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The Influence of Changes in Lifestyle and Mercury Exposure in Riverine Populations of the Madeira River (Amazon Basin) near a Hydroelectric Project

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  • Sandra S. Hacon

    (Escola Nacional de Saúde Público Sergio Arouca—Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rua Leopoldo Bulhões, 1480 Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, 21041-210, Brazil
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • José G. Dórea

    (Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde—Universidade de Brasília, C.P. 04322, Campus—Asa Norte, Brasília, Distrito Federal, 70919-970, Brazil
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Márlon De F. Fonseca

    (Instituto Fernandes Figueira—Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Rui Barbosa, 716 Flamengo, Rio de Janeiro, 22250-020, Brazil
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Beatriz A. Oliveira

    (Escola Nacional de Saúde Público Sergio Arouca—Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rua Leopoldo Bulhões, 1480 Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, 21041-210, Brazil
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Dennys S. Mourão

    (Escola Nacional de Saúde Público Sergio Arouca—Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rua Leopoldo Bulhões, 1480 Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, 21041-210, Brazil
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Claudia M. V. Ruiz

    (Laboratório de Química da Pontifícia, Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, R. Marquês de São Vicente, 225. Gávea, Rio de Janeiro, 22451-900, Brazil
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Rodrigo A. Gonçalves

    (Laboratório de Química da Pontifícia, Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, R. Marquês de São Vicente, 225. Gávea, Rio de Janeiro, 22451-900, Brazil
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Carolina F. Mariani

    (Santo Antônio Energia, Rua Tabajara, 824—Olaria, Porto Velho, Rondônia, 76801-316, Brazil
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Wanderley R. Bastos

    (Laboratório de Biogeoquímica Ambiental Wolfgang C. Pfeiffer, Universidade Federal de Rondônia, Porto Velho, RO, 76801-974, Brazil
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

Abstract

In the Amazon Basin, naturally occurring methylmercury bioaccumulates in fish, which is a key source of protein consumed by riverine populations. The hydroelectric power-plant project at Santo Antônio Falls allows us to compare the Hg exposure of riverine populations sparsely distributed on both sides of the Madeira river before the area is to be flooded. From 2009 to 2011, we concluded a population survey of the area (N = 2,008; representing circa 80% of community residents) that estimated fish consumption and mercury exposure of riverine populations with different degrees of lifestyle related to fish consumption. Fish samples from the Madeira river (N = 1,615) and 110 species were analyzed for Hg. Hair-Hg was significantly lower ( p < 0.001) in less isolated communities near to the capital of Porto Velho (median 2.32 ppm) than in subsistence communities in the Cuniã Lake, 180 km from Porto Velho city (median 6.3 ppm). Fish Hg concentrations ranged from 0.01 to 6.06 µg/g, depending on fish size and feeding behavior. Currently available fish in the Madeira river show a wide variability in Hg concentrations. Despite cultural similarities, riparians showed hair-Hg distribution patterns that reflect changes in fish-eating habits driven by subsistence characteristics.

Suggested Citation

  • Sandra S. Hacon & José G. Dórea & Márlon De F. Fonseca & Beatriz A. Oliveira & Dennys S. Mourão & Claudia M. V. Ruiz & Rodrigo A. Gonçalves & Carolina F. Mariani & Wanderley R. Bastos, 2014. "The Influence of Changes in Lifestyle and Mercury Exposure in Riverine Populations of the Madeira River (Amazon Basin) near a Hydroelectric Project," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-19, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:11:y:2014:i:3:p:2437-2455:d:33402
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Mônica P. L. Cunha & Rejane C. Marques & José G. Dórea, 2017. "Child Nutritional Status in the Changing Socioeconomic Region of the Northern Amazon, Brazil," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    2. Adriano Teixeira de Oliveira & Paloma de Almeida Rodrigues & Alexandre Mendes Ramos Filho & Maria Fernanda da Silva Gomes & Ariany Rabello da Silva Liebl & Júlia Vianna de Pinho & Paulo Henrique Rocha, 2023. "Levels of Total Mercury and Health Risk Assessment of Consuming Freshwater Stingrays (Chondrichthyes: Potamotrygoninae) of the Brazilian Amazon," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(21), pages 1-12, October.
    3. Dalberto Lucianelli Junior & Adenilson Leão Pereira & Ozélia Sousa Santos & Maria do Carmo Faria Paes & Yuji Magalhães Ikuta & Rodrigo Silveira & Fernanda Nogueira Valentin, 2023. "Sociobehavioral, Biological, and Health Characteristics of Riverside People in the Xingu Region, Pará, Brazil," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(8), pages 1-16, April.
    4. Sandra de Souza Hacon & Marcelo Oliveira-da-Costa & Cecile de Souza Gama & Renata Ferreira & Paulo Cesar Basta & Ana Schramm & Decio Yokota, 2020. "Mercury Exposure through Fish Consumption in Traditional Communities in the Brazilian Northern Amazon," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-15, July.
    5. Claudia M. Vega & Jesem D.Y. Orellana & Marcos W. Oliveira & Sandra S. Hacon & Paulo C. Basta, 2018. "Human Mercury Exposure in Yanomami Indigenous Villages from the Brazilian Amazon," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-13, May.

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