Population exposure to lead and mercury in Latin America

Mercury exposure in riverine populations of Terra do Meio Extractive Reserves in the Xingu basin, Amazon, Brazil

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.

Are the first 1,000 days of life a neglected vital period to prevent the impact on maternal and infant morbimortality of infectious diseases in Latin America? Proceedings of a workshop of experts from the Latin American Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, SLIPE

While the first 1,000 days of life are a critical period in child's development, limited information on the main determinants affecting this period in the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region is available. Therefore, the Latin American Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (SLIPE) held an ad hoc workshop in May 2022 with an expert panel designed to analyze the main factors impacting the development of childhood in the region during this period and the main causes of maternal infant morbimortality. The aim was to identify priorities, generate recommendations, and advise practical actions to improve this situation. Considerations were made about the challenges involved in bridging the gap that separates the region from more developed countries regarding an optimal early childhood and maternal care. Extensive discussion was conducted to reach consensus recommendations on general strategies intended to reduce maternal and infant mortality associated with infections and immune-preventable diseases during the first 1,000 days of life in LAC.

Etlingera hemisphaerica Alters One-Dimensional Profile of Serum Proteins Due to Mercury Chloride in Rats (Rattus norvegicus)

<b>Background and Objective:</b> Several previous studies have shown that leaf ethanolic extract of <i>Etlingera hemisphaerica</i> (LE3H) has the potential to reduce the toxicity and teratogenicity effects of mercury. This study aimed to describe the effects of LE3H on the protein profile of <i>Rattus norvegicus</i> serum due to treatment with HgCl₂. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> Four groups of male rats, K1 was injected intraperitoneally (IP) HgCl₂ (5 mg kg¹ b.wt.), K2 was injected IP HgCl₂ (5 mg kg¹ b.wt.) and after 24 hrs it was gavage LE3H (0.27 mg g¹ b.wt.) every day for seven days, K3 was injected IP HgCl₂ (5 mg kg¹ b.wt.), after 24 hrs was gavage LE3H (0.55 mg g¹ b.wt.) every day for seven days. The K0 as control, received double-distilled water. On the ninth day, the experimental animals were killed via CD and blood was drawn from the heart to obtain serum. Serum samples were measured for protein content using the Lowry and serum was separated using the One-Dimensional Sodium dodecyl Sulfate-Polyacrylamide gel Electrophoresis (1D SDS-PAGE) technique. <b>Results:</b> The electropherograms showed four bands, 264.77, 219.53, 98.57 and 37.29 kDa, whose intensity significantly increased due to HgCl₂ treatment and then decreased to close to the control condition with LE3H administration. The results also revealed four bands, 31.95, 28, 06, 26, 29 and 15.09 kDa, whose intensity decreased significantly due to HgCl₂ treatment and then increased to close to the control condition by LE3H administration. <b>Conclusion:</b> The LE3H change profile of the eight blood serum protein bands due to HgCl₂ approximates the control condition in <i>R. norvegicus</i>.

Identifying contamination of heavy metals in soils of Peruvian Amazon plain: use of multivariate statistical techniques

The Peruvian Amazon plain has abundant natural resources and is home to great biodiversity, which makes it an area with high economic potential. However, the use of its resources through various activities has contributed to the release of heavy metals (HMs) into its soils, generating severe pollution problems which have mainly affected the health of local populations and their ecosystems. Currently, there are no comprehensive studies that have identified the specific sources of contamination by HMs in the soils of this part of the Peruvian territory. In this sense, this research aims to identify the possible sources of contamination by HMs in the soils of the Peruvian Amazon plain to focus efforts on the establishment of adequate measures for the protection of the health of people and the ecosystem. In the present study, samples of topsoils (0-20 cm depth) and subsoils (100-150 cm depth) were collected for the analysis of 11 HMs (Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, Zn, Be, and Hg) in 48 sites located in four regions of the Peruvian Amazon plain (Loreto, Amazonas, San Martín, and Ucayali), over the year 2019. The enrichment factor and geoaccumulation index were applied to assess contamination levels of HMs. The results indicated that topsoils and subsoils presented a greater enrichment by the elements Be and Pb, and were classified as moderately contaminated. Likewise, the integral analysis of these indexes together with principal component analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis, correlation analysis, and coefficient of variation allowed the identification of potential sources of contamination by HMs. As a result, Fe, Co, Zn, Ni, V, and Cr were associated with natural or lithogenic sources (parent material, crude oil deposits, and organic matter decomposition). Hg was attributed to anthropogenic sources (illegal gold mining, atmospheric deposition, and vehicle emissions). Be, Pb, Cu, and Mn originated from natural sources (parent material, crude oil deposits, decomposition of organic matter, and forest fires) and anthropogenic (areas degraded by solid waste, illegal gold mining, agriculture, and hydrocarbons). These findings provide essential information to establish regulations and prevent and control HM contamination in soils of the Peruvian Amazon plain.