Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Human exposure to mercury due to goldmining in the Tapajos River basin, Amazon, Brazil: Speciation of mercury in human hair, blood and urine

  • Published:
Water, Air, and Soil Pollution Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

To obtain the basic information on human exposure to mercury (Hg) due to gold mining activities in Amazon, total mercury (T-Hg) and methylmercury (MeI Ig) were determined for human hair, blood and/or urine samples collected from populations living in gold mining area and fishing villages upstream of the Tapajos River basin. Abnormally high levels of T-Hg were observed in hair and blood from all fishing villages investigated and more than 90% of T-Hg was in the form of MeHg in both samples, whereas in goldrnining area the value were much lower and the %MeHg values varied widely (20–100%) with individuals even in blood samples. Urine from gold shop workers contained Hg mostly in inorganic form at 165μg/g creatinine on the average, with the range of 20 to 450μg/g creatinine. A good correlation between Hg in hair and blood was found in fishing villages and the ratios of hair Hg to blood Hg were very close to 250, generally established for MeHg. T-Hg and inorganic Hg levels in urine from gold shop workers were also significantly correlated with inorganic Hg in blood.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Akagi, H., Nishimura, H.:1991, Advances in Mercury Toxicology, Plenum Press, USA, p. 53–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Akagi, H., Malm. O., Kinjo, Y., Harada, M., Branches, F., Preiffer, W.C, Kato, H.:1994, Sci. Total Environ., Submitted.

  • Lacerda, L.D., Preiffer, W.C., Ott, A.T., Sillveira, E.G.: 1989, Biotropica21, 91–93.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lindstedt, G., Gottberg, I., Holmgren, B., Jonsson, T., Karlsson, G.: 1979, J. Work Environ. Health5, 59–69.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malm, O., Preiffer, W.C., Souza, C.M.M., Reuther, R.: 1990, AMBIO19, 11–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Matsuo, N., Suzuki, T., Akagi, H.: 1989, Arch. Environ.Health44 (5), 298–303.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martinelli, L.A., Ferreira, J.R., Forsberg, B.R., Victoria, R.L.: 1988, AMBIO17, 252–254.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pfeiffer, W.C., Lacerda, L.D.: 1988, Environ. Technol. Lett.9, 325–330.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pfeiffer, W.C., Lacerda, L.D., Malm, O., Souza, C.M.M., Silveira, E., Bastos, W.R.: 1989, Sci. Total Environ.87, 233–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pfeiffer, W.C., Malm, O., Souza, C.M.M., Lacerda, L.D., Silveira, E.G., Bastons, W.R.: 1992, Forest Ecol. Management38, 239–245.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roels, H., Abdeladim, S., Ceulemans, E., Lauwerys, R.: 1987, Ann. Occup. Hyg.31 (2), 135–145

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, K.J., Vorwald, A.J., Patil, L. S., Mooney, T.F.: 1970, Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J.31, 687–700.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suzuki, T., Hongo, T., Yoshinaga, J., Imai, H., Nakagawa, M., Matsuo, N., Akagi, H. H.,: 1993, Arch. Environ. Health48 (4), 221–229.

    Google Scholar 

  • WHO: 1990, IPCS — Methylmercury — Environmental Health Criteria 101, 42–58, 76–99.

    Google Scholar 

  • WHO: 1991, IPCS — Inorganic Mercury — Environ. Health Criteria 118, 84–114.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology, National Institute for Minamata Disease, Minamata, 867, Kumamoto, Japan

    H. Akagi, Y. Kinjo, K. Haraguchi & H. Kato

  2. Laboratorio de Radioisotopos, Instituto de Biofisica Carlos Chagas Filho, UFRJ, 21941, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil

    O. Malm, F. J. P. Branches, J. R. D. Guimaraes, R. B. Oliveira & W. C. Pfeiffer

  3. Department of Hygiene, Faculty of Medicine, Yokohama City University, Fukuura,Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, 236, Kanagawa, Japan

    Y. Kashima

  4. Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Hondo, 010, Akita, Japan

    Y. Takizawa

Authors
  1. H. Akagi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. O. Malm
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. F. J. P. Branches
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Y. Kinjo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Y. Kashima
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. J. R. D. Guimaraes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. R. B. Oliveira
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. K. Haraguchi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. W. C. Pfeiffer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Y. Takizawa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. H. Kato
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Akagi, H., Malm, O., Branches, F.J.P. et al. Human exposure to mercury due to goldmining in the Tapajos River basin, Amazon, Brazil: Speciation of mercury in human hair, blood and urine. Water Air Soil Pollut 80, 85–94 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01189656

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01189656

Keywords

Search

Navigation