de Ecología Acuática, Instituto BIOSFERA, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, 170150, Ecuador
| | | | - José R Daza
- Laboratorio de Ecología Acuática, Instituto BIOSFERA, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, 170150, Ecuador
| | | | | | - Timothy Tear
- Biodiversity Research Institute, Portland, ME, USA
| | - Andrea C Encalada
- Laboratorio de Ecología Acuática, Instituto BIOSFERA, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, 170150, Ecuador
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Evers DC, Ackerman JT, Åkerblom S, Bally D, Basu N, Bishop K, Bodin N, Braaten HFV, Burton MEH, Bustamante P, Chen C, Chételat J, Christian L, Dietz R, Drevnick P, Eagles-Smith C, Fernandez LE, Hammerschlag N, Harmelin-Vivien M, Harte A, Krümmel EM, Brito JL, Medina G, Barrios Rodriguez CA, Stenhouse I, Sunderland E, Takeuchi A, Tear T, Vega C, Wilson S, Wu P. Global mercury concentrations in biota: their use as a basis for a global biomonitoring framework. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2024; 33:325-396. [PMID: 38683471 PMCID: PMC11213816 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-024-02747-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
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.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David C Evers
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA.
| | - Joshua T Ackerman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA
| | | | - Dominique Bally
- African Center for Environmental Health, BP 826 Cidex 03, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Nil Basu
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Kevin Bishop
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Upsalla, Sweden
| | - Nathalie Bodin
- Research Institute for Sustainable Development Seychelles Fishing Authority, Victoria, Seychelles
| | | | - Mark E H Burton
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
| | - Celia Chen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - John Chételat
- Environment and Cliamte Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Linroy Christian
- Department of Analytical Services, Dunbars, Friars Hill, St John, Antigua and Barbuda
| | - Rune Dietz
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Paul Drevnick
- Teck American Incorporated, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Collin Eagles-Smith
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Luis E Fernandez
- Sabin Center for Environment and Sustainability and Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, 29106, USA
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazonica (CINCIA), Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, Peru
| | - Neil Hammerschlag
- Shark Research Foundation Inc, 29 Wideview Lane, Boutiliers Point, NS, B3Z 0M9, Canada
| | - Mireille Harmelin-Vivien
- Aix-Marseille Université, Université de Toulon, CNRS/INSU/IRD, Institut Méditerranéen d'Océanologie (MIO), UM 110, Campus de Luminy, case 901, 13288, Marseille, cedex 09, France
| | - Agustin Harte
- Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions Secretariat, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Chem. des Anémones 15, 1219, Vernier, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Eva M Krümmel
- Inuit Circumpolar Council-Canada, Ottawa, Canada and ScienTissiME Inc, Barry's Bay, ON, Canada
| | - José Lailson Brito
- Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Sao Francisco Xavier, 524, Sala 4002, CEP 20550-013, Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Medina
- Director of Basel Convention Coordinating Centre, Stockholm Convention Regional Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean, Hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | | | - Iain Stenhouse
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Elsie Sunderland
- Harvard University, Pierce Hall 127, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Akinori Takeuchi
- National Institute for Environmental Studies, Health and Environmental Risk Division, 16-2 Onogawa Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8506, Japan
| | - Tim Tear
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Claudia Vega
- Centro de Innovaccion Cientifica Amazonica (CINCIA), Jiron Ucayali 750, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 17001, Peru
| | - Simon Wilson
- Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) Secretariat, N-9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Pianpian Wu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
de Castro Moita MD, da Silva Júnior FMR, da Silva Pereira T, Marinho RB, Vitorio EO, Pellegrino ÉFC, da Conceição Nascimento Pinheiro M, Santos OS. Mercury exposure in riverine populations of Terra do Meio Extractive Reserves in the Xingu basin, Amazon, Brazil. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2024; 46:88. [PMID: 38367142 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-024-01853-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
Amazon is a hotspot for mercury (Hg) contamination and Terra do Meio region, despite its protected status for sustainable use, has never been monitored for this element. Looking to address this gap, this study aimed to quantify capillary Hg concentration in riverine populations of Terra do Meio (Xingu Basin, Central Amazon, Brazil) and associated factors with high Hg levels (90 percentile). Hair samples from 182 individuals from Iriri, Riozinho do Anfrísio and Xingu Extractive Reserves (RESEX), aged between 18 and 70 years old, were collected to measure total mercury levels (HgT), and socioeconomic, demographic, and clinical-epidemiological data were annotated. Overall, high levels of Hg were observed (mean 4.985 µg/g, median 3.531 µg/g) with significant differences between localities. Among the factors related to high capillary Hg levels, male gender, smoking habit, work in agriculture, livestock or extractivism, and residence in Iriri and Riozinho do Anfrísio RESEX were highlighted. A high prevalence of symptoms related to Hg intoxication, including anxiety, memory deficit, and lower limb problems, was observed. Overall, the results reveal that communities in these RESEXs are exposed to Hg and appear to be suffering from chronic health effects. Considering the increased anthropogenic alterations observed recently in the Amazon region and the subsequent amplified environmental bioavailability of Hg, further studies and mitigating actions are critical. This includes better surveillance of illegal anthropic activities and provision of ongoing education on this matter and incentives for dietary adaptations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tatiana da Silva Pereira
- Universidade Federal do Pará - Campus Altamira, Rua Coronel José Porfírio, 2515, Altamira, PA, CEP: 68372-040, Brazil
| | - Renatta Barbosa Marinho
- Universidade Federal do Pará - Campus Altamira, Rua Coronel José Porfírio, 2515, Altamira, PA, CEP: 68372-040, Brazil
| | - Emanuely Oliveira Vitorio
- Universidade Federal do Pará - Campus Altamira, Rua Coronel José Porfírio, 2515, Altamira, PA, CEP: 68372-040, Brazil
| | | | | | - Ozélia Sousa Santos
- Universidade Federal do Pará - Campus Altamira, Rua Coronel José Porfírio, 2515, Altamira, PA, CEP: 68372-040, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lucianelli Junior D, Pereira AL, Santos OS, Paes MDCF, Ikuta YM, Silveira R, Valentin FN. Sociobehavioral, Biological, and Health Characteristics of Riverside People in the Xingu Region, Pará, Brazil. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:ijerph20085542. [PMID: 37107824 PMCID: PMC10138798 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20085542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the sociodemographic, behavioral, and biological profile and its relationship with the emergence of chronic non-communicable diseases in riverside populations in the Xingu region, Pará, Brazil. Characteristics related to health indicators and which risk factors are considered most important were analyzed. This is a cross-sectional, exploratory, and descriptive study. The sample consisted of riverside people of over 18 years of both sexes. The sample size (n = 86) was calculated with a confidence level of 95% and a sample error of 5%. The K-means clustering algorithm was adopted through an unsupervised method to divide the groups, and the values were expressed as a median. For continuous and categorical data, the Mann-Whitney and chi-square tests were used, respectively, and the significance level was set at p < 5%. The multi-layer perceptron algorithm was applied to classify the degree of importance of each variable. Based on this information, the sample was divided into two groups: the group with low or no education, with bad habits and worse health conditions, and the group with opposite characteristics. The risk factors considered for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes in the groups were low education (p < 0.001), sedentary lifestyle (p < 0.01), smoking, alcoholism, body mass index (p < 0.05), and waist-hip ratio, with values above the expected being observed in both groups. The factors considered important so as to be considered to have good health condition or not were the educational and social conditions of these communities, and one part of the riverside population was considered healthier than the other.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dalberto Lucianelli Junior
- Postgraduate Program in Health of Amazon, Nucleus of Tropical Medicine, Federal University of Pará, Belém 66075-110, Brazil
- Faculty of Medicine, Airport Campus, University of Uberaba “Uniube”, Uberaba 38055-500, Brazil
| | - Adenilson Leão Pereira
- Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Pará, Altamira 68372-040, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Biodiversity and Conservation, Federal University of Pará, Belém 66075-110, Brazil
| | | | - Maria do Carmo Faria Paes
- Institute for Environmental Research, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Yuji Magalhães Ikuta
- Postgraduate Program in Health of Amazon, Nucleus of Tropical Medicine, Federal University of Pará, Belém 66075-110, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Silveira
- Capital Campus: Cidade Universitária Armando de Salles Oliveira (CUASO), University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-065, Brazil
- Correspondence: (R.S.); (F.N.V.)
| | - Fernanda Nogueira Valentin
- Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Pará, Altamira 68372-040, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Biodiversity and Conservation, Federal University of Pará, Belém 66075-110, Brazil
- Correspondence: (R.S.); (F.N.V.)
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
da Silva Montes C, Fernandes da Paixão L, Nunes B, Pimentel Nunes ZM, Pantoja Ferreira MA, Martins da Rocha R. Investigating spatial-temporal contamination for two environments of the Amazon estuary: A multivariate approach. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 185:105883. [PMID: 36709654 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.105883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
An assessment of environmental quality in Amazonian estuaries utilizing histological and immunohistochemical biomarkers concomitantly with analyses of trace metals in the tissues of Sciades herzbergii, also considering physical chemical analyzes of the water. 352 animals were captured from two sites and during two periods (dry and rainy). Site 1: São Marcos Bay - heavy anthropic influence and Site 2: Caeté estuary-preserved estuary. In the laboratory, the fish were weighed (g) and measured (cm). Fragments of gills and liver were analyzed using histology and immunohistochemistry (Caspase 3). The specimens from Site 1 presented a low-value condition factor, with the highest concentrations of Al, Cd, and Hg appearing in the muscle, and most severe damages to gills and liver. In contrast, individuals from Site 2 presented a high-value condition factor and showed low metal concentrations in the muscle with only slight tissue lesions. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that seasonal changes affect metal modulation and pathologies in fish at Site 1. The sentinel species chosen in this study is considered a strong bioindicator of pollution and the combination of different biomarkers was efficient in providing a clear view of the signs of exposure to pollutants, and the risks posed to fish health by the presence of metals in the environment, especially in Site 1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caroline da Silva Montes
- Laboratory of Cellular Ultrastructure and Immunohistochemistry, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém, Pará, 66075-110, Brazil; Department of Zoology, Faculty of Natural Science and Oceanography, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
| | - Leonardo Fernandes da Paixão
- Laboratory of Cellular Ultrastructure and Immunohistochemistry, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém, Pará, 66075-110, Brazil
| | - Bruno Nunes
- Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar (CESAM), Universidade de Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal; Departamento de Biologia, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Zélia Maria Pimentel Nunes
- Instituto de Estudos Costeiros, Universidade Federal do Pará, Alameda Leandro Ribeiro S/n Aldeia, Bragança, PA, 68600-000, Brazil
| | - Maria Auxiliadora Pantoja Ferreira
- Laboratory of Cellular Ultrastructure and Immunohistochemistry, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém, Pará, 66075-110, Brazil
| | - Rossineide Martins da Rocha
- Laboratory of Cellular Ultrastructure and Immunohistochemistry, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém, Pará, 66075-110, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|