Mercury in the Tapajós River basin, Brazilian Amazon: a review.

Authors :: Berzas Nevado JJ
Rodríguez Martín-Doimeadios RC
Guzmán Bernardo FJ
Jiménez Moreno M
Herculano AM
do Nascimento JL
Crespo-López ME
Source :: Environment international [Environ Int] 2010 Aug; Vol. 36 (6), pp. 593-608. Date of Electronic Publication: 2010 May 16.
Publication Year :: 2010
Abstract: This paper presents a review about mercury contamination and human exposure in the Tapajós River basin (Brazil), one of the major tributaries of the Amazon impacted by traditional gold mining from the mid 1980s. The most recent review in this region was published more than ten years ago and since then many articles about environment and especially human populations have revealed new aspects of mercury toxicology. Additionally, new biomarkers of mercury exposure and toxicity have been studied in these populations. However, there are still many open, about both mercury's biogeochemical cycle and mercury health risks. Further environmental and human risk research directions are proposed.<br /> (Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)