Human hair mercury levels in Tucuruí area, State of Pará, Brazil

The environmental mercury contamination at the Tucuruí water reservoir was studied by measuring the amount of mercury in human hair samples collected from fishermen and their families. Samples were also collected from the Parakanã Indian reservation in the vicinity to give information about the back...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Science of the total environment 1995-12, Vol.175 (2), p.119-125
Main Authors: Leino, Tuija, Lodenius, Martin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Animals
Brazil
Child
Environmental Exposure - analysis
Female
Fishes
Food Contamination
Freshwater
Gold
Gold mining
Hair
Hair - chemistry
Humans
Male
Mercury
Mercury - analysis
Mining
Reservoir
Risk assessment
Water Pollutants, Chemical - pharmacokinetics
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Summary:The environmental mercury contamination at the Tucuruí water reservoir was studied by measuring the amount of mercury in human hair samples collected from fishermen and their families. Samples were also collected from the Parakanã Indian reservation in the vicinity to give information about the background levels in the area. The mercury concentrations in hair samples ranged from 0.9 to 240 mg/kg. The mean value in the main reservoir was 65 mg/kg. seven values exceeded 100 mg/kg and 31 values exceeded 50 mg/kg. The hair Hg concentrations amongst the fishermen in Tucuruí reservoir are high enough to cause health effects. The fetal exposure is especially alarming. Changes in gold mining practises and in the human diet are recommended.
ISSN:0048-9697
1879-1026
DOI:10.1016/0048-9697(95)04908-J