IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i24p13350-d705724.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Efficacy of Hair Total Mercury Content as a Biomarker of Methylmercury Exposure to Communities in the Area of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining in Madre de Dios, Peru

Author

Listed:
  • Faye Koenigsmark

    (Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA)

  • Caren Weinhouse

    (Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA)

  • Axel J. Berky

    (Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, 9 Circuit Drive, Durham, NC 27710, USA)

  • Ana Maria Morales

    (Centro Nacional de Salud Intercultural, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Ministerio de Salud, Cápac Yupanqui 1400-Jesus María, Lima 15027, Peru)

  • Ernesto J. Ortiz

    (Duke Global Health Innovation Center, Duke University, 310 Blackwell Street, Durham, NC 27701, USA)

  • Eric M. Pierce

    (Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA)

  • William K. Pan

    (Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, 9 Circuit Drive, Durham, NC 27710, USA
    Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, 310 Trent Drive, Durham, NC 27710, USA)

  • Heileen Hsu-Kim

    (Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA)

Abstract

Total mercury content (THg) in hair is an accepted biomarker for chronic dietary methylmercury (MeHg) exposure. In artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) communities, the validity of this biomarker is questioned because of the potential for contamination from inorganic mercury. As mining communities may have both inorganic and organic mercury exposures, the efficacy of the hair-THg biomarker needs to be evaluated, particularly as nations begin population exposure assessments under their commitments to the Minamata Convention. We sought to validate the efficacy of hair THg for public health monitoring of MeHg exposures for populations living in ASGM communities. We quantified both THg and MeHg contents in hair from a representative subset of participants (N = 287) in a large, population-level mercury exposure assessment in the ASGM region in Madre de Dios (MDD), Peru. We compared population MeHg-THg correlations and %MeHg values with demographic variables including community location, sex, occupation, and nativity. We observed that hair MeHg-THg correlations were high (r > 0.7) for all communities, regardless of location or nativity. Specifically, for individuals within ASGM communities, 81% (121 of 150 total) had hair THg predominantly in the form of MeHg (i.e., >66% of THg) and reflective of dietary exposure to mercury. Furthermore, for individuals with hair THg exceeding the U.S. EPA threshold (1.0 μg/g), 88 out of 106 (83%) had MeHg as the predominant form. As a result, had urine THg solely been used for mercury exposure monitoring, approximately 59% of the ASGM population would have been misclassified as having low mercury exposure. Our results support the use of hair THg for monitoring of MeHg exposure of populations in ASGM settings where alternative biomarkers of MeHg exposure are not feasible.

Suggested Citation

  • Faye Koenigsmark & Caren Weinhouse & Axel J. Berky & Ana Maria Morales & Ernesto J. Ortiz & Eric M. Pierce & William K. Pan & Heileen Hsu-Kim, 2021. "Efficacy of Hair Total Mercury Content as a Biomarker of Methylmercury Exposure to Communities in the Area of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining in Madre de Dios, Peru," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-16, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:24:p:13350-:d:705724
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/24/13350/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/24/13350/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Niladri Basu & Edith Clarke & Allyson Green & Benedict Calys-Tagoe & Laurie Chan & Mawuli Dzodzomenyo & Julius Fobil & Rachel N. Long & Richard L. Neitzel & Samuel Obiri & Eric Odei & Lauretta Ovadje , 2015. "Integrated Assessment of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining in Ghana—Part 1: Human Health Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-34, May.
    2. 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.
    3. Gerardo Martinez & Stephen A. McCord & Charles T. Driscoll & Svetoslava Todorova & Steven Wu & Julio F. Araújo & Claudia M. Vega & Luis E. Fernandez, 2018. "Mercury Contamination in Riverine Sediments and Fish Associated with Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining in Madre de Dios, Peru," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-15, July.
    4. Lauren Wyatt & Ernesto J. Ortiz & Beth Feingold & Axel Berky & Sarah Diringer & Ana Maria Morales & Elvis Rojas Jurado & Heileen Hsu-Kim & William Pan, 2017. "Spatial, Temporal, and Dietary Variables Associated with Elevated Mercury Exposure in Peruvian Riverine Communities Upstream and Downstream of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-23, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Paulo Cesar Basta & Paulo Victor de Sousa Viana & Ana Claudia Santiago de Vasconcellos & André Reynaldo Santos Périssé & Cristina Barroso Hofer & Natalia Santana Paiva & Joseph William Kempton & Danie, 2021. "Mercury Exposure in Munduruku Indigenous Communities from Brazilian Amazon: Methodological Background and an Overview of the Principal Results," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-32, September.
    2. Katrina N. Burns & Kan Sun & Julius N. Fobil & Richard L. Neitzel, 2016. "Heart Rate, Stress, and Occupational Noise Exposure among Electronic Waste Recycling Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-16, January.
    3. Mozhgon Rajaee & Rachel N. Long & Elisha P. Renne & Niladri Basu, 2015. "Mercury Exposure Assessment and Spatial Distribution in A Ghanaian Small-Scale Gold Mining Community," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-28, September.
    4. Clifford Amoako & Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa & Kofi Appiah Koranteng, 2023. "Survival now, sustainability later: the emerging artisanal mining and the dying agricultural livelihoods in the Akyem Abuakwa traditional area of Ghana," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(2), pages 1645-1666, February.
    5. Satomi Kimijima & Masayuki Sakakibara & Masahiko Nagai, 2021. "Detection of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Activities and Their Transformation Using Earth Observation, Nighttime Light, and Precipitation Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-12, October.
    6. Nurfitri Abdul Gafur & Masayuki Sakakibara & Satoru Komatsu & Sakae Sano & Koichiro Sera, 2022. "Environmental Survey of the Distribution and Metal Contents of Pteris vittata in Arsenic–Lead–Mercury-Contaminated Gold Mining Areas along the Bone River in Gorontalo Province, Indonesia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-13, January.
    7. Hermínio Cossa & Rahel Scheidegger & Andrea Leuenberger & Priska Ammann & Khátia Munguambe & Jürg Utzinger & Eusébio Macete & Mirko S. Winkler, 2021. "Health Studies in the Context of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-24, February.
    8. Benedict N. L. Calys-Tagoe & Lauretta Ovadje & Edith Clarke & Niladri Basu & Thomas Robins, 2015. "Injury Profiles Associated with Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining in Tarkwa, Ghana," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-16, July.
    9. Russell Dowling & Bret Ericson & Jack Caravanos & Patrick Grigsby & Yaw Amoyaw-Osei, 2015. "Spatial Associations Between Contaminated Land and Socio Demographics in Ghana," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-15, October.
    10. Lauren Wyatt & Sallie Robey Permar & Ernesto Ortiz & Axel Berky & Christopher W. Woods & Genevieve Fouda Amouou & Hannah Itell & Heileen Hsu-Kim & William Pan, 2019. "Mercury Exposure and Poor Nutritional Status Reduce Response to Six Expanded Program on Immunization Vaccines in Children: An Observational Cohort Study of Communities Affected by Gold Mining in the P," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-22, February.
    11. Win Thiri Kyaw & Masayuki Sakakibara, 2022. "Transdisciplinary Communities of Practice to Resolve Health Problems in Southeast Asian Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Communities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-17, April.
    12. E. Kyeremateng-Amoah & Edith E. Clarke, 2015. "Injuries among Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Miners in Ghana," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-11, September.
    13. Katherine von Stackelberg & Pamela R.D. Williams & Ernesto Sánchez-Triana, 2021. "A Systematic Framework for Collecting Site-Specific Sampling and Survey Data to Support Analyses of Health Impacts from Land-Based Pollution in Low- and Middle-Income Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-24, April.
    14. Alycia K. Silman & Raveena Chhabria & George W. Hafzalla & Leahanne Giffin & Kimberly Kucharski & Katherine Myers & Carlos Culquichicón & Stephanie Montero & Andres G. Lescano & Claudia M. Vega & Luis, 2022. "Impairment in Working Memory and Executive Function Associated with Mercury Exposure in Indigenous Populations in Upper Amazonian Peru," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-25, September.
    15. Wireko-Gyebi, Rejoice Selorm & Asibey, Michael Osei & Baah-Ennumh, Theresa Yaaba, 2022. "Planning for the effective and sustainable management of Ghana’s artisanal small-scale gold mining industry," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    16. Mozhgon Rajaee & Samuel Obiri & Allyson Green & Rachel Long & Samuel J. Cobbina & Vincent Nartey & David Buck & Edward Antwi & Niladri Basu, 2015. "Integrated Assessment of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining in Ghana—Part 2: Natural Sciences Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-41, July.
    17. Satomi Kimijima & Masayuki Sakakibara & Masahiko Nagai & Nurfitri Abdul Gafur, 2021. "Time-Series Assessment of Camp-Type Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Sectors with Large Influxes of Miners Using LANDSAT Imagery," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-14, September.
    18. Lauren Wyatt & Ernesto J. Ortiz & Beth Feingold & Axel Berky & Sarah Diringer & Ana Maria Morales & Elvis Rojas Jurado & Heileen Hsu-Kim & William Pan, 2017. "Spatial, Temporal, and Dietary Variables Associated with Elevated Mercury Exposure in Peruvian Riverine Communities Upstream and Downstream of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-23, December.
    19. Dingani Moyo & Ronald Ncube & Fungai Kavenga & Lilian Chikwava & Tawanda Mapuranga & Nathan Chiboyiwa & Chipo Chimunhu & Frank Mudzingwa & Orippa Muzvidziwa & Petronella Ncube & Tariro Christwish Mand, 2022. "The Triple Burden of Tuberculosis, Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Silicosis among Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners in Zimbabwe," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-14, October.
    20. Sri Manovita Pateda & Masayuki Sakakibara & Koichiro Sera, 2021. "Element Rich Area Associated with Human Health Disorders: A Geomedical Science Approach to Potentially Toxic Elements Contamination," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-9, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:24:p:13350-:d:705724. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.