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Targino FJ, Ribeiro JDDN, Simões JS, Carneiro CS, Lazzarini SM, Souza AR, Ferreira MDS, Mano SB, Mársico ET. Total Mercury Content in the Tissues of Freshwater Chelonium ( Podocnemis expansa) and a Human Health Risk Assessment for the Amazon Population in Brazil. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2023; 20:6489. [PMID: 37569029 PMCID: PMC10418661 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20156489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Researchers recognize the silent, negative and deleterious effects caused by mercury pollution in gold mining areas. Freshwater turtles are culturally part of the diet of riverside populations in the Amazon region and this area presents mercury (Hg) pollution issues mainly due to gold mining activities. Thus, this research aimed to evaluate the total mercury (THg) content in the different organs of Amazonian giant river turtle (Podocnemis expansa) and carry out a human health risk assessment associated with the consumption of these animals. This study was conducted in the Vila Balbina, municipality of Presidente Figueiredo, state of Amazonas, Brazil. Skin (n = 28), muscle (n = 19) and brain (n = 2) samples were analyzed by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (TDA-AAS) and a DMA-80™ mercury analyzer was used for the total mercury determinations. The average values found for THg in the skin, muscle and brain samples were, respectively, 0.1045 mg·kg-1, 0.1092 mg·kg-1 and 0.0601 mg·kg-1. Thus, THg was observed even though the P. expansa were kept in captivity, possibly due to previous contamination by air, water and food. The Hazard Quotient (HQ) was calculated considering a 9.07 g·day-1 intake dose of P. expansa and the consumption of turtles once a week showed an HQ = 2.45, which may cause long-term injuries to human health. Although the muscle concentrations were below the maximum limit established by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Brazilian regulatory agencies, it is important to evaluate consumption factors such as amount ingested, frequency and animal gender, which may cause a potential risk to regular consumers due to mercury bioaccumulation. The WHO may consider various aspects in order to warn the Amazon population about the severity and silent hazard of this metal, especially due to the importance of this matrix in the region. This region urgently needs government actions to inhibit clandestine mining and to prevent future serious, chronic health problems of the entire population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fábio Júnior Targino
- Faculty of Veterinary, Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói 24230-321, Brazil; (F.J.T.); (J.D.d.N.R.); (J.S.S.); (M.d.S.F.); (S.B.M.)
| | - Joanna Damazio de Nunes Ribeiro
- Faculty of Veterinary, Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói 24230-321, Brazil; (F.J.T.); (J.D.d.N.R.); (J.S.S.); (M.d.S.F.); (S.B.M.)
| | - Julia Siqueira Simões
- Faculty of Veterinary, Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói 24230-321, Brazil; (F.J.T.); (J.D.d.N.R.); (J.S.S.); (M.d.S.F.); (S.B.M.)
| | - Carla Silva Carneiro
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro 21941-580, Brazil;
| | - Stella Maris Lazzarini
- Centro de Pesquisa e Preservação de Mamíferos Aquáticos (CPPMA), Eletronorte, Presidente Figueiredo 69736-000, Brazil; (S.M.L.); (A.R.S.)
| | - Aline Ramos Souza
- Centro de Pesquisa e Preservação de Mamíferos Aquáticos (CPPMA), Eletronorte, Presidente Figueiredo 69736-000, Brazil; (S.M.L.); (A.R.S.)
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal do Amazonas (UFAM), Manaus 69077-000, Brazil
| | - Micheli da Silva Ferreira
- Faculty of Veterinary, Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói 24230-321, Brazil; (F.J.T.); (J.D.d.N.R.); (J.S.S.); (M.d.S.F.); (S.B.M.)
| | - Sergio Borges Mano
- Faculty of Veterinary, Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói 24230-321, Brazil; (F.J.T.); (J.D.d.N.R.); (J.S.S.); (M.d.S.F.); (S.B.M.)
| | - Eliane Teixeira Mársico
- Faculty of Veterinary, Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói 24230-321, Brazil; (F.J.T.); (J.D.d.N.R.); (J.S.S.); (M.d.S.F.); (S.B.M.)
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da Silva Júnior FJTM, Ribeiro JDN, da Silva HLA, da Silva Carneiro C, de Jesus EFO, de Araújo UB, Lazzarini SM, Souza AR, Simões JS, Lopes RT, Dos Anjos MJ, da Silva Ferreira M, Mársico ET. Study of inorganic elements in different organs and tissues of Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis) from Brazil. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2022; 29:30486-30495. [PMID: 35000156 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-17748-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Multielement concentrations (P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, and Rh) and total mercury (T-Hg) were analyzed in different organs and tissues of Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis). Samples of 27 T. inunguis specimens, maintained in the collection of the Amazonian Center for the Research and Preservation of Aquatic Mammals, were used, situated in an area highly impacted by gold mining in the northern region of the Brazilian Amazon. Samples of aquatic plants used as food by the animals were also analyzed. The elements S, Cl, K, Cr, and Mn accumulated mainly in the musculature, while Fe and Cu were more concentrated in the liver. Trace elements, such as rubidium (Rb) and rhodium (Rh), not previously reported in the organs of animals of the family Trichechidae, were also identified. The averages for T-Hg in the skin, muscle, encephalon, liver, kidney, and lung samples were, respectively, 0.1540 ± 0.1332, 0.0593 ± 0.1044, 0.0517 ± 0.0467, 0.0486 ± 0.0543, 0.0237 ± 0.0336, and 0.0013 ± 0.0032 µg.g-1. The values obtained for the vibrissae samples were below the limit of quantification, which allows for the conclusion that this tissue cannot be used as a contamination marker. It was observed that even when kept in a conservation breeding site, these animals were exposed to non-essential trace elements. Differences in the accumulation of elements were observed between the different organs and tissues analyzed. The presence of contaminants in animals that live in a preservation center, even at low levels, deserves attention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joanna Damazio Nunes Ribeiro
- Department of Food Technology, Fluminense Federal University (UFF), Rua Vital Brazil Filho n° 64, Niterói, RJ, 24230-340, Brazil
| | - Hugo Leandro Azevedo da Silva
- Department of Food Technology, Fluminense Federal University (UFF), Rua Vital Brazil Filho n° 64, Niterói, RJ, 24230-340, Brazil.
| | - Carla da Silva Carneiro
- Health Science Center, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Ubiratan Barbosa de Araújo
- Nuclear Instrumentation Laboratory COPPE/UFRJ, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Stella Maris Lazzarini
- Center for Research and Preservation of Aquatic Mammals (CPPMA), ELETRONORTE, Balbina, AM, Brazil
| | - Aline Ramos Souza
- Center for Research and Preservation of Aquatic Mammals (CPPMA), ELETRONORTE, Balbina, AM, Brazil
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Amazonas (UFAM), Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Julia Siqueira Simões
- Department of Food Technology, Fluminense Federal University (UFF), Rua Vital Brazil Filho n° 64, Niterói, RJ, 24230-340, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Tadeu Lopes
- Nuclear Instrumentation Laboratory COPPE/UFRJ, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Marcelino José Dos Anjos
- Nuclear Instrumentation Laboratory COPPE/UFRJ, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Micheli da Silva Ferreira
- Department of Food Technology, Fluminense Federal University (UFF), Rua Vital Brazil Filho n° 64, Niterói, RJ, 24230-340, Brazil
| | - Eliane Teixeira Mársico
- Department of Food Technology, Fluminense Federal University (UFF), Rua Vital Brazil Filho n° 64, Niterói, RJ, 24230-340, Brazil
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