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Informal economy of gold mining has contaminated some important river basins in Amazon. Follow-up studies on critical compartments showed some areas with high Hg levels in fish as well as in human hair samples. Average Hg in piscivorous fish in the Madeira river itself was 846 ppb (N=284) with a maximum of 3921 ppb. Mercury in fish from non polluted areas in this basin shows high variability, even for single species. A seasonal variation in Hg content was observed, with higher values at the end of the dry season. In the upper Tapajos basin comparable values were found for fish but with a definite decreasing trend downstream. Average value for piscivorous fish in the whole Tapajos basin is 482 ppb (N=122) with a maximum value of 3770 ppb. Hair Hg was higher in fishing villages in the Tapajos (average: 17 ppm; with N=432 and maximum value of 176 ppm) than in the Madeira (average: 9 ppm; N=169; maximum 71 ppm), and data from some areas of the Tapajos suggest a decrease with time. Mercury was much higher in urine of goldshop workers in Santarem (low Tapajos) than in Alta Floresta (high Tapajos) and show a decreasing trend in both cases, probably related to the significant decline in gold mining activities during the study period (1986-1994).

Metallic mercury used in gold prospecting is being dispersed over Amazon ecosystems through atmospheric emissions as well as directly to aquatic systems. Total mercury concentrations in the more representative environmental (air, soil, bottom sediments, fishes and plants) and human (hair and urine) indicators, collected in the last 7 years in different goldmining areas (garimpos) are presented and discussed. Critical exposure situations, pathways, areas and human groups are indicated. The goldminers (garimpeiros) that manipulate a major part of the Hg are not the critical group either from exposure to metallic mercury (Hg0) by inhalation or exposure to methylmercury by ingestion of contaminated fish. Results obtained from air and urine sampling show that people working in gold dealers shops are the critical group concerning Hg0 risk, while riverine communities are the risk group with respect to methylmercury.

Mercury is being released in the Amazon in an abusive way due to goldmining activities. The Tapajós river basin was the first to be intensively exploited in the modern Amazon gold rush. Fish and hair samples as the best indicators of human methylmercury contamination were investigated in the main cities and villages along the Tapajós river basin. The upper basin has typical fish fauna with much larger carnivorous fish with higher mercury levels reaching an average value of 0.69 microgram.g-1 wet wt. in 43 fish. This was accompanied by high levels in hair of the human population living in the same area. The maximum hair value reach 151 micrograms.g-1 dry wt. with two villages presenting an average value close to 25 micrograms.g-1 dry wt. An analytical laboratory intercalibration exercise was performed between Japanese and Brazilian laboratories for total mercury analysis. Critical fish, areas, and more exposed human groups are identified.