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Christian LD, Burton MEH, Mohammed A, Nelson W, Shah TA, Bertide-Josiah L, Yurek HG, Evers DC. An evaluation of fish and invertebrate mercury concentrations in the Caribbean Region. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2024:10.1007/s10646-024-02754-y. [PMID: 38836941 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-024-02754-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Mercury is a ubiquitous pollutant of global concern but the threat of exposure is not homogenously distributed at local, regional, or global scales. The primary route of human exposure to mercury is through consumption of aquatic foods, which are culturally and economically important in the wider Caribbean Region, especially for Small Island Developing States (SIDS). We compiled more than 1600 samples of 108 unique species of fish and aquatic invertebrates collected between 2005 and 2023 from eleven countries or territories in the wider Caribbean Region. There was wide variability in total mercury concentrations with 55% of samples below the 0.23 µg/g wet weight (ww) guideline from the U.S. FDA/EPA (2022) for 2 or 3 weekly servings and 26% exceeding the 0.46 µg/g ww guideline consistent with adverse effects on human health from continual consumption, particularly for sensitive populations. Significant relationships were found between total mercury concentrations and taxonomic family, sampling country, fish length, and trophic level. The data analyzed here support the need for further sampling with concrete geospatial data to better understand patterns and mechanisms in mercury concentrations and allow for more informed decision making on the consumption of fish and invertebrates from the wider Caribbean Region as well as supporting efforts to evaluate the effectiveness of national, regional, and international mercury policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linroy D Christian
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Trade and Barbuda Affairs, St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda.
| | | | - Azad Mohammed
- The University of The West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
| | - Wendy Nelson
- Institute of Marine Affairs, Chaguaramas, Trinidad and Tobago
| | | | - Laël Bertide-Josiah
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Trade and Barbuda Affairs, St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda
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2
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Evers DC, Ackerman JT, Åkerblom S, Bally D, Basu N, Bishop K, Bodin N, Braaten HFV, Burton MEH, Bustamante P, Chen C, Chételat J, Christian L, Dietz R, Drevnick P, Eagles-Smith C, Fernandez LE, Hammerschlag N, Harmelin-Vivien M, Harte A, Krümmel EM, Brito JL, Medina G, Barrios Rodriguez CA, Stenhouse I, Sunderland E, Takeuchi A, Tear T, Vega C, Wilson S, Wu P. Global mercury concentrations in biota: their use as a basis for a global biomonitoring framework. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2024:10.1007/s10646-024-02747-x. [PMID: 38683471 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-024-02747-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
An important provision of the Minamata Convention on Mercury is to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the adopted measures and its implementation. Here, we describe for the first time currently available biotic mercury (Hg) data on a global scale to improve the understanding of global efforts to reduce the impact of Hg pollution on people and the environment. Data from the peer-reviewed literature were compiled in the Global Biotic Mercury Synthesis (GBMS) database (>550,000 data points). These data provide a foundation for establishing a biomonitoring framework needed to track Hg concentrations in biota globally. We describe Hg exposure in the taxa identified by the Minamata Convention: fish, sea turtles, birds, and marine mammals. Based on the GBMS database, Hg concentrations are presented at relevant geographic scales for continents and oceanic basins. We identify some effective regional templates for monitoring methylmercury (MeHg) availability in the environment, but overall illustrate that there is a general lack of regional biomonitoring initiatives around the world, especially in Africa, Australia, Indo-Pacific, Middle East, and South Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Temporal trend data for Hg in biota are generally limited. Ecologically sensitive sites (where biota have above average MeHg tissue concentrations) have been identified throughout the world. Efforts to model and quantify ecosystem sensitivity locally, regionally, and globally could help establish effective and efficient biomonitoring programs. We present a framework for a global Hg biomonitoring network that includes a three-step continental and oceanic approach to integrate existing biomonitoring efforts and prioritize filling regional data gaps linked with key Hg sources. We describe a standardized approach that builds on an evidence-based evaluation to assess the Minamata Convention's progress to reduce the impact of global Hg pollution on people and the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Evers
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA.
| | - Joshua T Ackerman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA
| | | | - Dominique Bally
- African Center for Environmental Health, BP 826 Cidex 03, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Nil Basu
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Kevin Bishop
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Upsalla, Sweden
| | - Nathalie Bodin
- Research Institute for Sustainable Development Seychelles Fishing Authority, Victoria, Seychelles
| | | | - Mark E H Burton
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
| | - Celia Chen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - John Chételat
- Environment and Cliamte Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Linroy Christian
- Department of Analytical Services, Dunbars, Friars Hill, St John, Antigua and Barbuda
| | - Rune Dietz
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Paul Drevnick
- Teck American Incorporated, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Collin Eagles-Smith
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Luis E Fernandez
- Sabin Center for Environment and Sustainability and Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, 29106, USA
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazonica (CINCIA), Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, Peru
| | - Neil Hammerschlag
- Shark Research Foundation Inc, 29 Wideview Lane, Boutiliers Point, NS, B3Z 0M9, Canada
| | - Mireille Harmelin-Vivien
- Aix-Marseille Université, Université de Toulon, CNRS/INSU/IRD, Institut Méditerranéen d'Océanologie (MIO), UM 110, Campus de Luminy, case 901, 13288, Marseille, cedex 09, France
| | - Agustin Harte
- Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions Secretariat, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Chem. des Anémones 15, 1219, Vernier, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Eva M Krümmel
- Inuit Circumpolar Council-Canada, Ottawa, Canada and ScienTissiME Inc, Barry's Bay, ON, Canada
| | - José Lailson Brito
- Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Sao Francisco Xavier, 524, Sala 4002, CEP 20550-013, Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Medina
- Director of Basel Convention Coordinating Centre, Stockholm Convention Regional Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean, Hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | | | - Iain Stenhouse
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Elsie Sunderland
- Harvard University, Pierce Hall 127, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Akinori Takeuchi
- National Institute for Environmental Studies, Health and Environmental Risk Division, 16-2 Onogawa Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8506, Japan
| | - Tim Tear
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Claudia Vega
- Centro de Innovaccion Cientifica Amazonica (CINCIA), Jiron Ucayali 750, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 17001, Peru
| | - Simon Wilson
- Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) Secretariat, N-9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Pianpian Wu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
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de Lacerda LD, de Almeida R, Bastos WR. A 35-Year Record (1987-2022) of Hg Concentrations in Two of the Fish Species Most Consumed by People Living in the Upper Madeira River Basin, Brazilian Amazon Region. TOXICS 2024; 12:144. [PMID: 38393239 PMCID: PMC10892673 DOI: 10.3390/toxics12020144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
This study presents a 35-year record of total mercury (Hg) concentrations in the detritivore fish Prochilodus nigricans (Curimatã) and the carnivore Cichla pleiozona (Tucunaré), two of the most widely distributed, ecologically important and consumed fish species in the upper Madeira River Basin in the Western Brazilian Amazon. Fish samples from the major Madeira River and marginal lakes and tributaries were compared. Irrespective of site, Hg concentrations were higher in the carnivore fish compared to the detritivore. Hg concentrations increased 5-fold in C. pleiozona in the past three decades, whereas they remained relatively constant in P. nigricans when analyzing the entire 35-year period. When analyzed separately, fish in the main river and marginal lake and tributaries presented the same pattern of Hg variation, with a significant increase in Hg concentrations in the carnivore and in the detritivore in marginal lakes and tributaries but not in the main river. This was in line with the increase in methyl-Hg production in tributaries, mostly associated with deforestation in the past decade in the basin. Although an increase in direct emissions from artisanal gold mining also occurred in the past decade, this caused virtually no impact on fish Hg concentrations, suggesting atmospheric emission and deposition in forests and further export to water systems as an intermediate link with fish Hg concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiz Drude de Lacerda
- Laboratório de Biogeoquímica Costeira, Instituto de Ciências do Mar (LBC-LABOMAR), Universidade Federal do Ceará, Av. da Abolição, 3207 Meireles, Fortaleza 60165-081, CE, Brazil
| | - Ronaldo de Almeida
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Desenvolvimento Regional e Meio Ambiente, Laboratório de Biogeoquímica Ambiental Wolfgang C. Pfeiffer, Universidade Federal de Rondônia, Av. Pres. Dutra, 2967 Olaria, Porto Velho 76801-059, RO, Brazil; (R.d.A.); (W.R.B.)
| | - Wanderley Rodrigues Bastos
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Desenvolvimento Regional e Meio Ambiente, Laboratório de Biogeoquímica Ambiental Wolfgang C. Pfeiffer, Universidade Federal de Rondônia, Av. Pres. Dutra, 2967 Olaria, Porto Velho 76801-059, RO, Brazil; (R.d.A.); (W.R.B.)
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Koenigsmark F, Chiu M, Rivera N, Johs A, Eskelsen J, Leonard D, Robertson BK, Szynkiewicz A, Derolph C, Zhao L, Gu B, Hsu-Kim H, Pierce EM. Crystal lattice defects in nanocrystalline metacinnabar in contaminated streambank soils suggest a role for biogenic sulfides in the formation of mercury sulfide phases. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2023; 25:445-460. [PMID: 36692344 DOI: 10.1039/d1em00549a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
At mercury (Hg)-contaminated sites, streambank erosion can act as a main mobilizer of Hg into nearby waterbodies. Once deposited into the waters, mercury from these soils can be transformed to MeHg by microorganisms. It is therefore important to understand the solid-phase speciation of Hg in streambanks as differences in Hg speciation will have implications for Hg transport and bioavailability. In this study, we characterized Hg solid phases in Hg-contaminated soils (100-1100 mg per kg Hg) collected from the incised bank of the East Fork Poplar Creek (EFPC) in Oak Ridge, TN (USA). The analysis of the soil samples by scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy indicated numerous microenvironments where Hg and sulfur (S) are co-located. According to bulk soil analyses by extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS), the near-neighbor Hg molecular coordination in the soils closely resembled freshly precipitated Hg sulfide (metacinnabar, HgS); however, EXAFS fits indicated the Hg in the HgS structure was undercoordinated with respect to crystalline metacinnabar. This undercoordination of Hg-S observed by spectroscopy is consistent with transmission electron microspy images showing the presence of nanocrystallites with structural defects (twinning, stacking faults, dislocations) in individual HgS-bearing particles. Although the soils were collected from exposed parts of the stream bank (i.e., open to the atmosphere), the presence of reduced forms of S and sulfate-reducing microbes suggests that biogenic sulfides promote the formation of HgS nanoparticles in these soils. Altogether, these data demonstrate the predominance of nanoparticulate HgS with crystal lattice defects in the bank soils of an industrially impacted stream. Efforts to predict the mobilization and bioavailability of Hg associated with nano-HgS forms should consider the impact of nanocrystalline lattice defects on particle surface reactivity, including Hg dissolution rates and bioavailability on Hg fate and transformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faye Koenigsmark
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Michelle Chiu
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA.
| | - Nelson Rivera
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Alexander Johs
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA.
| | - Jeremy Eskelsen
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA.
| | - Donovan Leonard
- Manufacturing Demonstration Facility Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Boakai K Robertson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL 36104, USA
| | - Anna Szynkiewicz
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Christopher Derolph
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA.
| | - Linduo Zhao
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA.
| | - Baohua Gu
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA.
| | - Heileen Hsu-Kim
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Eric M Pierce
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA.
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Casagrande GCR, Dambros J, de Andrade EA, Martello F, Sobral-Souza T, Moreno MIC, Battirola LD, de Andrade RLT. Atmospheric mercury in forests: accumulation analysis in a gold mining area in the southern Amazon, Brazil. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:477. [PMID: 36928432 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11063-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The spatial distribution and dispersion of mercury (Hg) is associated with the structural conditions of the environment, primarily land use and vegetation cover. Man-made emissions of the metal from activities such as artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) can influence this distribution. Forest ecosystems are of particular importance as they constitute one of the most active environments in the biogeochemical cycle of Hg, and understanding these dynamics is essential to better understand its global cycle. In this study, we determined the content of Hg present in different forest strata (soil, leaf litter, herbaceous, underwood/bush, and arboreal), as well as the relationship between the presence of Hg and the landscape heterogeneity, percentage of gold mines, and ground slope. This study was carried out in tropical forest areas of the southern Brazilian Amazon. Accumulation and transport of Hg between forest strata was assessed in order to understand the influence of these forest environments on Hg accumulation in areas where ASGM occurs. We verified that there is a difference in Hg content between forest strata, indicating that atmospheric Hg is accumulated onto the arboreal stratum and transported vertically to strata below the canopy, i.e., underwood/bush and herbaceous, and subsequently accumulated in the leaf litter and transferred to the soil. Leaf litter was the stratum with the highest Hg content, characterized as a receptor for most of the Hg load from the upper strata in the forest. Therefore, it was confirmed that Hg accumulation dynamics are at play between the areas analyzed due to the proximity of ASGMs in the region. This indicates that the conservation of forest areas plays an important role in the process of atmospheric Hg deposition and accumulation, acting as a mercury sink in areas close to man-made emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Cristina Rabello Casagrande
- Postgraduate Program in Biotechnology and Biodiversity-Rede Pró-Centro-Oeste, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá Campus, Av. Fernando Corrêa da Costa, 2367, Bairro Boa Esperança, CEP 78060-900, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil
| | - Juliane Dambros
- Postgraduate Program in Biotechnology and Biodiversity-Rede Pró-Centro-Oeste, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá Campus, Av. Fernando Corrêa da Costa, 2367, Bairro Boa Esperança, CEP 78060-900, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil
| | - Ednaldo Antônio de Andrade
- Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Sinop Campus, Av. Alexandre Ferronato, 1200, Setor Industrial, CEP 78557-267, Sinop, Mato Grosso, Brazil
| | - Felipe Martello
- Vale Institute of Technology-Sustainable Development, Rua Boaventura da Silva, 955, Nazaré, CEP 66055-090, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Thadeu Sobral-Souza
- Department of Botany and Ecology, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Av. Fernando Corrêa da Costa 2367, Bairro Boa Esperança, CEP 78060-900, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil
| | - Maria Inês Cruzeiro Moreno
- Departament of Biological Science, Institute of Biotechnology, Federal University of Catalão, Campus I, Av. Dr. Lamartine Pinto de Avelar, 1120 Setor Universitário, CEP 75704-020, Catalão, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Leandro Dênis Battirola
- Postgraduate Program in Biotechnology and Biodiversity-Rede Pró-Centro-Oeste, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá Campus, Av. Fernando Corrêa da Costa, 2367, Bairro Boa Esperança, CEP 78060-900, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
- Postgraduate Program in Environmental Science, Institute of Natural, Human and Social Sciences, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Sinop Campus, Av. Alexandre Ferronato, 1200, Setor Industrial, CEP 78557-267, Sinop, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
| | - Ricardo Lopes Tortorela de Andrade
- Postgraduate Program in Biotechnology and Biodiversity-Rede Pró-Centro-Oeste, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá Campus, Av. Fernando Corrêa da Costa, 2367, Bairro Boa Esperança, CEP 78060-900, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Environmental Science, Institute of Natural, Human and Social Sciences, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Sinop Campus, Av. Alexandre Ferronato, 1200, Setor Industrial, CEP 78557-267, Sinop, Mato Grosso, Brazil
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Feinberg A, Dlamini T, Jiskra M, Shah V, Selin NE. Evaluating atmospheric mercury (Hg) uptake by vegetation in a chemistry-transport model. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2022; 24:1303-1318. [PMID: 35485923 PMCID: PMC9491292 DOI: 10.1039/d2em00032f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg), a neurotoxic heavy metal, is transferred to marine and terrestrial ecosystems through atmospheric transport. Recent studies have highlighted the role of vegetation uptake as a sink for atmospheric elemental mercury (Hg0) and a source of Hg to soils. However, the global magnitude of the Hg0 vegetation uptake flux is highly uncertain, with estimates ranging 1000-4000 Mg per year. To constrain this sink, we compare simulations in the chemical transport model GEOS-Chem with a compiled database of litterfall, throughfall, and flux tower measurements from 93 forested sites. The prior version of GEOS-Chem predicts median Hg0 dry deposition velocities similar to litterfall measurements from Northern hemisphere temperate and boreal forests (∼0.03 cm s-1), yet it underestimates measurements from a flux tower study (0.04 cm s-1vs. 0.07 cm s-1) and Amazon litterfall (0.05 cm s-1vs. 0.17 cm s-1). After revising the Hg0 reactivity within the dry deposition parametrization to match flux tower and Amazon measurements, GEOS-Chem displays improved agreement with the seasonality of atmospheric Hg0 observations in the Northern midlatitudes. Additionally, the modelled bias in Hg0 concentrations in South America decreases from +0.21 ng m-3 to +0.05 ng m-3. We calculate a global flux of Hg0 dry deposition to land of 2276 Mg per year, approximately double previous model estimates. The Amazon rainforest contributes 29% of the total Hg0 land sink, yet continued deforestation and climate change threatens the rainforest's stability and thus its role as an important Hg sink. In an illustrative worst-case scenario where the Amazon is completely converted to savannah, GEOS-Chem predicts that an additional 283 Mg Hg per year would deposit to the ocean, where it can bioaccumulate in the marine food chain. Biosphere-atmosphere interactions thus play a crucial role in global Hg cycling and should be considered in assessments of future Hg pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aryeh Feinberg
- Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Thandolwethu Dlamini
- Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Martin Jiskra
- Environmental Geosciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Viral Shah
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Noelle E Selin
- Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
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Landrigan P, Bose-O'Reilly S, Elbel J, Nordberg G, Lucchini R, Bartrem C, Grandjean P, Mergler D, Moyo D, Nemery B, von Braun M, Nowak D. Reducing disease and death from Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) - the urgent need for responsible mining in the context of growing global demand for minerals and metals for climate change mitigation. Environ Health 2022; 21:78. [PMID: 36028832 PMCID: PMC9412790 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-022-00877-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) takes place under extreme conditions with a lack of occupational health and safety. As the demand for metals is increasing due in part to their extensive use in 'green technologies' for climate change mitigation, the negative environmental and occupational consequences of mining practices are disproportionately felt in low- and middle-income countries. The Collegium Ramazzini statement on ASM presents updated information on its neglected health hazards that include multiple toxic hazards, most notably mercury, lead, cyanide, arsenic, cadmium, and cobalt, as well as physical hazards, most notably airborne dust and noise, and the high risk of infectious diseases. These hazards affect both miners and mining communities as working and living spaces are rarely separated. The impact on children and women is often severe, including hazardous exposures during the child-bearing age and pregnancies, and the risk of child labor. We suggest strategies for the mitigation of these hazards and classify those according to primordial, primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention. Further, we identify knowledge gaps and issue recommendations for international, national, and local governments, metal purchasers, and employers are given. With this statement, the Collegium Ramazzini calls for the extension of efforts to minimize all hazards that confront ASM miners and their families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Landrigan
- Program for Global Public Health and the Common Good, Global Observatory on Planetary Health, Boston College, Boston, USA.
- Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Monaco City, Monaco.
| | - Stephan Bose-O'Reilly
- Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Johanna Elbel
- Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Gunnar Nordberg
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umea University, Umea, Sweden
| | - Roberto Lucchini
- Institute of Occupational Health, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Casey Bartrem
- TerraGraphics International Foundation, Moscow, ID 83843, USA
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Donna Mergler
- Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire sur le bien-être, la santé, la société et l'environnement (Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Health, Wellbeing, Society and Environment, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Dingani Moyo
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Occupational Health Division, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
- Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, National University of Science and Technology, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
- Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Midlands State University, Gweru, Zimbabwe
| | - Benoit Nemery
- Centre for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Margrit von Braun
- TerraGraphics International Foundation, Moscow, ID 83843, USA
- Environmental Science Program, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83843, USA
| | - Dennis Nowak
- Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
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8
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Torres FG, De-la-Torre GE. Mercury pollution in Peru: geographic distribution, health hazards, and sustainable removal technologies. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:54045-54059. [PMID: 35650340 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-21152-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Peru is one of the great gold producers worldwide. However, a significant portion of the gold produced in Peru derives from artisanal small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in the Andes and Amazon. In ASGM, gold amalgamation with mercury (Hg) is a critical procedure to refine gold through the formation of Au-Hg alloys. Due to the rudimentary and improvised techniques conducted by small-scale and informal miners, Hg contamination has become of great concern and is strictly associated with ASGM. Multiple studies have evidenced notably high concentrations of Hg in consumable fish species, rivers, sediments, and air in locations where ASGM is one of the main sources of income to local communities and is carried out aggressively. In the present review, we have conducted a systematic search for national and international literature reporting the concentration and distribution of Hg pollution across environmental compartments, biota, and human samples in Peru. The results and data retrieved from the articles were quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed, and the distribution of Hg across environmental compartments was visualized through a geographic information system. Additionally, we reviewed the use of adsorption techniques as alternatives to treat Hg0 vapor from the gold shop and smelter flues, one of the main sources of hazardous levels of Hg exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando G Torres
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú. Av. Universitaria 1801, Lima, 15088, Peru.
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Adult Exposures to Toxic Trace Elements as Measured in Nails along the Interoceanic Highway in the Peruvian Amazon. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19106335. [PMID: 35627872 PMCID: PMC9142029 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19106335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Deforestation, artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM), and the rapid development related to highway expansion cause opportunities for toxic trace element exposure in the Amazon region of Madre de Dios (MDD), Peru, one of the most biologically diverse places in the world. The objective of this study was to assess the exposure to arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury among adults in Madre de Dios. In total, 418 adult (18+ years) participants in the Investigacion de Migracion, Ambiente, y Salud (IMAS) (Migration, Environment, and Health Study) participated in this study. Consent, survey data, and biospecimens were collected between August and November 2014. Nail elements were measured by inductively coupled plasma sector field mass spectrometry. Differences by selected individual and household characteristics and local land uses were tested using one-way ANOVAs and linear mixed models. Adults in ASGM-affected areas had higher nail arsenic and nail cadmium than their non-ASGM counterparts. Higher household fish consumption was positively associated with nail mercury and nail lead. The results indicate that adult exposure to arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury is heterogeneous across Madre de Dios, and the exposures related to ASGM communities and fish consumption suggest that exposures from artisanal and small-scale mining are environmentally widespread. Further investigation is warranted to ascertain potential health impacts.
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10
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da Silva Montes C, Ferreira MAP, Giarrizzo T, Amado LL, Rocha RM. The legacy of artisanal gold mining and its impact on fish health from Tapajós Amazonian region: A multi-biomarker approach. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 287:132263. [PMID: 34826937 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.132263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Tapajós Region, is an area with intense historical artisanal and small-scale gold mining. Therefore, the core objective of this study was to evaluate the environmental status of different rivers located in this region, using biomarker endpoints in Serrasalmus rhombeus as a tool. Fish and sediment were collected from two rivers, Tropas and Crepori, affluent of Tapajós River, located inside a Federal Protection Area and in a Reference site. Mercury concentration in sediment and fish were traced, and biomarkers in gills and liver were analyzed. Results showed a clear difference between these two rivers compared to the Reference site. Fish tissues presented biomarker responses according to the site of collection. Catalase (CAT) activity was statistically higher in fish gills from Crepori, confirming the capacity of mercury interference with redox equilibrium. High levels of lipid peroxidation were also noted to contribute greatly in incidence of morphological changes in the liver and gills, suggesting that mercury bioaccumulation during continuous exposure promote biological responses in a cumulative manner, from molecules to tissues. This study also indicates adaptation in fish defense mechanisms given the conditions in the Tropas River, as well as a variation in biomarker responses to that of the Crepori river. In summary, Tapajós affluents presented high mercury levels in fish tissues leading to biomarker responses, demonstrating a hazardous signal of a long history of mercury pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline da Silva Montes
- Laboratory of Cellular Ultrastructure and Immunohistochemistry, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém, Pará, Brazil.
| | - Maria Auxiliadora Pantoja Ferreira
- Laboratory of Cellular Ultrastructure and Immunohistochemistry, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Tommaso Giarrizzo
- Laboratory of Fisheries Biology - Aquatic Resource Management, Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Lílian Lund Amado
- Laboratory of Ecotoxicology and Laboratory of Marine Environmental Monitoring Research (LAPMAR) Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Rossineide Martins Rocha
- Laboratory of Cellular Ultrastructure and Immunohistochemistry, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém, Pará, Brazil
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11
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Koenigsmark F, Weinhouse C, Berky AJ, Morales AM, Ortiz EJ, Pierce EM, Pan WK, Hsu-Kim H. 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. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:13350. [PMID: 34948962 PMCID: PMC8707462 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182413350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- 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;
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12
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CoNaMad-Cohorte de Nacimiento de Madre de Dios/Madre de Dios Birth Cohort to Study Effects of in-utero Trace Metals Exposure in the Southern Peruvian Amazon. Ann Glob Health 2021; 87:69. [PMID: 34327116 PMCID: PMC8300581 DOI: 10.5334/aogh.3152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: In-utero exposure to mercury and other trace metals pose a significant threat to child health and development, but exposures and health impacts in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) environments are poorly defined. Objectives: We describe the CONAMAD study design, a prospective birth cohort consisting of multiparous women (18 and over) living in rural and peri-urban Peruvian Amazon communities exposed to ASGM. Methods: Pregnant women are enrolled from health posts across four zones of Madre de Dios, Peru. Data are collected at enrollment, childbirth, and (planned) 36-48 months. At enrollment, hair samples for mercury assessment, demographic and clinical data are obtained. At birth, we obtain venous and cord blood, placenta, hair, toenails, and saliva. Findings: Two hundred seventy mothers were enrolled at an average 20 weeks gestational age with no differences in maternal characteristics across zones. Two hundred fifteen mothers were successfully followed at birth. We obtained 214 maternal and cord blood samples, 211 maternal and 212 infant hair samples, 212 placenta samples, 210 infant saliva samples, and 214 infant dried blood spots. Data collected will allow for testing our primary hypotheses of maternal malnutrition modifying ratios of cord:maternal blood total mercury (tHg), cord blood:maternal hair tHg, and infant:maternal hair tHg, and whether chemical mixtures (Hg, Pb, Cd) have synergistic effects on infant neurodevelopment. Conclusions: CONAMAD is designed to collect and store samples for future processing and hypothesis testing associated with in-utero mercury exposure and child development. We have completed the exposure assessments and will conduct a follow-up of mothers to evaluate early child development outcomes, including developmental delay and growth. These data offer insights into disease mechanisms, exposure prevention, and policy guidance for countries where ASGM is prevalent.
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Weinhouse C, Gallis JA, Ortiz E, Berky AJ, Morales AM, Diringer SE, Harrington J, Bullins P, Rogers L, Hare-Grogg J, Hsu-Kim H, Pan WK. A population-based mercury exposure assessment near an artisanal and small-scale gold mining site in the Peruvian Amazon. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2021; 31:126-136. [PMID: 32467625 PMCID: PMC8281380 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-020-0234-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Human exposure to mercury is a leading public health problem. Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is a major source of global mercury emissions. Although occupational mercury exposure to miners (via mercury vapor inhalation) is known, chronic mercury exposure to nearby residents that are not miners (via mercury-contaminated fish consumption) is poorly characterized. We conducted a population-based mercury exposure assessment in 23 communities (19 rural, 4 urban) around the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve, which is bordered on the east by heavy ASGM activity. We measured total mercury in hair (N = 2083) and blood (N = 476) from March-June 2015 and performed follow-up measurements (N = 723 hair and N = 290 blood) from February-April 2016. Mercury exposure risk was highest in communities classified as indigenous, or native, regardless of proximity to mining activity. Residence in a native community (vs. non-native) was associated with mercury levels 1.9 times higher in hair (median native 3.5 ppm vs. median non-native 1.4 ppm total mercury) and 1.6 times higher in blood (median native 7.4 ng/mL vs median non-native 3.2 ng/mL total mercury). Unexpectedly, proximity to mining was not associated with exposure risk. These findings challenge common assumptions about mercury exposure patterns and emphasize the importance of population-representative studies to identify high risk sub-populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caren Weinhouse
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, 310 Trent Drive, Durham, North Carolina 27710
| | - John A. Gallis
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, 310 Trent Drive, Durham, North Carolina 27710
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University Medical Center, 2424 Erwin Road, Suite 1102 Hock Plaza, Durham, North Carolina 27710
| | - Ernesto Ortiz
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, 310 Trent Drive, Durham, North Carolina 27710
| | - Axel J. Berky
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, 9 Circuit Drive, Durham, North Carolina 27710
| | | | - Sarah E. Diringer
- Pacific Institute, 654 13 Street, Preservation Park, Oakland, California 94612
| | - James Harrington
- Research Triangle Institute, 3040 East Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709
| | - Paige Bullins
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, 310 Trent Drive, Durham, North Carolina 27710
| | - Laura Rogers
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, 121 Hudson Hall, Durham, North Carolina 27708
| | - John Hare-Grogg
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, 121 Hudson Hall, Durham, North Carolina 27708
| | - Heileen Hsu-Kim
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, 9 Circuit Drive, Durham, North Carolina 27710
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, 121 Hudson Hall, Durham, North Carolina 27708
| | - William K. Pan
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, 310 Trent Drive, Durham, North Carolina 27710
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, 9 Circuit Drive, Durham, North Carolina 27710
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14
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Azevedo-Santos VM, Arcifa MS, Brito MFG, Agostinho AA, Hughes RM, Vitule JR, Simberloff D, Olden JD, Pelicice FM. Negative impacts of mining on Neotropical freshwater fishes. NEOTROPICAL ICHTHYOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1590/1982-0224-2021-0001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Abstract Mining activities have significantly affected the Neotropical freshwater ichthyofauna, the most diverse in the world. However, no study has systematized knowledge on the subject. In this review, we assembled information on the main impacts of mining of crude oil, gold, iron, copper, and bauxite on aquatic ecosystems, emphasizing Neotropical freshwater fishes. The information obtained shows that mining activities generate several different disturbances, mainly via input of crude oil, metals and other pollutants, erosion and siltation, deforestation, and road construction. Mining has resulted in direct and indirect losses of fish diversity in several Neotropical waterbodies. The negative impacts on the ichthyofauna may change the structure of communities, compromise entire food chains, and erode ecosystem services provided by freshwater fishes. Particularly noteworthy is that mining activities (legal and illegal) are widespread in the Neotropics, and often located within or near protected areas. Actions to prevent and mitigate impacts, such as inspection, monitoring, management, and restoration plans, have been cursory or absent. In addition, there is strong political pressure to expand mining; if – or when – this happens, it will increase the potential of the activity to further diminish the diversity of Neotropical freshwater fishes.
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15
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Gerson JR, Topp SN, Vega CM, Gardner JR, Yang X, Fernandez LE, Bernhardt ES, Pavelsky TM. Artificial lake expansion amplifies mercury pollution from gold mining. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:6/48/eabd4953. [PMID: 33246963 PMCID: PMC7695464 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abd4953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is the largest global source of anthropogenic mercury emissions. However, little is known about how effectively mercury released from ASGM is converted into the bioavailable form of methylmercury in ASGM-altered landscapes. Through examination of ASGM-impacted river basins in Peru, we show that lake area in heavily mined watersheds has increased by 670% between 1985 and 2018 and that lakes in this area convert mercury into methylmercury at net rates five to seven times greater than rivers. These results suggest that synergistic increases in lake area and mercury loading associated with ASGM are substantially increasing exposure risk for people and wildlife. Similarly, marked increases in lake area in other ASGM hot spots suggest that "hydroscape" (hydrological landscape) alteration is an important and previously unrecognized component of mercury risk from ASGM.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Simon N Topp
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
| | - Claudia M Vega
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica (CINCIA), Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, Peru
- Center for Energy, Environment and Sustainability (CEES), Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA
| | - John R Gardner
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Xiao Yang
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Luis E Fernandez
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica (CINCIA), Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, Peru
- Center for Energy, Environment and Sustainability (CEES), Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA
- Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | | - Tamlin M Pavelsky
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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16
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Brown ST, Hasan KM, Moody KH, Loving DC, Howe KE, Dawson AG, Drace K, Hugdahl JD, Seney CS, Vega CM, Fernandez LE, Kiefer AM. Method for mapping Hg 0 emissions from gold shops in artisanal and small-scale gold mining communities. MethodsX 2020; 7:101060. [PMID: 32995311 PMCID: PMC7516184 DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2020.101060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Gold shops in artisanal and small-scale gold mining communities represent major point sources of airborne mercury pollution. Concentrations of elemental mercury (Hg0) emitted by these shops can be determined using a portable atomic absorbance spectrometer (AAS) with Zeeman correction. These measured Hg0 concentrations can then be correlated to position as determined by a hand-held GPS unit, and the resulting data mapped using a Geographic Information System (GIS). A detailed method for obtaining and analyzing data collected near gold shops in Mazuko, Peru is provided. Maps generated using this method were employed to identify point sources of Hg0 contamination originating from gold shops in ASGM communities and were shared with local city managers to assist in urban planning.A detailed method is provided to collect and process data, ultimately generating a map that allows for the screening of a community to identify point sources of Hg0 contamination. Raw data is provided, as well as a video detailing data processing and mapping using a common spreadsheet program and an open-source GIS. The generated map can be used for determining areas where people may be exposed to elevated Hg0 concentrations and/or occupational mercury vapor exposure, targeted enforcement, or outreach to limit Hg0 pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha T Brown
- Department of Chemistry, Mercer University Macon, GA, United States
| | - Kazi M Hasan
- Department of Chemistry, Mercer University Macon, GA, United States
| | - Keegan H Moody
- Department of Chemistry, Mercer University Macon, GA, United States
| | | | - Kathryn E Howe
- Department of Chemistry, Mercer University Macon, GA, United States
| | - Alaina G Dawson
- Department of Chemistry, Mercer University Macon, GA, United States
| | - Kevin Drace
- Department of Biology, Birmingham-Southern College Birmingham, AL, United States
| | | | - Caryn S Seney
- Department of Chemistry, Mercer University Macon, GA, United States
| | - Claudia M Vega
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica (CINCIA), Puerto Maldonado 17000, Madre de Dios, Peru.,Center for Energy, Environmental and Sustainability (CEES), Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem 27109, NC, United States
| | - Luis E Fernandez
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica (CINCIA), Puerto Maldonado 17000, Madre de Dios, Peru.,Center for Energy, Environmental and Sustainability (CEES), Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem 27109, NC, United States
| | - Adam M Kiefer
- Department of Chemistry, Mercer University Macon, GA, United States
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17
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Cristol DA, Evers DC. The impact of mercury on North American songbirds: effects, trends, and predictive factors. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2020; 29:1107-1116. [PMID: 32970279 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-020-02280-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Researchers were asked to contribute new results addressing questions about the exposure and effects of mercury (Hg) in North American songbirds, a rapidly declining group of species that is the subject of enduring interest for millions of birdwatchers, the general public and conservation scientists. Important questions to be answered include: Is Hg causing or exacerbating songbird population declines? Which North American songbirds are at most risk and in which landscapes? Are there aspects of songbird natural history that pre-dispose them to risks of Hg exposure and effects, in particular, their migratory behavior? In all, 61 authors contributed 15 studies addressing aspects of these questions. Articles in this special issue address an array of topics including: (1) three studies on health effects in the laboratory using a domesticated songbird model species, the zebra finch; (2) three studies on changes in songbird exposure to Hg over time spans from less than a decade to more than a century; (3) five studies on landscape characteristics or management practices that cause the oft-noted spatial variation in Hg accumulation by resident songbirds, from the subarctic tundra to high-elevation tropical forests; (4) three papers examining the recently recognized role of migration behavior in predicting risk to songbirds from Hg; and (5) one paper on the potential pitfalls of using feather Hg concentration as a bioindicator for Hg exposure. In summary, although there are many questions still to be answered, it is clear that the effects of Hg are persistent long after exposure, Hg exposure of North American songbirds is not improving, predicting exposure requires a detailed understanding of ecosystem processes beyond simply the amount of Hg present at a site, migration behavior predisposes songbirds to risk of Hg exposure and effects, and carefully selecting appropriate bioindicator sites, species, and tissues is critical to any monitoring efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A Cristol
- Department of Biology, William & Mary, PO Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA, 23187-8795, USA.
| | - David C Evers
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Drive, Portland, ME, 04105, USA
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