Mercury and Methylmercury in the children hair and fish mostly consumed in Cubatão, São Paulo State, Brazil

This study evaluated Hg and MeHg concentrations in fish muscle and children hair from Cubatão, using as strategies: i) Hg and MeHg determinations in the mostly consumed fish species, ii) Hg and MeHg determinations in 93 children hair samples (from 04 to 14 years old), and iii) analysis on the childr...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Farias, Luciana Aparecida, Fávaro, Deborah Inês Teixeira, Oliveira, Paulo Tadeu Meira Silva, Braga, Elisabete de Santis
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2015
País:Brasil
Institución:Instituto Adolfo Lutz
Repositorio:Revista do Instituto Adolfo Lutz (Online)
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ojs.periodicos.saude.sp.gov.br:article/33334
Acceso en línea:https://periodicos.saude.sp.gov.br/RIAL/article/view/33334
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:mercury
methylmercury
children
hair
fish
food habit
mercúrio
metilmercúrio
cabelo
crianças
peixe
hábito alimentar
Descripción
Sumario:This study evaluated Hg and MeHg concentrations in fish muscle and children hair from Cubatão, using as strategies: i) Hg and MeHg determinations in the mostly consumed fish species, ii) Hg and MeHg determinations in 93 children hair samples (from 04 to 14 years old), and iii) analysis on the children diet consumption questionnaire answered by the respective parents. The results obtained in a similar study in Cananeia were used as references. These two regions show different environmental anthropogenic impacts and distinct eating habits. The quantity and the frequency of fish consumption were the most important factors of Hg bioaccumulation in children hair. In both cities, 95 % of mercury contents in hair were >1 mg.kg-1 (US EPA reference) in analyzed children, and MeHg were between 67 and 83 % of total Hg. The median for total Hg concentration in fish muscle (wet basis) ranged from 10 to 179 μg.kg-1 for Cananéia and 10 to 181 μg.kg-1 for Cubatão, values lower than the Brazilian limits for Hg in fish. Considering the Hg contents detected in the mostly consumed fish and hair, they indicate that the children are not at risk for Hg and MeHg contamination.