Mercury Contamination and Co‑exposures in the Amazon Basin: At the Center of the Planetary Environmental Crisis
Background: Mercury contamination remains a significant public health concern in the Amazon basin. This review synthesizes recent evidence on mercury exposure, health outcomes, and emerging co‑exposures in the Amazon countries. Data were presented at the Annual Conference of Global Health in the Ame...
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| Format: | Article |
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Ubiquity Press
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Annals of Global Health |
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| Online Access: | https://account.annalsofglobalhealth.org/index.php/up-j-agh/article/view/4817 |
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| author | Roberto G Lucchini Paulo Cesar Basta Maria Elena Crespo-Lopez Maria del Carmen Gastañaga Cristina O’Callaghan-Gordo Jesus Olivero-Verbel Claudia Vega Stefanny Magaly Moncada Barbosa Carlos Espinal Quentin Felty Alok Deoraj |
| author_facet | Roberto G Lucchini Paulo Cesar Basta Maria Elena Crespo-Lopez Maria del Carmen Gastañaga Cristina O’Callaghan-Gordo Jesus Olivero-Verbel Claudia Vega Stefanny Magaly Moncada Barbosa Carlos Espinal Quentin Felty Alok Deoraj |
| author_sort | Roberto G Lucchini |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Mercury contamination remains a significant public health concern in the Amazon basin. This review synthesizes recent evidence on mercury exposure, health outcomes, and emerging co‑exposures in the Amazon countries. Data were presented at the Annual Conference of Global Health in the Americas, organized by Florida International University in Cartagena, Colombia on September 15, 2023, at a virtual session of the Consortium of Universities for Global Health on November 29, 2023, and subsequently updated with further literature search. Findings: Reported mercury concentrations in fish range from 0.10 to 4.73 µg/g, while hair mercury levels in exposed populations span 3.07–24.6 µg/g. Cross‑sectional studies among Indigenous and traditional communities consistently demonstrate associations between mercury biomarkers—primarily measured in hair and urine—and neurocognitive as well as neuromotor impairments. Additional evidence links mercury exposure to increased cardiovascular and metabolic risk. Genetic susceptibility, notably APOE4 and GSTP1 polymorphisms, may modulate mercury absorption and toxicity. Co‑exposures to microplastics and agrochemicals are increasingly reported in the region, raising concern over synergistic toxic effects. However, scientific evidence on these combined exposures remains fragmented and insufficient. Conclusions and recommendations: To address this critical gap, we propose the formation of a cross‑national scientific consortium to foster collaboration, enhance epidemiological capacity, and strengthen laboratory infrastructure. Crucially, efforts to address mercury contamination must center the voices of Amazonian Indigenous peoples, who bear the greatest burden of exposure while facing persistent social, environmental, and health inequalities. Meaningful engagement with these communities is essential to overcome marginalization and ensure that research, policy, and intervention strategies are culturally informed, equitable, and effective. Coordinated regional action is urgently needed to protect the health and rights of vulnerable Amazonian populations. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9d2f8fa2c83a4a43b5d3295beaf1b2e7 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2214-9996 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Ubiquity Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Annals of Global Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-9d2f8fa2c83a4a43b5d3295beaf1b2e72025-08-21T12:34:26ZengUbiquity PressAnnals of Global Health2214-99962025-07-01911424210.5334/aogh.48174817Mercury Contamination and Co‑exposures in the Amazon Basin: At the Center of the Planetary Environmental CrisisRoberto G Lucchini0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9723-0237Paulo Cesar Basta1Maria Elena Crespo-Lopez2Maria del Carmen Gastañaga3Cristina O’Callaghan-Gordo4Jesus Olivero-Verbel5Claudia Vega6Stefanny Magaly Moncada Barbosa7Carlos Espinal8Quentin Felty9Alok Deoraj10School of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, USA; Occupational Medicine, University of ModenaEscola Nacional de Saúde Pública (ENSP), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de JaneiroLaboratorio de Farmacología Molecular, Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA), BelemCentro Nacional de Salud Ocupacional y Protección del Ambiente para la Salud. Instituto Nacional de Salud, LimaBarcelona InTerdisciplinary research group on plAnetary heaLth (BITAL), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, ISGlobal, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain, CIBERESP, ISCIIIEnvironmental and Computational Chemistry Group. Research Institute on Climate Change and Sustainable Development. School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universidad de CartagenaCentro de Innovación Científica Amazónica CINCIA, Puerto MaldonadoDepartamento de Gobierno, Universidad del Desarrollo, Las Condes, Región MetropolitanaSchool of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, MiamiSchool of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, MiamiSchool of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, MiamiBackground: Mercury contamination remains a significant public health concern in the Amazon basin. This review synthesizes recent evidence on mercury exposure, health outcomes, and emerging co‑exposures in the Amazon countries. Data were presented at the Annual Conference of Global Health in the Americas, organized by Florida International University in Cartagena, Colombia on September 15, 2023, at a virtual session of the Consortium of Universities for Global Health on November 29, 2023, and subsequently updated with further literature search. Findings: Reported mercury concentrations in fish range from 0.10 to 4.73 µg/g, while hair mercury levels in exposed populations span 3.07–24.6 µg/g. Cross‑sectional studies among Indigenous and traditional communities consistently demonstrate associations between mercury biomarkers—primarily measured in hair and urine—and neurocognitive as well as neuromotor impairments. Additional evidence links mercury exposure to increased cardiovascular and metabolic risk. Genetic susceptibility, notably APOE4 and GSTP1 polymorphisms, may modulate mercury absorption and toxicity. Co‑exposures to microplastics and agrochemicals are increasingly reported in the region, raising concern over synergistic toxic effects. However, scientific evidence on these combined exposures remains fragmented and insufficient. Conclusions and recommendations: To address this critical gap, we propose the formation of a cross‑national scientific consortium to foster collaboration, enhance epidemiological capacity, and strengthen laboratory infrastructure. Crucially, efforts to address mercury contamination must center the voices of Amazonian Indigenous peoples, who bear the greatest burden of exposure while facing persistent social, environmental, and health inequalities. Meaningful engagement with these communities is essential to overcome marginalization and ensure that research, policy, and intervention strategies are culturally informed, equitable, and effective. Coordinated regional action is urgently needed to protect the health and rights of vulnerable Amazonian populations.https://account.annalsofglobalhealth.org/index.php/up-j-agh/article/view/4817amazonmercuryminingindigenous healthinequalitiesagrochemicalsmicroplastics |
| spellingShingle | Roberto G Lucchini Paulo Cesar Basta Maria Elena Crespo-Lopez Maria del Carmen Gastañaga Cristina O’Callaghan-Gordo Jesus Olivero-Verbel Claudia Vega Stefanny Magaly Moncada Barbosa Carlos Espinal Quentin Felty Alok Deoraj Mercury Contamination and Co‑exposures in the Amazon Basin: At the Center of the Planetary Environmental Crisis Annals of Global Health amazon mercury mining indigenous health inequalities agrochemicals microplastics |
| title | Mercury Contamination and Co‑exposures in the Amazon Basin: At the Center of the Planetary Environmental Crisis |
| title_full | Mercury Contamination and Co‑exposures in the Amazon Basin: At the Center of the Planetary Environmental Crisis |
| title_fullStr | Mercury Contamination and Co‑exposures in the Amazon Basin: At the Center of the Planetary Environmental Crisis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mercury Contamination and Co‑exposures in the Amazon Basin: At the Center of the Planetary Environmental Crisis |
| title_short | Mercury Contamination and Co‑exposures in the Amazon Basin: At the Center of the Planetary Environmental Crisis |
| title_sort | mercury contamination and co exposures in the amazon basin at the center of the planetary environmental crisis |
| topic | amazon mercury mining indigenous health inequalities agrochemicals microplastics |
| url | https://account.annalsofglobalhealth.org/index.php/up-j-agh/article/view/4817 |
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