Increase of the background human exposure to mercury through fish consumption due to gold mining at the Tapajos River Region, Para State, Amazon

• Published in: Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology 1998-08, Vol.61 (2), p.202-209
• Main Authors: Castilhos, Z.C. (Fluminense Federal University, Niteroi, Brazil.), Bidone, E.D, Lacerda, L.D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agnatha. Pisces; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Brazil; CONSOMMATION ALIMENTAIRE; CONSUMO DE ALIMENTOS; CONTAMINANTES; Diet; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on vertebrates; Environmental Exposure - analysis; FISH; Fish and seafood industries; Fishes; FOOD CONSUMPTION; Food Contamination; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gold; Humans; MERCURE; MERCURIO; MERCURY; Mercury - analysis; Mining; PARA; PESCADO; Pisces; POISSON (ALIMENT); POLLUANT; POLLUTANTS; Seafood; Tissue Distribution; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis
• ISSN: 0007-4861; 1432-0800
• DOI: 10.1007/s001289900749

In this study, we used a screening approach to compare health hazard associated with the human exposure in this contaminated site with a background exposure level, by the employment of the potential human health hazard assessment. Although this assessment may be symplistic, in particular for MeHg, it allows easy comparison between populations under different levels of exposure to a given pollutant. This method permits that the differences between contaminated and background area must be applied so that the toxicological - rather than simply the statistical - significance of the contamination can be ascertained. The knowledge of background (i.e., preimpact or "natural") environmental conditions permits the establishing of physical standard reference of the environmental quality.